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Three.js API

This is the same document the Vibes code generator reads when it builds apps — rendered from prompts/pkg/llms/three-js.md on every deploy, so it can't drift from what the platform actually does. Read it from your terminal any time with npx vibes-diy skills.

Essential classes, methods, and patterns for Three.js development

Any request for a 3D scene, model viewer, solar system, globe, spinning product, or game is a Three.js app: a THREE.Scene, a THREE.PerspectiveCamera, and a THREE.WebGLRenderer, driven from a single useEffect(() => {…}, []) and disposed on unmount. Three.js gives you real depth, lighting, and a moving camera for free.

Complete starter — the shell every Three.js vibe begins from

This is a full, runnable App.jsx. Start here and grow it: the engine lives in one useEffect([]), the animation loop is a requestAnimationFrame, resize keeps the camera aspect correct, and the cleanup disposes geometry, material, and renderer so remounts don't leak GPU memory.

App.jsx

jsximport React from "react";
import * as THREE from "three";

export default function App() {
  const mountRef = React.useRef(null);

  React.useEffect(() => {
    const mount = mountRef.current;
    const scene = new THREE.Scene();
    scene.background = new THREE.Color(0x0b0f1a);

    const camera = new THREE.PerspectiveCamera(60, mount.clientWidth / mount.clientHeight, 0.1, 1000);
    camera.position.set(0, 1.2, 4);

    const renderer = new THREE.WebGLRenderer({ antialias: true });
    renderer.setPixelRatio(Math.min(window.devicePixelRatio, 2));
    renderer.setSize(mount.clientWidth, mount.clientHeight);
    mount.appendChild(renderer.domElement);

    scene.add(new THREE.AmbientLight(0xffffff, 0.4));
    const key = new THREE.DirectionalLight(0xffffff, 1.2);
    key.position.set(3, 5, 2);
    scene.add(key);

    const geometry = new THREE.BoxGeometry(1.5, 1.5, 1.5);
    const material = new THREE.MeshStandardMaterial({ color: 0x4f8cff, roughness: 0.4, metalness: 0.1 });
    const cube = new THREE.Mesh(geometry, material);
    scene.add(cube);

    let raf = 0;
    const clock = new THREE.Clock();
    const animate = () => {
      const dt = clock.getDelta();
      cube.rotation.x += dt * 0.6;
      cube.rotation.y += dt * 0.9;
      renderer.render(scene, camera);
      raf = requestAnimationFrame(animate);
    };
    animate();

    const onResize = () => {
      if (!mount) return;
      camera.aspect = mount.clientWidth / mount.clientHeight;
      camera.updateProjectionMatrix();
      renderer.setSize(mount.clientWidth, mount.clientHeight);
    };
    window.addEventListener("resize", onResize);

    return () => {
      cancelAnimationFrame(raf);
      window.removeEventListener("resize", onResize);
      geometry.dispose();
      material.dispose();
      renderer.dispose();
      if (renderer.domElement.parentNode === mount) mount.removeChild(renderer.domElement);
    };
  }, []);

  // select-none touch-none: a drag on a phone steers the scene instead of
  // selecting nearby text, opening the copy callout, or scrolling the page.
  return <div ref={mountRef} className="w-full h-dvh select-none touch-none" />;
}

The reference below is the API surface you draw on to grow that shell — swap the cube for real geometry, add OrbitControls or your own camera rig, load models, etc. — but the lifecycle above (one useEffect, one loop, dispose on unmount) stays the spine of every Three.js vibe.

Full screen by default; a smaller view only when asked

A 3D game or scene you move through fills the screen: the canvas is the whole view (relative h-dvh w-full root, absolute inset-0 canvas — h-dvh tracks the phone's real height as the address bar slides). A quiet HUD (a score, a hint) stays in a top corner; the title, settings, scores, sharing and every other panel live behind one menu button in the top-right corner (IconButton, never the bottom-right, which the platform owns) that toggles an overlay — see the Sky Glider example below. The game stays in view the moment the overlay closes.

The lens follows the screen: pass the camera to useWorldControls and it widens on a phone held upright. An overview camera that orbits the scene keeps its own distance: scale the radius by 0.36 / (tan(fov / 2) · aspect), clamped to 1–2.2×, so the whole scene stays in frame upright.

When the person asks for a smaller view — a model on a product page, a scene inside a card, a viewer beside a form — give the viewport a box instead and keep the page around it:

jsx<Card>
  <Stack gap={3}>
    <Heading level={2}>Chair, in 3D</Heading>
    <div ref={mountRef} className="w-full aspect-video overflow-hidden rounded-lg select-none touch-none" />
    <Text size="sm" muted>
      Drag to turn it around.
    </Text>
  </Stack>
</Card>

Size the renderer from the box (mount.clientWidth, mount.clientHeight) and watch it with a ResizeObserver, since the box changes size without the window resizing.

Touch controls on a phone

On a phone, every drag across the canvas is a touch the browser would otherwise claim for itself: it selects the nearest text, pops the copy / look-up callout, scrolls the page, or zooms. Hand those touches to the scene with select-none touch-none on the mount <div> / <canvas> and on the container that holds the HUD and labels. OrbitControls already speaks pointer events and receives the drag once its element is touch-none.

  • A world you move through — walked, explored, flown around — calls useWorldControls from use-vibes, taught in the touch-games skill (Walk + look): left thumb walks, right thumb looks, tap acts, and a click-to-play overlay carries the desktop.
  • A flyer or a car that charges forward calls for hold + steer from the touch-games skill: thumb down is the throttle and its offset steers.

Core Setup

Scene Graph Hierarchy

javascriptimport * as THREE from "three";

// Core trinity
const scene = new THREE.Scene();
const camera = new THREE.PerspectiveCamera(75, aspect, 0.1, 1000);
const renderer = new THREE.WebGLRenderer({ antialias: true });

// Everything is an Object3D
scene.add(mesh); // Mesh extends Object3D
group.add(light); // Light extends Object3D
parent.add(child); // Hierarchical transforms

Essential Classes

Cameras

javascript// Perspective (most common)
const camera = new THREE.PerspectiveCamera(
  75, // field of view
  aspect, // aspect ratio
  0.1, // near plane
  1000 // far plane
);

// Orthographic (2D/technical)
const camera = new THREE.OrthographicCamera(left, right, top, bottom, near, far);

// Camera controls
camera.position.set(x, y, z);
camera.lookAt(target);
camera.updateProjectionMatrix(); // After changing properties

Geometries

javascript// Primitive geometries
const box = new THREE.BoxGeometry(1, 1, 1);
const sphere = new THREE.SphereGeometry(1, 32, 32);
const plane = new THREE.PlaneGeometry(1, 1);
const cylinder = new THREE.CylinderGeometry(1, 1, 2, 32);

// Custom geometry
const geometry = new THREE.BufferGeometry();
geometry.setAttribute("position", new THREE.BufferAttribute(vertices, 3));
geometry.setAttribute("normal", new THREE.BufferAttribute(normals, 3));
geometry.setAttribute("uv", new THREE.BufferAttribute(uvs, 2));
geometry.setIndex(indices);

Materials

javascript// Basic materials
const basic = new THREE.MeshBasicMaterial({ color: 0xff0000 });
const lambert = new THREE.MeshLambertMaterial({ color: 0x00ff00 });
const phong = new THREE.MeshPhongMaterial({ color: 0x0000ff });

// PBR materials (most realistic)
const standard = new THREE.MeshStandardMaterial({
  color: 0xffffff,
  metalness: 0.5,
  roughness: 0.5,
  map: texture,
  normalMap: normalTexture,
  envMap: environmentTexture,
});

const physical = new THREE.MeshPhysicalMaterial({
  ...standard,
  clearcoat: 1.0,
  transmission: 0.5,
  thickness: 1.0,
});

Lights

javascript// Ambient (global illumination)
const ambient = new THREE.AmbientLight(0xffffff, 0.6);

// Directional (sun-like)
const directional = new THREE.DirectionalLight(0xffffff, 1);
directional.position.set(1, 1, 1);
directional.castShadow = true;

// Point (bulb-like)
const point = new THREE.PointLight(0xffffff, 1, 100);
point.position.set(0, 10, 0);

// Spot (flashlight-like)
const spot = new THREE.SpotLight(0xffffff, 1, 100, Math.PI / 4);

Textures

javascript// Texture loading
const loader = new THREE.TextureLoader();
const texture = loader.load("path/to/texture.jpg");

