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Installing

luma.gl is published as a suite of npm modules. Each module responsible for a particular part of the rendering stack.

A Minimal Install​

The most basic module is @luma.gl/core which provides an abstract API for writing application code that works with both WebGPU and WebGL.

However, the @luma.gl/core module cannot be used on its own: it relies on being backed up by another module that implements the API. luma.gl provides adapters (implementations of the abstract API) through the @luma.gl/webgl and @luma.gl/webgpu modules.

The @luma.gl/core module is not usable on its own. A device adapter module must be imported.

yarn add @luma.gl/core
yarn add @luma.gl/webgl
yarn add @luma.gl/webgpu
import {luma} from '@luma.gl/core';
import '@luma.gl/webgpu';

const device = await luma.createDevice({type: 'webgpu', canvas: ...});

It is possible to register more than one device adapter to create an application that can work in both WebGL and WebGPU environments.

import {luma} from '@luma.gl/core';
import '@luma.gl/webgpu';
import '@luma.gl/webgl';

const webgpuDevice = luma.createDevice({type: 'best-available', canvas: ...});

A Typical Install​

  • engine: High-level constructs such as Model, AnimationLoop and Geometry that allow a developer to work without worrying about rendering pipeline details.
  • webgl: Wrapper classes around WebGL objects such as Program, Buffer, VertexArray that allow a developer to manager the rendering pipeline directly but with a more convenient API.
  • shadertools: A system for modularizing and composing shader code.
  • debug: Tooling to aid in debugging.
yarn add @luma.gl/core
yarn add @luma.gl/webgl
yarn add @luma.gl/engine
yarn add @luma.gl/shadertools

Refer to the Module Catalog for more information about which luma.gl modules to install.