WebGL: 3D Graphics for the Web
WebGL is a low-level 3D graphics API that is based on OpenGL ES that brings plugin-free 3D to the web and is implemented right into the browser. Major browser vendors Apple (Safari), Google (Chrome), Microsoft (Edge), and Mozilla (Firefox) are members of the WebGL Working Group.
WebGL™ is a cross-platform, royalty-free open web standard for a low-level 3D graphics API based on OpenGL ES, exposed to ECMAScript via the HTML5 Canvas element. Developers familiar with OpenGL ES 2.0 will recognize WebGL as a Shader-based API using GLSL (GL Shading Language), with constructs that are semantically similar to those of the underlying OpenGL ES API. It stays very close to the OpenGL ES specification, with some concessions made for what developers expect out of memory-managed languages such as JavaScript. WebGL 1.0 exposes the OpenGL ES 2.0 feature set; WebGL 2.0 exposes the OpenGL ES 3.0 API.
ESSENTIAL RESOURCES FOR WEBGL DEVELOPMENT
Essential Resources
Thanks to the support of the Khronos membership and our developer community, there is a full set of well-supported developer information and educational resources to help quickly get you up and running with WebGL.
The Standard
THE OPEN STANDARD FOR PERVASIVE 3D ON THE WEB
WebGL Presentations
Get the latest news from WebGL and hear experts share their thoughts.
- WebGL and WebGPU BOF - SIGGRAPH, August 2025
- WebGL @ Khronos Fast Forward - SIGGRAPH, August 2025
- WebGL, 3D Tiles, & iTwin.js - 3D on the Web, April 2025
- Crayoloa's Create and Play on the Web - 3D on the Web, April 2025
- Hyper-Optimizing 3D on the Web - 3D on the Web, April 2025
- Large Scale Scientific Visualization with WebGL ... - 3D on the Web, April 2025
- WebGL & WebGPU Meetup - March 2025
COMMUNITY DISCUSSIONS & WORKING GROUP MEMBERSHIP
Get Involved!
Help Shape WebGL to Simplify the Development of Visualization Applications
Join Our Community
There are several ways to follow the latest developments, get questions answered and make suggestions for improvement. You'll find WebGL community discussions on several forums and social media platforms below. It's a great way to get involved!
Help Shape WebGL
The WebGL Working Group is actively driving the evolution of the standard and the broader ecosystem. Any organization is welcome to join Khronos to shape this important global initiative under the group’s multi-company, consensus-based governance process. Khronos has multiple levels of membership to enable any organization, large or small to get involved. If you want to participate directly in the development of the WebGL standard please consider joining the Khronos Group.
- Join the Khronos Group
- Current Khronos Members
- Adopt Khronos Standards
- Contact .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) for additional information