// Texture properties
texture.wrapS = THREE.RepeatWrapping;
texture.wrapT = THREE.RepeatWrapping;
texture.repeat.set(2, 2);
texture.flipY = false;

// HDR textures (loaders live in addons, not the core THREE namespace)
import { HDRLoader } from "three/addons/loaders/HDRLoader.js";
const hdrLoader = new HDRLoader();
const envMap = hdrLoader.load("environment.hdr");
envMap.mapping = THREE.EquirectangularReflectionMapping;

Object3D Fundamentals

Transform Properties

javascript// Position
object.position.set(x, y, z);
object.position.copy(otherObject.position);
object.translateX(distance);

// Rotation (Euler angles)
object.rotation.set(x, y, z);
object.rotation.y = Math.PI / 4;
object.rotateY(Math.PI / 4);

// Scale
object.scale.set(2, 2, 2);
object.scale.multiplyScalar(0.5);

// Quaternion (preferred for animations)
object.quaternion.setFromAxisAngle(axis, angle);
object.lookAt(target);

Hierarchy Operations

javascript// Adding/removing children
parent.add(child);
parent.remove(child);
scene.add(mesh, light, helper);

// Traversal
object.traverse((child) => {
  if (child.isMesh) {
    child.material.wireframe = true;
  }
});

// Finding objects
const found = scene.getObjectByName("myObject");
const found = scene.getObjectById(id);

Math Utilities

Vectors

javascript// Vector3 (most common)
const v = new THREE.Vector3(1, 2, 3);
v.add(otherVector);
v.multiplyScalar(2);
v.normalize();
v.cross(otherVector);
v.dot(otherVector);
v.distanceTo(otherVector);

// Vector2 (UV coordinates)
const uv = new THREE.Vector2(0.5, 0.5);

Matrices

javascript// Matrix4 (transformations)
const matrix = new THREE.Matrix4();
matrix.makeTranslation(x, y, z);
matrix.makeRotationY(angle);
matrix.makeScale(x, y, z);
matrix.multiply(otherMatrix);

// Apply to object
object.applyMatrix4(matrix);

Colors

javascriptconst color = new THREE.Color();
color.set(0xff0000); // hex
color.setRGB(1, 0, 0); // RGB values 0-1
color.setHSL(0, 1, 0.5); // HSL values
color.lerp(targetColor, 0.1); // interpolation

Picking things in the scene (mouse interaction)

Selection has two halves: which objects the ray is allowed to hit, and which object a hit stands for. Keep both explicit and clicking a planet selects the planet rather than the glow around it.

Raycast against a selectables array, never the whole scene graph. The array holds the things a person can pick, so lights, helpers, the skybox and every decorative mesh are out of the answer before the ray is cast.

Resolve a hit up .parent to the first ancestor carrying userData.id. A hit lands on whichever mesh the ray touched first, which is usually a child — a halo shell, a label sprite, a bevel — so read the identity off the ancestor that owns it instead of off the mesh that happened to be in front.

Decorative children opt out of hit testing with raycast = () => {}. A glow shell exists to be seen and not to be picked, and an empty raycast removes it from every intersection test at the source.

Show selection by changing a material property on the resolved parent. Adding a new mesh to mark the selection adds another thing the ray can hit; changing emissive, opacity or color on what is already there does not.

javascriptconst raycaster = new THREE.Raycaster();
const pointer = new THREE.Vector2();

// The things a person can pick. Everything else in the scene stays out of it.
const selectables = [];

function addPlanet(name) {
  const planet = new THREE.Mesh(geometry, new THREE.MeshStandardMaterial({ color: 0x88aaff }));
  planet.userData.id = name; // the identity a hit resolves to

  const glow = new THREE.Mesh(glowGeometry, glowMaterial);
  glow.raycast = () => {}; // decorative: never a hit
  planet.add(glow);

  scene.add(planet);
  selectables.push(planet);
  return planet;
}

// A hit lands on whichever mesh the ray touched — walk up to the owner of the id.
function selectableOf(object) {
  let node = object;
  while (node && node.userData?.id === undefined) node = node.parent;
  return node ?? null;
}

function onPointerDown(event) {
  const rect = renderer.domElement.getBoundingClientRect();
  pointer.x = ((event.clientX - rect.left) / rect.width) * 2 - 1;
  pointer.y = -((event.clientY - rect.top) / rect.height) * 2 + 1;
  raycaster.setFromCamera(pointer, camera);

  const hit = raycaster.intersectObjects(selectables, true)[0];
  const picked = hit ? selectableOf(hit.object) : null;

  for (const s of selectables) s.material.emissive?.setHex(0x000000);
  if (picked) picked.material.emissive?.setHex(0x333311); // a property change, not a new mesh
  setSelectedId(picked?.userData.id ?? null);
}

Importing three

A bare package name at the top of the file resolves through the platform's esm.sh map, and a full esm.sh URL loads too. The bare form follows whatever version the platform serves, which moves as esm.sh publishes; a version-pinned URL such as https://esm.sh/[email protected] is the lever for holding a scene on one release of the library.

await import() defers a library until it is needed. Give it a full esm.sh URL, which the browser resolves on its own — for a third-party library like three, that is the form that both resolves and defers.

A bare specifier resolves through the page's import map, which carries the packages the platform serves plus the ones your files import at the top. So a bare name loads on demand for a platform package; for three, a name your file also imports at the top is already loaded by the time the call runs, and a name that appears only inside await import() has nothing to resolve through.

Animation System

Animation Mixer

javascript// For GLTF animations
const mixer = new THREE.AnimationMixer(model);
const action = mixer.clipAction(animationClip);
action.play();

// Update in render loop
function animate() {
  const delta = clock.getDelta();
  mixer.update(delta);
  renderer.render(scene, camera);
}

Manual Animation

javascriptconst clock = new THREE.Clock();

function animate() {
  const time = clock.getElapsedTime();

  // Rotate object
  mesh.rotation.y = time * 0.5;

  // Oscillate position
  mesh.position.y = Math.sin(time) * 2;

  renderer.render(scene, camera);
}
renderer.setAnimationLoop(animate);

Loading Assets

javascriptimport { GLTFLoader } from "three/addons/loaders/GLTFLoader.js";

const loader = new GLTFLoader();
loader.load("model.gltf", (gltf) => {
  const model = gltf.scene;
  scene.add(model);

  // Access animations
  if (gltf.animations.length > 0) {
    const mixer = new THREE.AnimationMixer(model);
    gltf.animations.forEach((clip) => {
      mixer.clipAction(clip).play();
    });
  }
});

Other Loaders

javascript// OBJ files
import { OBJLoader } from "three/addons/loaders/OBJLoader.js";

// FBX files
import { FBXLoader } from "three/addons/loaders/FBXLoader.js";

// Textures
const textureLoader = new THREE.TextureLoader();
const cubeLoader = new THREE.CubeTextureLoader();

Renderer Configuration

Basic Setup

javascriptconst renderer = new THREE.WebGLRenderer({
  canvas: canvasElement, // Existing canvas
  antialias: true, // Smooth edges
  alpha: true, // Transparent background
  powerPreference: "high-performance",
});

renderer.setSize(width, height);
renderer.setPixelRatio(window.devicePixelRatio);
renderer.setClearColor(0x000000, 1);

Advanced Settings

javascript// Shadows
renderer.shadowMap.enabled = true;
renderer.shadowMap.type = THREE.PCFSoftShadowMap;

// Tone mapping (HDR)
renderer.toneMapping = THREE.ACESFilmicToneMapping;
renderer.toneMappingExposure = 1.0;

// Color space
renderer.outputColorSpace = THREE.SRGBColorSpace;

// Performance
renderer.setAnimationLoop(animate); // Preferred over requestAnimationFrame

Common Patterns

Responsive Canvas

javascriptfunction onWindowResize() {
  camera.aspect = window.innerWidth / window.innerHeight;
  camera.updateProjectionMatrix();
  renderer.setSize(window.innerWidth, window.innerHeight);
}
window.addEventListener("resize", onWindowResize);

Performance Optimization

javascript// Frustum culling
object.frustumCulled = true;

// LOD (Level of Detail)
const lod = new THREE.LOD();
lod.addLevel(highDetailMesh, 0);
lod.addLevel(lowDetailMesh, 100);

