Within Three.js lies an internal representation of the 3D scene, encompassing vertices, materials, and more. The process of rendering involves translating this 3D depiction into a 2D space. Three.js offers various renderers, such as the popular WebGLRenderer, CanvasRenderer, and CSS3DRenderer.
- The WebGLRenderer utilizes JavaScript APIs that correspond to OpenGL graphics commands. The GPU of the client device handles some of the 2D projection, with each geometry being painted onto a buffer. This buffer represents a frame, showcasing the complete 2D projection of the 3D space within the
<canvas>
.
- The CanvasRenderer employs JavaScript APIs for 2D drawing and performs the 2D projection internally, similar to the WebGLRenderer on a fundamental level.
- With the CSS3DRenderer, DOM elements and CSS3D transforms are used to portray the 3D scene. The browser transforms normal 2D DOM elements into a 3D space that aligns with the Three.js 3D internal representation, projecting them back onto the page in a 2D format.
(This explanation is a simplification of the process.)
It's vital to note that the frame produced by WebGL and Canvas renderings is the final image displayed on the screen, not an <img>
. Typically, browsers render 60 frames per second, and extracting a frame can be achieved by converting the <canvas>
into an image. Pausing the animation loop is recommended for accurate frame capture. While capturing frames this way is slow due to the rapid rendering rate of browsers, tools like Chrome's canvas inspection tools offer a closer look at each painted frame.
While intercepting the buffer during Three.js frame rendering is challenging, drawing directly onto the canvas is feasible. The graphics context, accessed through renderer.context
from the Renderer instance in your Three.js scene setup, aids in assembling the frame buffer.