exokit

Exokit

Native VR and AR engine for JavaScript 🦖

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This project enables developers to build XR experiences using the same code that runs on the web. Exokit engine is written on top of Node and emulates a web browser, providing native hooks for WebGL, WebXR, WebAudio, and other APIs used in immersive experiences.

Exokit targets the following platforms:

• Desktop VR (Steam compatible)
• Magic Leap
• Mobile AR (ARKit / ARCore) *
• Mobile VR (Daydream / Gear VR) *
• Standalone VR (Oculus Quest/Go) *

* not supported yet

Since Exokit supports anything that runs on the web, it powers experiences built with:

• Three.js
• Unity
• Pixi.js
• Babylon.js
• A-Frame
• Custom WebGL frameworks
• WebAssembly, TypeScript, and any language that transpiles to JavaScript

Quickstart

Download for current OS

Build your own (desktop)

git clone https://github.com/webmixedreality/exokit.git
cd exokit
npm install
node . # or node . -h for home

Run a WebXR site (desktop)

exokit https://emukit.webmr.io/ # start Emukit in Exokit

Download for Magic Leap

Run (Magic Leap device)

mldb connect 192.168.0.10:1131 # mldb needs to be connected; see MLDB documentation
mldb install -u exokit.mpk # downloaded or built package
mldb launch com.webmr.exokit -v "ARGS=node . file:///package/examples/hello_ml.html" # or URL to load
mldb log exokit:*

Debug (Magic Leap device)

ls ./cert/app.{cert,privkey} # place Magic Leap certificate here
./scripts/build-ml.sh # run from Ubuntu bash on Windows
"$MLSDK/tools/debug/debug.py" --deploy-mpk ./build/magicleap/exokit.mpk ./build/magicleap/program-device/release_lumin_clang-3.8_aarch64/program-device --env "ARGS=node . file:///package/examples/hello_ml.html" # or URL to load

Manifesto

• The future is immersive. The web is the best application platform. Javascript is the best ecosystem.
• Content should be hardware agnostic. Tomorrow will have different hardware. VR and AR should be compatible.
• It's not possible to do both 2D and 3D well. We don't do 2D. We can use an external 2D browser.
• Use your favorite game engine. Exokit is not a game engine.
• Legacy browser design choices don't make sense in XR.
• Exokit empowers and connect apps, even (especially) if they aren't designed to cooperate.
• Apps should run in "reality tabs", layers of reality that blend together.

Architecture

Exokit is a Javascript Node.js module.

C++ bindings hook into WebGL, WebXR, Magic Leap, Leap Motion, and various other device APIs.

const {window} = require('exokit')() to get an immersive browser in another project.

Exokit runs on Windows, macOS, Linux (x64), Linux (ARM64), and Magic Leap (ARM64).

Web API support

• HTTP/S
• HTML5
• <script>
• DOM
• WebGL
• WebXL
• Canvas2D
• WebSocket
• Web Workers
• <img>, <audio>, <video>
• WebAudio
• Keyboard/Mouse events
• Gamepad API
• <iframe>
• No HTML layout
• No HTML rendering
• No CSS
• No Legacy APIs

Hardware bindings

• OpenGL
• OpenVR (Steam VR)
• Magic Leap
• Leap Motion

Why Exokit?

• You want your WebGL/WebXR to run fast.
• You want the hot new web APIs.
• You want to add your own integrations -- including native -- into a browser environment.
• You want a lightweight browser as a hackable node module.
• You want to combine the web with a 3D engine like Unity.

Why not Exokit?

• You're looking for a "web browser".
• You don't care about 3D or mixed reality.
• You're looking for strict and/or legacy standards support.

Debugging

Uses ndb.

npm run debug

Then in the console, input:

let window = await require('./src/').load(yourUrl);

Now you have a handle on the window object as you test your application, and you can set debugger breakpoints, inspect memory, profile CPU, etc.

Community

• Slack for development
• Discord for hanging out
• Twitter for silliness

Contributors

• Avaer K
• Nick L
• Chris Eddy
• Chris La Torres
• Noah A S