// Instancing for many objects
const instancedMesh = new THREE.InstancedMesh(geometry, material, count);
const matrix = new THREE.Matrix4();
for (let i = 0; i < count; i++) {
  matrix.setPosition(x, y, z);
  instancedMesh.setMatrixAt(i, matrix);
}
instancedMesh.instanceMatrix.needsUpdate = true;

Dispose Pattern (Memory Management)

javascript// Clean up resources
geometry.dispose();
material.dispose();
texture.dispose();
renderer.dispose();

// Traverse and dispose
object.traverse((child) => {
  if (child.geometry) child.geometry.dispose();
  if (child.material) {
    if (Array.isArray(child.material)) {
      child.material.forEach((m) => m.dispose());
    } else {
      child.material.dispose();
    }
  }
});

Buffer Attributes (Advanced)

Custom Geometry Data

javascriptconst geometry = new THREE.BufferGeometry();

// Vertex positions (required)
const positions = new Float32Array([
  -1,
  -1,
  0, // vertex 0
  1,
  -1,
  0, // vertex 1
  0,
  1,
  0, // vertex 2
]);
geometry.setAttribute("position", new THREE.BufferAttribute(positions, 3));

// Vertex colors
const colors = new Float32Array([
  1,
  0,
  0, // red
  0,
  1,
  0, // green
  0,
  0,
  1, // blue
]);
geometry.setAttribute("color", new THREE.BufferAttribute(colors, 3));

// Custom attributes for shaders
const customData = new Float32Array(vertexCount);
geometry.setAttribute("customAttribute", new THREE.BufferAttribute(customData, 1));

Events and Interaction

Event Dispatcher

javascript// Custom events
const emitter = new THREE.EventDispatcher();

emitter.addEventListener("customEvent", (event) => {
  console.log("Event fired:", event.data);
});

emitter.dispatchEvent({ type: "customEvent", data: "hello" });

Built-in Events

javascript// Loading progress
loader.onProgress = (progress) => {
  console.log(`Loading: ${(progress.loaded / progress.total) * 100}%`);
};

// Window resize
window.addEventListener("resize", onWindowResize);

// Mouse events
canvas.addEventListener("click", onMouseClick);
canvas.addEventListener("mousemove", onMouseMove);

Constants Reference

Material Constants

javascript// Blending modes
THREE.NormalBlending;
THREE.AdditiveBlending;
THREE.SubtractiveBlending;
THREE.MultiplyBlending;

// Culling
THREE.FrontSide;
THREE.BackSide;
THREE.DoubleSide;

// Depth modes
THREE.NeverDepth;
THREE.AlwaysDepth;
THREE.LessDepth;
THREE.LessEqualDepth;

Texture Constants

javascript// Wrapping
THREE.RepeatWrapping;
THREE.ClampToEdgeWrapping;
THREE.MirroredRepeatWrapping;

// Filtering
THREE.NearestFilter;
THREE.LinearFilter;
THREE.NearestMipmapNearestFilter;
THREE.LinearMipmapLinearFilter;

// Formats
THREE.RGBAFormat;
THREE.RGBFormat;
THREE.RedFormat;

Rendering Constants

javascript// Shadow types
THREE.BasicShadowMap;
THREE.PCFShadowMap;
THREE.PCFSoftShadowMap;
THREE.VSMShadowMap;

// Tone mapping
THREE.NoToneMapping;
THREE.LinearToneMapping;
THREE.ReinhardToneMapping;
THREE.CineonToneMapping;
THREE.ACESFilmicToneMapping;

Common Gotchas

Matrix Updates

javascript// Force matrix update after transform changes
object.updateMatrix();
object.updateMatrixWorld();

// Automatic updates (default: true)
object.matrixAutoUpdate = false; // Manual control

Geometry Modifications

javascript// After modifying geometry attributes
geometry.attributes.position.needsUpdate = true;
geometry.computeBoundingSphere();
geometry.computeBoundingBox();

Material Updates

javascript// After changing material properties
material.needsUpdate = true;

// Texture updates
texture.needsUpdate = true;

Performance Tips

Efficient Rendering

javascript// Batch similar objects
const geometry = new THREE.InstancedBufferGeometry();
const material = new THREE.MeshStandardMaterial();
const instancedMesh = new THREE.InstancedMesh(geometry, material, 1000);

// Freeze objects that don't move
object.matrixAutoUpdate = false;
object.updateMatrix();

// Use appropriate geometry detail
const sphere = new THREE.SphereGeometry(1, 8, 6); // Low poly
const sphere = new THREE.SphereGeometry(1, 32, 32); // High poly

Memory Management

javascript// Remove from scene
scene.remove(object);

// Dispose resources
object.traverse((child) => {
  if (child.geometry) child.geometry.dispose();
  if (child.material) child.material.dispose();
});

// Clear references
object = null;

Quick Reference

Essential Imports

javascript// Core
import * as THREE from "three";

// Controls
import { OrbitControls } from "three/addons/controls/OrbitControls.js";
import { FlyControls } from "three/addons/controls/FlyControls.js";

// Loaders
import { GLTFLoader } from "three/addons/loaders/GLTFLoader.js";
import { OBJLoader } from "three/addons/loaders/OBJLoader.js";

// Post-processing
import { EffectComposer } from "three/addons/postprocessing/EffectComposer.js";

// Helpers
import { GUI } from "three/addons/libs/lil-gui.module.min.js";
import Stats from "three/addons/libs/stats.module.js";

Minimal Working Example

javascriptimport * as THREE from "three";

const scene = new THREE.Scene();
const camera = new THREE.PerspectiveCamera(75, window.innerWidth / window.innerHeight);
const renderer = new THREE.WebGLRenderer();

renderer.setSize(window.innerWidth, window.innerHeight);
document.body.appendChild(renderer.domElement);

const geometry = new THREE.BoxGeometry();
const material = new THREE.MeshBasicMaterial({ color: 0x00ff00 });
const cube = new THREE.Mesh(geometry, material);
scene.add(cube);

camera.position.z = 5;

function animate() {
  cube.rotation.x += 0.01;
  cube.rotation.y += 0.01;
  renderer.render(scene, camera);
}
renderer.setAnimationLoop(animate);

Three.js Condensed Guide: Most Impressive Examples

A curated collection of Three.js's most visually stunning and technically advanced examples

Quick Start Template

javascriptimport * as THREE from "three";
import { OrbitControls } from "three/addons/controls/OrbitControls.js";

// Basic setup
const scene = new THREE.Scene();
const camera = new THREE.PerspectiveCamera(75, window.innerWidth / window.innerHeight, 0.1, 1000);
const renderer = new THREE.WebGLRenderer({ antialias: true });
renderer.setSize(window.innerWidth, window.innerHeight);
document.body.appendChild(renderer.domElement);

// Controls
const controls = new OrbitControls(camera, renderer.domElement);
camera.position.set(5, 5, 5);
controls.update();

// Animation loop
function animate() {
  controls.update();
  renderer.render(scene, camera);
}
renderer.setAnimationLoop(animate);

1. Spectacular Visual Effects

Galaxy Generator (WebGPU + TSL)

Creates a procedural spiral galaxy with thousands of animated particles.

javascriptimport * as THREE from "three/webgpu";
import { color, cos, sin, time, uniform, range, vec3, PI2 } from "three/tsl";

const material = new THREE.SpriteNodeMaterial({
  depthWrite: false,
  blending: THREE.AdditiveBlending,
});

// Procedural galaxy structure
const radiusRatio = range(0, 1);
const radius = radiusRatio.pow(1.5).mul(5);
const branches = 3;
const branchAngle = range(0, branches).floor().mul(PI2.div(branches));
const angle = branchAngle.add(time.mul(radiusRatio.oneMinus()));

const position = vec3(cos(angle), 0, sin(angle)).mul(radius);
material.positionNode = position.add(randomOffset);

// Dynamic colors
const colorInside = uniform(color("#ffa575"));
const colorOutside = uniform(color("#311599"));
material.colorNode = mix(colorInside, colorOutside, radiusRatio);

const galaxy = new THREE.InstancedMesh(new THREE.PlaneGeometry(1, 1), material, 20000);

Ocean Shaders

Realistic water simulation with dynamic waves and sky reflections.

