Fabric.js vs three.js: What are the differences?

Introduction

Fabric.js and three.js are both JavaScript libraries used for working with graphics and animations on the web. However, there are several key differences between the two that make them suited for different purposes. In this article, we will discuss the main differences between Fabric.js and three.js.

1. Rendering capabilities: Fabric.js is primarily focused on 2D rendering, making it ideal for creating interactive applications and games. It provides a powerful canvas-based rendering engine that allows for easy manipulation and animation of 2D objects. On the other hand, three.js is a 3D library that offers advanced rendering capabilities for creating immersive 3D graphics and animations. It utilizes WebGL, a technology that enables hardware-accelerated rendering of 3D objects, making it suitable for creating complex 3D scenes and visualizations.

2. Object handling: Fabric.js provides extensive support for handling and manipulating individual objects within a canvas. It allows for easy scaling, rotating, and moving of objects, as well as applying various transformations and filters. It also offers features like object selection, grouping, and layering, making it convenient for building interactive user interfaces. In contrast, three.js operates on the concept of meshes, geometries, and materials. It focuses more on the creation and manipulation of 3D scenes as a whole, rather than individual objects. Objects in three.js can be composed of numerous vertices and textures, allowing for detailed and complex 3D models.

3. Scene management: In Fabric.js, scene management is primarily done through a canvas element. Objects are added to the canvas and are rendered in a specific order based on their layering and positioning. Interactions are typically handled through events directly on the canvas or individual objects. On the other hand, three.js provides a more comprehensive scene graph structure. It allows for the creation of complex scene hierarchies, where objects can have parent-child relationships. This makes it easier to manage objects and apply transformations, especially in complex 3D scenes where objects may have relative positions and orientations.

4. Physics and simulations: While Fabric.js focuses on the rendering and manipulation of objects, it does not provide built-in support for physics simulations. It does not have a physics engine integrated, meaning developers would need to implement their own physics logic if needed. In contrast, three.js has a variety of physics libraries and plugins available that can be used to simulate realistic physics interactions between objects. This makes it well-suited for creating physics-based simulations and games.

5. Animation capabilities: Fabric.js provides a simple animation framework that allows for basic animations of individual objects. It supports animation of properties like position, opacity, scale, and rotation. However, the animation capabilities in Fabric.js are limited compared to three.js. Three.js provides a more robust animation system that enables complex and smooth animations of objects and properties. It supports keyframe animations, skeletal animations, morph target animations, and more, allowing for advanced and realistic animations in 3D scenes.

6. Community and ecosystem: Both Fabric.js and three.js have active communities and ecosystems, but they differ in terms of focus and use cases. Fabric.js has a strong focus on creating interactive applications and games, with a community that provides resources and examples specifically tailored for those use cases. On the other hand, three.js has a broader focus on 3D graphics and visualization, attracting a larger community and a wide range of plugins and extensions.

In summary, Fabric.js is primarily focused on 2D rendering and object manipulation, while three.js is a powerful 3D library with advanced rendering and animation capabilities. Fabric.js is well-suited for creating interactive applications and games with 2D graphics, while three.js is ideal for building immersive 3D scenes and visualizations.