GlTF uses URIs (Universal Resource Identifier), which may also be called data URLs. Using these, a developer or an application can represent many items from contact information for a person to a 3D object in a GLB file. JSON’s data types include arrays (an ordered list of values of any other type), objects (non-ordered collection of name and value pairs, the names are strings), strings (any set of Unicode characters, which can also be empty), numbers, Boolean values (true or false), and null (any empty value). GLB files contain a header that identifies the file as GLB, the specification version, and the file length a JSON chunk with the data included in a glTF file and binary buffer, which contains the data included in the supporting files.ĭerived from JavaScript, JSON is an open-source format used for data interchange and is usable by many programming languages. Khronos posted the specifications for glTF versions 1.0 and 2.0 on GitHub. What is the file structure for a GLB file?

Many developers find it easier to edit the objects and senses in the glTF format and then convert it to GLB to deliver the file. It’s also easier to upload a single file to a server rather than two or three, so GLB has an advantage there too. A GLB file will generally be smaller (approximately 33 percent) than a glTF file and its supporting files. GLB, like glTF, is a royalty-free way to encode 3D data. Version 2.0 of the specification (released in 2017), added Physically Based Rendering (PBR), which allows shadows and light to appear more realistic and coding updates for speed and improvements in animation. They saw a need for formats that developers could open and edit in many graphics and 3D apps. The Khronos Group developed the GLB and glTF formats in 2015. So, supporting data (like textures, shaders, and geometry/animation) is contained in a single file.

GLB files are a binary version of the GL Transmission Format (glTF) file, which uses JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) encoding.

Another advantage of the format is its small size and fast load times. GLB is a 3D file format that’s used in Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), games, and web applications because it supports motion and animation. We use our years of experience helping developers expedite their work with 3D files to explain how to use GLB files, it’s relation to glTF, and which programs to use to open, view, and convert them.

Paint 3d app show grid