javascriptimport { Water } from "three/addons/objects/Water.js";
import { Sky } from "three/addons/objects/Sky.js";

const waterGeometry = new THREE.PlaneGeometry(10000, 10000);
const water = new Water(waterGeometry, {
  textureWidth: 512,
  textureHeight: 512,
  waterNormals: new THREE.TextureLoader().load("textures/waternormals.jpg"),
  sunDirection: new THREE.Vector3(),
  sunColor: 0xffffff,
  waterColor: 0x001e0f,
  distortionScale: 3.7,
});

// Sky system
const sky = new Sky();
sky.scale.setScalar(10000);
const skyUniforms = sky.material.uniforms;
skyUniforms["turbidity"].value = 10;
skyUniforms["rayleigh"].value = 2;

Unreal Bloom Effect

Cinematic glow and HDR post-processing.

javascriptimport { EffectComposer } from "three/addons/postprocessing/EffectComposer.js";
import { RenderPass } from "three/addons/postprocessing/RenderPass.js";
import { UnrealBloomPass } from "three/addons/postprocessing/UnrealBloomPass.js";

const composer = new EffectComposer(renderer);
const renderPass = new RenderPass(scene, camera);
composer.addPass(renderPass);

const bloomPass = new UnrealBloomPass(
  new THREE.Vector2(window.innerWidth, window.innerHeight),
  1.5, // strength
  0.4, // radius
  0.85 // threshold
);
composer.addPass(bloomPass);

// Render with bloom
composer.render();

2. Advanced GPU Computing

Flocking Birds (GPGPU)

GPU-accelerated boid simulation with emergent flocking behavior.

javascript// Position computation shader
const fragmentShaderPosition = `
uniform float time;
uniform float delta;

void main() {
    vec2 uv = gl_FragCoord.xy / resolution.xy;
    vec4 tmpPos = texture2D(texturePosition, uv);
    vec3 position = tmpPos.xyz;
    vec3 velocity = texture2D(textureVelocity, uv).xyz;
    
    gl_FragColor = vec4(position + velocity * delta * 15.0, tmpPos.w);
}`;

// Velocity computation (separation, alignment, cohesion)
const fragmentShaderVelocity = `
uniform float separationDistance;
uniform float alignmentDistance; 
uniform float cohesionDistance;
uniform vec3 predator;

void main() {
    // Boid algorithm implementation
    // ...separation, alignment, cohesion logic
}`;

Cloth Physics (WebGPU Compute)

Real-time fabric simulation using compute shaders.

javascriptimport { Fn, uniform, attribute, Loop } from "three/tsl";

// Verlet integration in compute shader
const computeVertexForces = Fn(() => {
  const position = attribute("position");
  const velocity = attribute("velocity");

  // Spring forces, wind, gravity
  const force = uniform("wind").add(uniform("gravity"));

  // Verlet integration
  const newPosition = position.add(velocity.mul(uniform("deltaTime")));

  return newPosition;
})();

const clothMaterial = new THREE.MeshPhysicalMaterial({
  color: 0x204080,
  roughness: 0.8,
  transmission: 0.2,
  sheen: 0.5,
});

3. Impressive 3D Scenes

Photorealistic Car

Advanced PBR materials with interactive customization.

javascriptimport { GLTFLoader } from "three/addons/loaders/GLTFLoader.js";
import { HDRLoader } from "three/addons/loaders/HDRLoader.js";

// Environment setup
scene.environment = new HDRLoader().load("textures/equirectangular/venice_sunset_1k.hdr");
renderer.toneMapping = THREE.ACESFilmicToneMapping;
renderer.toneMappingExposure = 0.85;

// Load car model
const loader = new GLTFLoader();
const gltf = await loader.loadAsync("models/gltf/ferrari.glb");

// Material customization
gltf.scene.traverse((child) => {
  if (child.isMesh && child.material.name === "body") {
    child.material.color.setHex(bodyColor);
    child.material.metalness = 1.0;
    child.material.roughness = 0.5;
    child.material.clearcoat = 1.0;
  }
});

Minecraft World Generator

Procedural voxel terrain. For a block world, the voxel skill is the authority: it draws each chunk as one InstancedMesh of the exposed blocks (or Block Craft's per-face BufferGeometry batching) and never a Mesh per block — follow it rather than the merge sketch below, which is only the noise half. The same rule holds outside voxels: many things of one shape are one InstancedMesh or Points, never a Mesh each, and nothing allocates a geometry or material inside the frame loop.

javascriptimport { ImprovedNoise } from "three/addons/math/ImprovedNoise.js";
import * as BufferGeometryUtils from "three/addons/utils/BufferGeometryUtils.js";

function generateTerrain(width, depth) {
  const noise = new ImprovedNoise();
  const data = [];

  for (let x = 0; x < width; x++) {
    for (let z = 0; z < depth; z++) {
      // Multi-octave noise
      const height = noise.noise(x / 100, z / 100, 0) * 50 + noise.noise(x / 50, z / 50, 0) * 25;
      data.push(Math.floor(height));
    }
  }

  return data;
}

// Merge geometries for performance
const geometries = [];
// ...create individual cube geometries
const mergedGeometry = BufferGeometryUtils.mergeGeometries(geometries);

4. Interactive Experiences

VR Painting

Virtual reality 3D painting with hand tracking.

javascript// WebXR setup
renderer.xr.enabled = true;
document.body.appendChild(VRButton.createButton(renderer));

// Hand input
const controller1 = renderer.xr.getController(0);
const controller2 = renderer.xr.getController(1);

controller1.addEventListener("selectstart", onSelectStart);
controller1.addEventListener("selectend", onSelectEnd);

function onSelectStart(event) {
  // Start painting stroke
  const geometry = new THREE.BufferGeometry();
  const material = new THREE.LineBasicMaterial({
    color: currentColor,
    linewidth: brushSize,
  });
  const line = new THREE.Line(geometry, material);
  scene.add(line);
}

Physics Vehicle Controller

Real-time vehicle physics with Rapier.js integration.

javascriptimport { World } from "@dimforge/rapier3d-compat";

// Physics world
const world = new World({ x: 0, y: -9.81, z: 0 });

// Vehicle setup
const vehicleDesc = world.createRigidBody({
  type: "dynamic",
  translation: { x: 0, y: 1, z: 0 },
});

// Wheel constraints
wheels.forEach((wheel, index) => {
  const wheelJoint = world.createImpulseJoint(vehicleDesc, wheel.body, wheelConstraints[index]);
});

5. Cutting-Edge WebGPU Features

Path Tracing

Realistic ray-traced lighting with global illumination.

javascriptimport { PathTracingRenderer } from "three/addons/renderers/PathTracingRenderer.js";

const ptRenderer = new PathTracingRenderer(renderer);
ptRenderer.setSize(window.innerWidth, window.innerHeight);

// Progressive rendering
let sampleCount = 0;
function animate() {
  if (sampleCount < 1000) {
    ptRenderer.update();
    sampleCount++;
  }
}

TSL (Three.js Shading Language)

Modern node-based shader programming.

javascriptimport { mix, noise, time, uv, vec3, sin, cos } from "three/tsl";

// Procedural materials with TSL
const proceduralMaterial = new THREE.MeshStandardNodeMaterial();

// Animated noise texture
const noiseValue = noise(uv().mul(10).add(time.mul(0.1)));
const colorA = vec3(1, 0.5, 0.2);
const colorB = vec3(0.2, 0.5, 1);

proceduralMaterial.colorNode = mix(colorA, colorB, noiseValue);
proceduralMaterial.roughnessNode = noiseValue.mul(0.5).add(0.3);

Performance Tips for Impressive Results

Instancing for Massive Scenes

javascriptconst instancedMesh = new THREE.InstancedMesh(geometry, material, 100000);
const matrix = new THREE.Matrix4();

for (let i = 0; i < instancedMesh.count; i++) {
  matrix.setPosition(Math.random() * 2000 - 1000, Math.random() * 2000 - 1000, Math.random() * 2000 - 1000);
  instancedMesh.setMatrixAt(i, matrix);
}

LOD for Complex Models

javascriptconst lod = new THREE.LOD();
lod.addLevel(highDetailMesh, 0);
lod.addLevel(mediumDetailMesh, 50);
lod.addLevel(lowDetailMesh, 200);

Render Targets for Effects

javascriptconst renderTarget = new THREE.WebGLRenderTarget(1024, 1024);
renderer.setRenderTarget(renderTarget);
renderer.render(effectScene, effectCamera);
renderer.setRenderTarget(null);

// Use render target as texture
material.map = renderTarget.texture;

Essential Setup for Maximum Impact

HDR Environment

javascriptimport { HDRLoader } from "three/addons/loaders/HDRLoader.js";

const hdrTexture = new HDRLoader().load("environment.hdr");
hdrTexture.mapping = THREE.EquirectangularReflectionMapping;
scene.environment = hdrTexture;
scene.background = hdrTexture;

Tone Mapping

javascriptrenderer.toneMapping = THREE.ACESFilmicToneMapping;
renderer.toneMappingExposure = 1.0;
renderer.outputColorSpace = THREE.SRGBColorSpace;

Post-Processing Chain

javascriptimport { EffectComposer } from "three/addons/postprocessing/EffectComposer.js";

const composer = new EffectComposer(renderer);
composer.addPass(new RenderPass(scene, camera));
composer.addPass(new UnrealBloomPass(resolution, strength, radius, threshold));
composer.addPass(new OutputPass());

This guide focuses on Three.js's most impressive capabilities. Each example demonstrates advanced techniques that create visually stunning results with minimal code complexity.

