Web graphics technologies have long gone beyond static pictures and simple animations. Today, you can run full-fledged 3D games, virtual exhibitions, and simulators in the browser. For a long time, the standard was WebGL, but in 2025, it is becoming more and more confident on the stage WebGPU. This is not just an update — it's a new era. Let's find out why.
WebGL (Web Graphics Library) is an API for rendering 2D and 3D graphics in the browser. It works on top of OpenGL ES and allows you to run complex scenes directly on web pages.
WebGL Pros:
Supported in almost all browsers.
A huge number of libraries (Three.js, Babylon.js).
Simple integration via
<canvas>and JavaScript.
Cons:
Limited in performance.
Poor memory and multithreading performance.
Does not always use all the capabilities of modern GPUs.
WebGPU - is a new generation of API for graphics and computing in the browser. Unlike WebGL, it is inspired by modern low-level technologies: Vulkan, Direct3D 12 and Metal.
What WebGPU gives:
More efficient use of the GPU, closer to the hardware.
Accelerated computing — you can use a graphics card for neural networks.
Modern rendering (PBR, shadows, post-effects).
Multithreading and memory management.
WebGL vs WebGPU: Comparison Table
Characteristics | WebGL | WebGPU |
|---|---|---|
Base | OpenGL ES | Vulkan, Metal, Direct3D 12 |
Performance | Average | High, close to native |
AI and computing support | ❌ No | ✅ Available |
API complexity | Simple | Lower-level |
Browser support | Almost all | Modern (Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox in progress) |
Ecosystem | Large (Three.js, Babylon.js) | In the growth stage |
Where is it used?
Games right in the browser.
Architecture and design — viewing 3D models of buildings and furniture.
Science - visualization of molecules, simulations.
Artificial intelligence — acceleration of ML models directly in the browser.
What to choose in 2025?
If you need maximum user reach — choose WebGL. If it is important performance and AI — the future is WebGPU. Many libraries (for example, Three.js) are already starting to support WebGPU with backward compatibility.
We live in an era when the browser is becoming a universal platform: games, simulations, neural networks — everything runs without installing software.
— WebGL gave us 3D on the web.
— WebGPU opens the way to photorealism and GPU computing.
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