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API docs

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

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	373 Worlds	Starter Worlds
Physics (AB) (r2)	Yes	Three.js, Ammo	Yes	1 World	Starter Worlds
P5 (AB) (r3)	Yes	P5	Yes	23 Worlds	Starter Worlds
ML5 (AB) (r1)	Yes	P5, ML5	Yes	18 Worlds	Starter Worlds
Canvas (AB) (r2)	Yes	None	Yes	3 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	11 Worlds	Starter Worlds
Three (Module) (r1)	Yes	Three.js	No	94 Worlds	None
Physics (r2)	Yes	Three.js, Ammo	No	2 Worlds	Starter Worlds
P5 (r3)	Yes	P5	No	122 Worlds	Starter Worlds
ML5 (r1)	Yes	P5, ML5	No	6 Worlds	Starter Worlds
Canvas (r2)	Yes	None	No	2 Worlds	Starter Worlds
Webpage (r2)	No	None	No	11 Worlds	Starter Worlds
Webpage (Module) (r1)	No	None	No	16 Worlds	None

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	450 Worlds	None
Three (AB) (r1)	Yes	Three.js	Yes	1045 Worlds	None
Physics (AB) (r1)	Yes	Three.js, Physijs	Yes	107 Worlds	Starter Worlds
P5 (AB) (r2)	Yes	P5	Yes	4 Worlds	None
P5 (AB) (r1)	Yes	P5	Yes	38 Worlds	Starter Worlds
Canvas (AB) (r1)	Yes	None	Yes	50 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	27 Worlds	Starter Worlds
Three (r1)	Yes	Three.js	No	1 World	None
Physics (r1)	Yes	Three.js, Physijs	No	8 Worlds	Starter Worlds
P5 (r2)	Yes	P5	No	566 Worlds	None
P5 (r1)	Yes	P5	No	2227 Worlds	Starter Worlds
Canvas (r1)	Yes	None	No	5 Worlds	None
Webpage (r1)	No	None	No	63 Worlds	None

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