Code Structure for Three.js + React Apps

Structure your component in this order:

  1. Three.js helper functions — scene setup, object creation, animation loops separate from React
  2. Hooks and state — useFireproof, useRef for canvas/scene, useState for UI controls
  3. Effects — useEffect to initialize scene on mount, update on parameter changes, cleanup on unmount
  4. ClassNames object — colors, sizes right before JSX so they stay consistent
  5. JSX return — canvas element with refs, UI controls referencing classNames

Real world example

javascriptimport React, { useState, useEffect, useRef, useCallback } from "react";
import { useFireproof } from "use-fireproof";
import * as THREE from "three";
import { useWorldControls } from "use-vibes";
import { Card, Heading, IconButton, Stack, Text } from "@vibes.diy/pouf";

export default function SkyGlider() {
  const { database, useLiveQuery } = useFireproof("skyGliderScores");
  const rootRef = useRef(null);
  const canvasRef = useRef(null);
  const [camera] = useState(() => new THREE.PerspectiveCamera(60, 1, 0.1, 1000));
  const gameStateRef = useRef({
    scene: null,
    camera: null,
    renderer: null,
    glider: null,
    clouds: [],
    coins: [],
    glowEffects: [],
    smokeTrail: [],
    lastSmokeTime: 0,
    score: 0,
    gameRunning: false,
    stick: { x: 0, y: 0 },
    velocity: { x: 0, y: 0, z: 0 },
    heading: 0,
    forwardSpeed: 0,
    pitch: 0,
    roll: 0,
  });

  const [currentScore, setCurrentScore] = useState(0);
  const [menuOpen, setMenuOpen] = useState(false);

  // The left thumb (or WASD) steers through useWorldControls, a flick up thrusts, and the hook
  // keeps the lens fitted to the screen because it holds the camera.
  const { keys, tick } = useWorldControls(rootRef, {
    mode: "player",
    flying: true,
    camera,
    onMove: (x, y) => Object.assign(gameStateRef.current.stick, { x, y }),
    onFlick: (dir) => dir === "up" && (gameStateRef.current.forwardSpeed = 0.3),
  });
  gameStateRef.current.tick = tick;
  gameStateRef.current.held = keys;
  const { docs: scoreData } = useLiveQuery("type", { key: "score" }) || {
    docs: [],
  };

  const saveScore = useCallback(
    async (score) => {
      await database.put({
        _id: `score-${Date.now()}`,
        type: "score",
        value: score,
        timestamp: Date.now(),
      });
    },
    [database]
  );

  const createGlowEffect = useCallback((position) => {
    const state = gameStateRef.current;
    if (!state.scene) return;

    const glowSphere = new THREE.Mesh(
      new THREE.SphereGeometry(8, 16, 16),
      new THREE.MeshBasicMaterial({
        color: 0xffd670,
        transparent: true,
        opacity: 0.8,
      })
    );

    glowSphere.position.copy(position);
    state.scene.add(glowSphere);

    const glowEffect = {
      mesh: glowSphere,
      createdAt: Date.now(),
      scale: 1,
    };

    state.glowEffects.push(glowEffect);

    // Remove after animation
    setTimeout(() => {
      state.scene.remove(glowSphere);
      const index = state.glowEffects.indexOf(glowEffect);
      if (index > -1) state.glowEffects.splice(index, 1);
    }, 1000);
  }, []);

  const createSmokeCloud = useCallback((position) => {
    const state = gameStateRef.current;
    if (!state.scene) return;

    const smokeGeometry = new THREE.SphereGeometry(0.1 + Math.random() * 0.05, 4, 3);
    const smokeMaterial = new THREE.MeshLambertMaterial({
      color: 0x242424,
      transparent: true,
      opacity: 0.7 + Math.random() * 0.2,
    });
    const smokeCloud = new THREE.Mesh(smokeGeometry, smokeMaterial);

    // Position behind the glider
    const heading = state.heading;
    const offsetX = Math.sin(heading) * -4;
    const offsetZ = Math.cos(heading) * -4;

    smokeCloud.position.set(
      position.x + offsetX + (Math.random() - 0.5) * 0.2,
      position.y - 0.2 + (Math.random() - 0.5) * 0.1,
      position.z + offsetZ + Math.random() * 0.3
    );

    state.scene.add(smokeCloud);
    state.smokeTrail.push({
      mesh: smokeCloud,
      createdAt: Date.now(),
    });

    // Keep trail manageable
    while (state.smokeTrail.length > 100) {
      const oldSmoke = state.smokeTrail.shift();
      state.scene.remove(oldSmoke.mesh);
    }
  }, []);

  const createTexturedCoin = useCallback((scene, position) => {
    // Create procedural gold texture
    const canvas = document.createElement("canvas");
    canvas.width = canvas.height = 128;
    const ctx = canvas.getContext("2d");

    // Gold gradient
    const gradient = ctx.createRadialGradient(64, 64, 20, 64, 64, 64);
    gradient.addColorStop(0, "#ffd670");
    gradient.addColorStop(0.5, "#ff9770");
    gradient.addColorStop(1, "#ffb347");
    ctx.fillStyle = gradient;
    ctx.fillRect(0, 0, 128, 128);

    // Add metallic shine lines
    ctx.strokeStyle = "#ffffff";
    ctx.lineWidth = 2;
    ctx.setLineDash([5, 3]);
    for (let i = 0; i < 8; i++) {
      const angle = (i / 8) * Math.PI * 2;
      ctx.beginPath();
      ctx.moveTo(64 + Math.cos(angle) * 30, 64 + Math.sin(angle) * 30);
      ctx.lineTo(64 + Math.cos(angle) * 50, 64 + Math.sin(angle) * 50);
      ctx.stroke();
    }

    const texture = new THREE.CanvasTexture(canvas);
    const coin = new THREE.Mesh(
      new THREE.CylinderGeometry(2, 2, 0.3, 16),
      new THREE.MeshStandardMaterial({
        map: texture,
        metalness: 0.8,
        roughness: 0.2,
      })
    );

    coin.position.copy(position);
    coin.rotation.z = Math.PI / 2;
    scene.add(coin);

    return {
      mesh: coin,
      collected: false,
      rotation: Math.random() * 0.02 + 0.01,
    };
  }, []);

  const initThreeJS = useCallback(() => {
    if (!canvasRef.current) return;

    const scene = new THREE.Scene();
    scene.background = new THREE.Color(0x70d6ff);
    scene.fog = new THREE.Fog(0x70d6ff, 50, 300);

    camera.position.set(0, 10, 20);

    const renderer = new THREE.WebGLRenderer({
      canvas: canvasRef.current,
      antialias: true,
    });
    renderer.setSize(window.innerWidth, window.innerHeight);

    // Lighting
    const ambientLight = new THREE.AmbientLight(0xffffff, 0.6);
    scene.add(ambientLight);
    const directionalLight = new THREE.DirectionalLight(0xffffff, 0.8);
    directionalLight.position.set(50, 100, 50);
    scene.add(directionalLight);

    // Glider
    const glider = new THREE.Group();
    const body = new THREE.Mesh(new THREE.ConeGeometry(2, 8, 3), new THREE.MeshLambertMaterial({ color: 0xff70a6 }));
    body.rotation.x = Math.PI / 2;
    glider.add(body);

    glider.position.set(0, 10, 0);
    scene.add(glider);

