Tools
Know what's in the toolbox
What each tool is, how it's licensed, and when a dev would actually reach for it.
Game development
From browser-first renderers and 2D frameworks to full engines, plus physics, level editors, and free assets.
Three.js
Open source3D rendering library
The most widely used JavaScript 3D library: scenes, cameras, lights, materials, and loaders over WebGL, with a WebGPU renderer alongside. It renders; physics, input, and game structure are up to you.
React Three Fiber
Open sourceReact renderer for Three.js
Write Three.js scenes as declarative React components. Pairs with the drei helper library for cameras, controls, loaders, and effects.
Babylon.js
Open source3D web engine
A full 3D engine started at Microsoft, with physics, a scene inspector, PBR lighting, WebXR, and WebGPU support built in.
PlayCanvas
Open source3D game engine and editor
A WebGL/WebGPU game engine with a collaborative, browser-based visual editor. Games are built for the web first, with small builds that load fast on mobile.
Phaser
Open source2D game framework
A full 2D framework for browser games: scenes, sprites, tilemaps, input, audio, cameras, and built-in physics. The default choice for 2D HTML5 games.
PixiJS
Open source2D rendering engine
A fast 2D renderer for WebGL and WebGPU. It draws sprites, text, and graphics very quickly but isn't a game framework — no built-in physics or scene flow.
Kaplay
Open sourceBeginner-friendly 2D library
A small, fun-first JavaScript game library with a component-based API that gets a playable game on screen in a few lines. The community-maintained continuation of Kaboom.js.
Godot
Open sourceFull game engine
A complete, MIT-licensed 2D and 3D engine with its own editor and scripting language (GDScript), plus C#. Exports to desktop, mobile, and the web.
Unity
FreemiumCross-platform game engine
A widely used commercial engine for 2D and 3D games, scripted in C#, with a large asset store and export to desktop, mobile, consoles, and the web.
Unreal Engine
Source-availableHigh-end 3D game engine
Epic's engine for high-fidelity 3D, with C++ and Blueprints visual scripting, and built-in rendering features like Nanite geometry and Lumen lighting. Also used for film and visualization.
Rapier
Open sourcePhysics engine
A 2D and 3D physics engine written in Rust and shipped to JavaScript as WebAssembly. Deterministic simulation, rigid bodies, joints, and character controllers.
Tiled
Open sourceTilemap level editor
A free desktop editor for tile-based levels. Exports JSON and TMX maps that Phaser, Godot, and most 2D engines can load directly.
Kenney
Public domainFree game asset library
Thousands of CC0 2D sprites, 3D models, UI elements, and sound effects you can use in any project, commercial included, without attribution.