API docs

This is a summary page comparing all the APIs. Click on API name to see its documentation.

Go to the Starter Worlds page to see Starter Worlds for all APIs on one page.

These APIs use specific versions of third-party libraries. These APIs will not change in the future, so that all runs will always work. Rather, new APIs will be added.

"Ancient Brain" APIs

The following APIs include third-party libraries and a useful Ancient Brain framework to make writing Worlds easy and short.

These APIs are useful for writing JS Worlds for this site:

API	Uses canvas	Graphics libraries	AB framework	Worlds using this API	Starter Worlds
Three (AB) (r3)	Yes	Three.js	Yes	1969 Worlds	Starter Worlds
Physics (AB) (r2)	Yes	Three.js, Ammo	Yes	7 Worlds	Starter Worlds
P5 (AB) (r3)	Yes	P5	Yes	171 Worlds	Starter Worlds
ML5 (AB) (r1)	Yes	P5, ML5	Yes	52 Worlds	Starter Worlds
Canvas (AB) (r2)	Yes	None	Yes	22 Worlds	Starter Worlds

"Plain" APIs

The following APIs include third-party libraries and nothing else (no useful Ancient Brain framework). The World author has to write everything themselves.

These APIs are useful for porting JS Worlds to this site unchanged:

API	Uses canvas	Graphics libraries	AB framework	Worlds using this API	Starter Worlds
Three (r3)	Yes	Three.js	No	41 Worlds	Starter Worlds
Three (Module) (r1)	Yes	Three.js	No	145 Worlds	None
Physics (r2)	Yes	Three.js, Ammo	No	6 Worlds	Starter Worlds
P5 (r3)	Yes	P5	No	1201 Worlds	Starter Worlds
ML5 (r1)	Yes	P5, ML5	No	10 Worlds	Starter Worlds
Canvas (r2)	Yes	None	No	12 Worlds	Starter Worlds
Webpage (r2)	No	None	No	1533 Worlds	Starter Worlds
Webpage (Module) (r1)	No	None	No	48 Worlds	None
TypeScript (r1)	No	None	No	10 Worlds	Starter Worlds
TypeScript (pure) (r1)	No	None	No	9 Worlds	Starter Worlds

Python APIs

The following APIs support Python coding in the browser on Ancient Brain.

API	Uses canvas	Graphics libraries	AB framework	Worlds using this API	Starter Worlds
Python (r1)	No	None	No	13 Worlds	Starter Worlds
Python (pure) (mini) (r1)	No	None	No	14 Worlds	Starter Worlds
Python (pure) (full) (r1)	No	None	No	12 Worlds	Starter Worlds
Python Terminal (mini) (r1)	No	None	No	86 Worlds	Starter Worlds
Python Terminal (full) (r1)	No	None	No	94 Worlds	None
Python (COI) (mini) (r1)	No	None	No	None	None
Python (COI) (full) (r1)	No	None	No	21 Worlds	Starter Worlds

Earlier APIs

One of the principles of this site is that Worlds should run forever. We do this by keeping earlier APIs. Worlds with an earlier API will still run. There is no need to change their API. Indeed that would probably be a bad idea.

The earlier APIs will exist forever, so the Worlds will run forever. You can go on using the earlier API, and writing Worlds for it, forever.

We expect most Worlds to have APIs in this section. And this is not a problem.

Earlier "Ancient Brain" APIs

API	Uses canvas	Graphics libraries	AB framework	Worlds using this API	Starter Worlds
Three (AB) (r2)	Yes	Three.js	Yes	561 Worlds	None
Three (AB) (r1)	Yes	Three.js	Yes	1282 Worlds	None
Physics (AB) (r1)	Yes	Three.js, Physijs	Yes	231 Worlds	Starter Worlds
P5 (AB) (r2)	Yes	P5	Yes	9 Worlds	None
P5 (AB) (r1)	Yes	P5	Yes	60 Worlds	Starter Worlds
Canvas (AB) (r1)	Yes	None	Yes	76 Worlds	Starter Worlds

Earlier "plain" APIs

API	Uses canvas	Graphics libraries	AB framework	Worlds using this API	Starter Worlds
Three (r2)	Yes	Three.js	No	37 Worlds	Starter Worlds
Three (r1)	Yes	Three.js	No	2 Worlds	None
Physics (r1)	Yes	Three.js, Physijs	No	9 Worlds	Starter Worlds
P5 (r2)	Yes	P5	No	621 Worlds	None
P5 (r1)	Yes	P5	No	5199 Worlds	Starter Worlds
Canvas (r1)	Yes	None	No	8 Worlds	None
Webpage (r1)	No	None	No	246 Worlds	None