    // Create simple clouds
    const clouds = [];
    for (let i = 0; i < 30; i++) {
      const cloud = new THREE.Mesh(
        new THREE.SphereGeometry(Math.random() * 5 + 3, 8, 6),
        new THREE.MeshLambertMaterial({
          color: 0xffffff,
          transparent: true,
          opacity: 0.7,
        })
      );
      cloud.position.set((Math.random() - 0.5) * 400, Math.random() * 30 + 10, (Math.random() - 0.5) * 400);
      scene.add(cloud);
      clouds.push({
        mesh: cloud,
        drift: {
          x: (Math.random() - 0.5) * 0.01,
          y: 0,
          z: (Math.random() - 0.5) * 0.01,
        },
      });
    }

    // Create initial coins
    const coins = [];
    for (let i = 0; i < 20; i++) {
      const coin = createTexturedCoin(
        scene,
        new THREE.Vector3((Math.random() - 0.5) * 200, Math.random() * 40 + 10, (Math.random() - 0.5) * 200)
      );
      coins.push(coin);
    }

    gameStateRef.current = {
      ...gameStateRef.current,
      scene,
      camera,
      renderer,
      glider,
      clouds,
      coins,
      lastSmokeTime: Date.now(),
      heading: 0,
      forwardSpeed: 0.1,
      pitch: 0,
      roll: 0,
    };

    // dt is the real frame time in seconds, clamped so a backgrounded tab resumes gently.
    let last = performance.now();
    const gameLoop = (now) => {
      if (gameStateRef.current.gameRunning) {
        const dt = Math.min((now - last) / 1000, 0.1);
        last = now;
        updateGame(dt);
        requestAnimationFrame(gameLoop);
      }
    };
    gameStateRef.current.gameRunning = true;
    requestAnimationFrame(gameLoop);
  }, [createTexturedCoin, camera]);

  const checkCoinCollisions = useCallback(() => {
    const state = gameStateRef.current;
    if (!state.glider) return;

    state.coins.forEach((coin) => {
      if (!coin.collected) {
        const distance = state.glider.position.distanceTo(coin.mesh.position);
        if (distance < 4) {
          coin.collected = true;
          coin.mesh.visible = false;
          createGlowEffect(coin.mesh.position);
          state.score += 1;
          setCurrentScore(state.score);

          // Respawn coin at random location
          setTimeout(() => {
            coin.mesh.position.set((Math.random() - 0.5) * 200, Math.random() * 40 + 10, (Math.random() - 0.5) * 200);
            coin.mesh.visible = true;
            coin.collected = false;
          }, 5000);
        }
      }
    });
  }, [createGlowEffect]);

  const handleResize = useCallback(() => {
    const state = gameStateRef.current;
    if (!state.renderer) return;
    state.renderer.setSize(window.innerWidth, window.innerHeight);
  }, []);

  const updateGame = useCallback((dt) => {
    const state = gameStateRef.current;
    if (!state.gameRunning || !state.glider) return;

    const { stick, held, glider } = state;
    state.tick(dt);

    // Controls: the stick (thumb or WASD) banks and pitches; Space thrusts
    state.heading -= stick.x * 0.03;
    state.pitch -= stick.y * 0.01; // forward on the stick (y < 0) climbs
    if (held.has("Space")) state.forwardSpeed = Math.min(0.3, state.forwardSpeed + 0.005);

    // Physics
    state.forwardSpeed = Math.max(0.05, state.forwardSpeed * 0.995);
    state.velocity.x = Math.sin(state.heading) * Math.cos(state.pitch) * state.forwardSpeed;
    state.velocity.y = Math.sin(-state.pitch) * state.forwardSpeed;
    state.velocity.z = Math.cos(state.heading) * Math.cos(state.pitch) * state.forwardSpeed;

    glider.position.add(new THREE.Vector3(state.velocity.x, state.velocity.y, state.velocity.z));

    // Point glider in thrust vector direction
    const thrustDirection = new THREE.Vector3(state.velocity.x, state.velocity.y, state.velocity.z).normalize();
    if (thrustDirection.length() > 0) {
      glider.lookAt(glider.position.clone().add(thrustDirection));
    }

    // Camera follow
    const cameraDistance = 15;
    state.camera.position.set(
      glider.position.x - Math.sin(state.heading) * cameraDistance,
      glider.position.y + 10,
      glider.position.z - Math.cos(state.heading) * cameraDistance
    );
    state.camera.lookAt(glider.position);

    // Create smoke trail
    const currentTime = Date.now();
    const timeSinceLastSmoke = currentTime - state.lastSmokeTime;
    const smokeInterval = 150 + Math.random() * 200;

    if (timeSinceLastSmoke > smokeInterval) {
      createSmokeCloud(glider.position);
      state.lastSmokeTime = currentTime;
    }

    // Animate
    checkCoinCollisions();
    state.coins.forEach((coin) => {
      if (!coin.collected) coin.mesh.rotation.y += coin.rotation;
    });
    state.clouds.forEach((cloud) => {
      cloud.mesh.position.add(new THREE.Vector3(cloud.drift.x, cloud.drift.y, cloud.drift.z));
    });

    // Animate glow effects
    state.glowEffects.forEach((effect) => {
      const age = Date.now() - effect.createdAt;
      const progress = age / 1000;
      effect.scale = 1 + progress * 2;
      effect.mesh.scale.setScalar(effect.scale);
      effect.mesh.material.opacity = 0.8 * (1 - progress);
    });

    // Fade smoke trail
    state.smokeTrail.forEach((smoke) => {
      const age = currentTime - smoke.createdAt;
      const maxAge = 15000;
      if (age > maxAge) {
        smoke.mesh.material.opacity = 0;
      } else if (age > 7500) {
        const fadeProgress = (age - 7500) / 7500;
        smoke.mesh.material.opacity = (0.7 + Math.random() * 0.2) * (1 - fadeProgress);
      }
    });

    state.renderer.render(state.scene, state.camera);
  }, [checkCoinCollisions, createSmokeCloud]);

  useEffect(() => {
    initThreeJS();
    window.addEventListener("resize", handleResize);
    return () => {
      window.removeEventListener("resize", handleResize);
      const state = gameStateRef.current;
      state.gameRunning = false;
      // Release GPU resources so remounts don't leak WebGL contexts
      if (state.scene) {
        state.scene.traverse((obj) => {
          if (obj.geometry) obj.geometry.dispose();
          if (obj.material) {
            const materials = Array.isArray(obj.material) ? obj.material : [obj.material];
            materials.forEach((material) => {
              if (material.map) material.map.dispose(); // CanvasTextures, etc.
              material.dispose();
            });
          }
        });
      }
      if (state.renderer) state.renderer.dispose();
    };
  }, [initThreeJS, handleResize]);

  return (
    // Full screen by default: the game is the whole view. The score stays as a quiet HUD; the title,
    // the controls legend and the high scores live behind ONE menu button, so nothing covers play.
    <div
      ref={rootRef}
      className="relative h-dvh w-full overflow-hidden bg-background text-foreground font-sans select-none touch-none"
    >
      <canvas ref={canvasRef} className="absolute inset-0 select-none touch-none" />
      <div className="absolute top-3 left-3 pointer-events-none">
        <Text num>Score: {currentScore}</Text>
      </div>
      <div className="absolute top-3 right-3">
        <IconButton icon="☰" label={menuOpen ? "Hide menu" : "Show menu"} onClick={() => setMenuOpen(!menuOpen)} />
      </div>
      {menuOpen && (
        <div className="absolute top-16 right-3 w-72">
          <Card>
            <Stack gap={2}>
              <Heading level={2}>Sky Glider</Heading>
              <Text size="sm" muted>
                Left thumb or WASD: steer · flick up or Space: thrust
              </Text>
              {scoreData
                .sort((a, b) => b.value - a.value)
                .slice(0, 3)
                .map((score, i) => (
                  <Text key={score._id} num>
                    #{i + 1}: {score.value}
                  </Text>
                ))}
            </Stack>
          </Card>
        </div>
      )}
    </div>
  );
}

Visual effects example

javascriptimport React, { useState, useEffect, useRef, useCallback } from "react";
import { useFireproof } from "use-fireproof";
import * as THREE from "three";
import { OrbitControls } from "three/addons/controls/OrbitControls.js";
import { EffectComposer } from "three/addons/postprocessing/EffectComposer.js";
import { RenderPass } from "three/addons/postprocessing/RenderPass.js";
import { HalftonePass } from "three/addons/postprocessing/HalftonePass.js";
import { Button, Card, Field, Heading, Input, RowCard, Stack, Text } from "@vibes.diy/pouf";
import { Checkbox, Select, Separator, Slider } from "@vibes.diy/pouf/interactive";

export default function HalftoneArtStudio() {
  const { database, useLiveQuery } = useFireproof("halftoneStudio");
  const canvasRef = useRef(null);
  const sceneRef = useRef(null);
  const [currentPreset, setCurrentPreset] = useState(null);
  const [presetName, setPresetName] = useState("");
  const [isGenerating, setIsGenerating] = useState(false);
  const [showParameters, setShowParameters] = useState(false);

  const { docs: presets } = useLiveQuery("type", { key: "preset" }) || {
    docs: [],
  };
  const { docs: parameterHistory } = useLiveQuery("type", {
    key: "parameter-state",
  }) || {
    docs: [],
  };

  const [parameters, setParameters] = useState({
    shape: 1, // 1=Dot, 2=Ellipse, 3=Line, 4=Square
    radius: 4,
    rotateR: 15,
    rotateG: 30,
    rotateB: 45,
    scatter: 0,
    blending: 1,
    blendingMode: 1, // 1=Linear, 2=Multiply, 3=Add, 4=Lighter, 5=Darker
    greyscale: false,
    disable: false,
    objectCount: 25,
    rotationSpeed: 1,
    colorTheme: 0, // 0=Rainbow, 1=Warm, 2=Cool, 3=Monochrome
  });

  const saveParameterState = useCallback(
    async (params, action = "manual") => {
      await database.put({
        _id: `param-state-${Date.now()}`,
        type: "parameter-state",
        parameters: { ...params },
        action,
        timestamp: Date.now(),
      });
    },
    [database]
  );

  const savePreset = useCallback(async () => {
    if (!presetName.trim()) return;

    await database.put({
      _id: `preset-${Date.now()}`,
      type: "preset",
      name: presetName,
      parameters: { ...parameters },
      timestamp: Date.now(),
    });

    setPresetName("");
  }, [database, presetName, parameters]);

  const loadPreset = useCallback((preset) => {
    setParameters({ ...preset.parameters });
    setCurrentPreset(preset);
  }, []);

  const loadParameterState = useCallback((state) => {
    setParameters({ ...state.parameters });
  }, []);

  const generateRandomScene = useCallback(async () => {
    setIsGenerating(true);

    // Save current state before randomizing
    await saveParameterState(parameters, "before-randomize");

    // Generate random parameters
    const newParams = {
      shape: Math.floor(Math.random() * 4) + 1,
      radius: Math.random() * 20 + 2,
      rotateR: Math.random() * 90,
      rotateG: Math.random() * 90,
      rotateB: Math.random() * 90,
      scatter: Math.random(),
      blending: Math.random(),
      blendingMode: Math.floor(Math.random() * 5) + 1,
      greyscale: Math.random() > 0.7,
      disable: false,
      objectCount: Math.floor(Math.random() * 40) + 10,
      rotationSpeed: Math.random() * 3 + 0.5,
      colorTheme: Math.floor(Math.random() * 4),
    };

    setParameters(newParams);

    // Save the new randomized state
    setTimeout(async () => {
      await saveParameterState(newParams, "randomized");
      setIsGenerating(false);
    }, 500);
  }, [parameters, saveParameterState]);

  // Save parameter changes for history
  useEffect(() => {
    const timeoutId = setTimeout(() => {
      saveParameterState(parameters, "manual");
    }, 1000);

    return () => clearTimeout(timeoutId);
  }, [parameters, saveParameterState]);

  useEffect(() => {
    if (!canvasRef.current) return;

    // Scene setup
    const scene = new THREE.Scene();
    scene.background = new THREE.Color(0x242424);

    const camera = new THREE.PerspectiveCamera(75, window.innerWidth / window.innerHeight, 1, 1000);
    camera.position.z = 12;

    const renderer = new THREE.WebGLRenderer({
      canvas: canvasRef.current,
      antialias: true,
      preserveDrawingBuffer: true,
    });
    renderer.setPixelRatio(window.devicePixelRatio);
    renderer.setSize(window.innerWidth, window.innerHeight);

    // Controls
    const controls = new OrbitControls(camera, renderer.domElement);
    controls.enableDamping = true;
    controls.dampingFactor = 0.05;
    controls.autoRotate = true;
    controls.autoRotateSpeed = 0.5;

    // Group for all objects
    const group = new THREE.Group();
    scene.add(group);

    // Lighting
    const ambientLight = new THREE.AmbientLight(0xffffff, 0.4);
    scene.add(ambientLight);

    const pointLight = new THREE.PointLight(0xffffff, 1, 100);
    pointLight.position.set(10, 10, 10);
    scene.add(pointLight);

    // Post-processing
    const composer = new EffectComposer(renderer);
    const renderPass = new RenderPass(scene, camera);
    composer.addPass(renderPass);

    const halftonePass = new HalftonePass({
      shape: parameters.shape,
      radius: parameters.radius,
      rotateR: parameters.rotateR * (Math.PI / 180),
      rotateG: parameters.rotateG * (Math.PI / 180),
      rotateB: parameters.rotateB * (Math.PI / 180),
      scatter: parameters.scatter,
      blending: parameters.blending,
      blendingMode: parameters.blendingMode,
      greyscale: parameters.greyscale,
      disable: parameters.disable,
    });
    composer.addPass(halftonePass);

    // Store refs
    sceneRef.current = {
      scene,
      camera,
      renderer,
      composer,
      halftonePass,
      group,
      controls,
      objects: [],
    };

    // Create initial objects
    const createObjects = () => {
      // Clear existing objects
      sceneRef.current.objects.forEach((obj) => {
        group.remove(obj);
      });
      sceneRef.current.objects = [];

      // Color themes
      const colorThemes = [
        [0xff70a6, 0x70d6ff, 0xffd670, 0xe9ff70, 0xff9770], // Rainbow
        [0xff9770, 0xffd670, 0xff70a6], // Warm
        [0x70d6ff, 0xe9ff70, 0x242424], // Cool
        [0xffffff, 0x242424], // Monochrome
      ];

      const colors = colorThemes[parameters.colorTheme] || colorThemes[0];

      // Shader material for interesting effects
      const material = new THREE.ShaderMaterial({
        uniforms: {
          time: { value: 0 },
        },
        vertexShader: `
          varying vec2 vUv;
          varying vec3 vNormal;
          varying vec3 vPosition;
          uniform float time;
          
          void main() {
            vUv = uv;
            vNormal = normalize(normalMatrix * normal);
            vPosition = position;
            
            vec3 pos = position;
            pos += sin(pos * 2.0 + time) * 0.1;
            
            gl_Position = projectionMatrix * modelViewMatrix * vec4(pos, 1.0);
          }
        `,
        fragmentShader: `
          varying vec2 vUv;
          varying vec3 vNormal;
          varying vec3 vPosition;
          uniform float time;
          
          void main() {
            vec3 color = abs(vNormal) + vec3(vUv, sin(time + vPosition.x));
            color = mix(color, vec3(1.0, 0.4, 0.6), sin(time + vPosition.y) * 0.5 + 0.5);
            gl_FragColor = vec4(color, 1.0);
          }
        `,
      });

      // Create various geometric shapes
      const geometries = [
        new THREE.BoxGeometry(2, 2, 2),
        new THREE.SphereGeometry(1.2, 16, 16),
        new THREE.ConeGeometry(1, 2, 8),
        new THREE.CylinderGeometry(0.8, 0.8, 2, 8),
        new THREE.OctahedronGeometry(1.2),
        new THREE.TetrahedronGeometry(1.5),
        new THREE.DodecahedronGeometry(1),
        new THREE.IcosahedronGeometry(1.2),
      ];

      for (let i = 0; i < parameters.objectCount; i++) {
        const geometry = geometries[Math.floor(Math.random() * geometries.length)];
        const basicMaterial = new THREE.MeshPhongMaterial({
          color: colors[Math.floor(Math.random() * colors.length)],
          shininess: 100,
          transparent: true,
          opacity: 0.8 + Math.random() * 0.2,
        });

        const mesh = new THREE.Mesh(geometry, Math.random() > 0.3 ? basicMaterial : material);

        mesh.position.set((Math.random() - 0.5) * 20, (Math.random() - 0.5) * 20, (Math.random() - 0.5) * 20);

        mesh.rotation.set(Math.random() * Math.PI * 2, Math.random() * Math.PI * 2, Math.random() * Math.PI * 2);

        mesh.scale.setScalar(0.5 + Math.random() * 1.5);

        group.add(mesh);
        sceneRef.current.objects.push(mesh);
      }
    };

    createObjects();

    // Animation loop — capture the id so cleanup can cancel it. Because this
    // effect re-runs on every `parameters` change, an uncancelled loop would
    // keep calling composer.render() on a disposed renderer.
    const clock = new THREE.Clock();
    let animationId;
    const animate = () => {
      const delta = clock.getDelta();
      const elapsed = clock.getElapsedTime();

      // Update material uniforms
      sceneRef.current.objects.forEach((obj) => {
        if (obj.material.uniforms && obj.material.uniforms.time) {
          obj.material.uniforms.time.value = elapsed;
        }

        // Animate objects
        obj.rotation.x += delta * parameters.rotationSpeed * 0.2;
        obj.rotation.y += delta * parameters.rotationSpeed * 0.3;
        obj.rotation.z += delta * parameters.rotationSpeed * 0.1;
      });

      controls.update();
      composer.render();
      animationId = requestAnimationFrame(animate);
    };

    animate();

    // Handle resize
    const handleResize = () => {
      camera.aspect = window.innerWidth / window.innerHeight;
      camera.updateProjectionMatrix();
      renderer.setSize(window.innerWidth, window.innerHeight);
      composer.setSize(window.innerWidth, window.innerHeight);
    };

    window.addEventListener("resize", handleResize);

    return () => {
      window.removeEventListener("resize", handleResize);
      cancelAnimationFrame(animationId);
      controls.dispose();
      // Dispose every geometry + material we created (ShaderMaterials included)
      sceneRef.current.objects.forEach((obj) => {
        obj.geometry.dispose();
        const materials = Array.isArray(obj.material) ? obj.material : [obj.material];
        materials.forEach((material) => material.dispose());
      });
      // Dispose post-processing passes + the composer's render targets
      composer.passes.forEach((pass) => pass.dispose?.());
      composer.dispose();
      renderer.dispose();
    };
  }, [parameters]);

  // Update halftone parameters
  useEffect(() => {
    if (sceneRef.current?.halftonePass) {
      const pass = sceneRef.current.halftonePass;
      pass.uniforms.shape.value = parameters.shape;
      pass.uniforms.radius.value = parameters.radius;
      pass.uniforms.rotateR.value = parameters.rotateR * (Math.PI / 180);
      pass.uniforms.rotateG.value = parameters.rotateG * (Math.PI / 180);
      pass.uniforms.rotateB.value = parameters.rotateB * (Math.PI / 180);
      pass.uniforms.scatter.value = parameters.scatter;
      pass.uniforms.blending.value = parameters.blending;
      pass.uniforms.blendingMode.value = parameters.blendingMode;
      pass.uniforms.greyscale.value = parameters.greyscale;
      pass.uniforms.disable.value = parameters.disable;
    }
  }, [parameters]);

  const shapeName = ["", "Dot", "Ellipse", "Line", "Square"][parameters.shape] || "Dot";
  const blendModeName = ["", "Linear", "Multiply", "Add", "Lighter", "Darker"][parameters.blendingMode] || "Linear";
  const actionNames = {
    "before-randomize": "Before Random",
    randomized: "Randomized",
    manual: "Manual Edit",
  };

  return (
    <div className="relative h-dvh w-full overflow-hidden bg-background text-foreground font-sans">
      <canvas ref={canvasRef} className="absolute inset-0 select-none touch-none" />

      {/* One control panel. The pouf `Card` IS the panel — it takes no className,
          so a plain wrapper carries its placement; the cushion, corner and ink are its own. */}
      <div className="absolute inset-y-4 left-4 w-80 overflow-y-auto">
        <Card>
          <Stack gap={3}>
            <Heading level={2}>RGB Halftone Studio</Heading>
            <Button block loading={isGenerating} onClick={generateRandomScene}>
              {isGenerating ? "Generating…" : "Random Art"}
            </Button>
            <Button block variant="quiet" aria-expanded={showParameters} onClick={() => setShowParameters(!showParameters)}>
              {showParameters ? "Hide Controls" : "Show Controls"}
            </Button>

            {showParameters && (
              <Stack gap={4}>
                <Separator />

                {/* A chooser is `Select`; its options are data. */}
                <Field label={`Shape: ${shapeName}`}>
                  {(id, describedBy) => (
                    <Select
                      id={id}
                      describedBy={describedBy}
                      value={String(parameters.shape)}
                      onChange={(value) => setParameters((prev) => ({ ...prev, shape: parseInt(value) }))}
                      options={[
                        { value: "1", label: "Dot" },
                        { value: "2", label: "Ellipse" },
                        { value: "3", label: "Line" },
                        { value: "4", label: "Square" },
                      ]}
                    />
                  )}
                </Field>

                {/* A range is `Slider`, which hands over an array of values. Blend amount
                    and the per-channel R/G/B rotations are this same labelled Slider,
                    one per uniform. */}
                <Stack gap={2}>
                  <Text size="sm">Size: {parameters.radius.toFixed(1)}</Text>
                  <Slider
                    label="Size"
                    min={1}
                    max={25}
                    step={0.5}
                    value={[parameters.radius]}
                    onChange={([radius]) => setParameters((prev) => ({ ...prev, radius }))}
                  />
                </Stack>

                <Stack gap={2}>
                  <Text size="sm">Scatter: {(parameters.scatter * 100).toFixed(0)}%</Text>
                  <Slider
                    label="Scatter"
                    min={0}
                    max={1}
                    step={0.01}
                    value={[parameters.scatter]}
                    onChange={([scatter]) => setParameters((prev) => ({ ...prev, scatter }))}
                  />
                </Stack>

                <Field label={`Blend Mode: ${blendModeName}`}>
                  {(id, describedBy) => (
                    <Select
                      id={id}
                      describedBy={describedBy}
                      value={String(parameters.blendingMode)}
                      onChange={(value) => setParameters((prev) => ({ ...prev, blendingMode: parseInt(value) }))}
                      options={[
                        { value: "1", label: "Linear" },
                        { value: "2", label: "Multiply" },
                        { value: "3", label: "Add" },
                        { value: "4", label: "Lighter" },
                        { value: "5", label: "Darker" },
                      ]}
                    />
                  )}
                </Field>

                <Checkbox
                  label="Greyscale"
                  checked={parameters.greyscale}
                  onChange={(checked) => setParameters((prev) => ({ ...prev, greyscale: checked === true }))}
                />
                <Checkbox
                  label="Disable Effect"
                  checked={parameters.disable}
                  onChange={(checked) => setParameters((prev) => ({ ...prev, disable: checked === true }))}
                />

                <Field label="Preset name">
                  {(id, describedBy) => (
                    <Input id={id} describedBy={describedBy} placeholder="Preset name…" value={presetName} onChange={setPresetName} />
                  )}
                </Field>
                <Button block variant="quiet" onClick={savePreset} disabled={!presetName.trim()}>
                  Save Preset
                </Button>

                {/* A row that selects something is a `RowCard`, and which one is
                    chosen is its `selected` prop. */}
                {presets.length > 0 && (
                  <Stack gap={2}>
                    <Heading level={3}>Saved Presets</Heading>
                    {presets
                      .sort((a, b) => b.timestamp - a.timestamp)
                      .map((preset) => (
                        <RowCard key={preset._id} selected={currentPreset?._id === preset._id} onClick={() => loadPreset(preset)}>
                          {preset.name} · {["", "Dot", "Ellipse", "Line", "Square"][preset.parameters.shape]}
                        </RowCard>
                      ))}
                  </Stack>
                )}

                {parameterHistory.length > 0 && (
                  <Stack gap={2}>
                    <Heading level={3}>Parameter History</Heading>
                    {parameterHistory
                      .sort((a, b) => b.timestamp - a.timestamp)
                      .slice(0, 10)
                      .map((state) => (
                        <RowCard key={state._id} onClick={() => loadParameterState(state)}>
                          {actionNames[state.action] || "Unknown"} · {new Date(state.timestamp).toLocaleTimeString()}
                        </RowCard>
                      ))}
                  </Stack>
                )}
              </Stack>
            )}
          </Stack>
        </Card>
      </div>
    </div>
  );
}