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Xeokit

From EverybodyWiki Bios & Wiki



xeokit
xeokit SDK logo
Bundled sample xeokit BIM Viewer
Bundled sample xeokit BIM Viewer
Original author(s)Lindsay Kay.[1]
Developer(s)Creoox AG, Lindsay Kay
Initial release21 January 2019;
7 years ago (2019-01-21)[2]
Stable release
v2.6.76[3] / May 11, 2025; 13 months ago (2025-05-11)
Repositoryxeokit-sdk on GitHub
Written inJavaScript
EngineWebGL
Operating systemCross-platform
Replacesxeogl[4], SceneJS[5]
Type3D Web Graphics SDK, BIM, CAD, Web3D, Computer Graphics
LicenseAGPL-3.0 or proprietary
Websitexeokit.io

Search Xeokit on Amazon.

xeokit SDK is an open-source JavaScript software development kit (SDK) designed for rendering 3D graphics in web browsers, with particular focus on 3D Building Information Models (BIM). It supports efficient visualization of large-scale models using a custom binary file format called XKT, which enables rapid loading and rendering. The XKT format can encapsulate both geometry and metadata, including attributes such as GUIDs, names, and hierarchical relationships. Open-source tools are available to convert Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) models into the XKT format.[6][7]

The SDK is released under the GNU Affero General Public License (AGPL-3.0) and is also available under a commercial license. It supports a range of 3D data formats, including meshes, IFC files, and point clouds in LAS/LAZ format. xeokit includes features such as model annotation, object selection, clipping planes, and measurement tools.[8]

History

xeokit SDK was created as a successor to earlier WebGL-based 3D visualization libraries developed by Lindsay Kay, also known as Xeolabs. The lineage of the SDK begins with SceneJS, a general-purpose 3D engine initially launched as a research project. SceneJS offered features such as support for OBJ and Collada models and level of detail (LOD) rendering. It included an interactive "playroom" on its website, allowing users to modify examples in real time. The library was noted for its optimized core and steady development. SceneJS existed already around the time of the official WebGL release in 2011.[9]

Following SceneJS, Kay developed xeogl, a WebGL library focused on real-time 3D rendering of large number of elements in the browser. The focus of the project shifted more clearly towards CAD, BIM and the AEC industry in general.[10][11]

Building on the experience from these earlier projects, xeokit SDK was introduced in 2019 with a dedicated focus on high-performance, rendering large 3D (BIM) models in the browser with double precision.[12] Additional background on the development of SceneJS, xeogl, and the xeokit SDK is discussed by Lindsay Kay in a Tech Talk presented at the AEC Hackathon Wrocław Edition 2024.[13]

Usage

xeokit SDK is widely used in web-based applications requiring 3D model visualization and BIM data integration. Its flexibility and browser-native rendering make it suitable for a range of use cases across the AECO sector, including the visualization of formats such as IFC, point clouds, and other 3D data. Typical application domains include Common Data Environments (CDEs), digital twin platforms, and IoT-integrated systems for smart buildings. It enables the visualization of 3D BIM models in standard web browsers without requiring proprietary software, facilitating vendor-neutral workflows helping avoid vendor lock-in for facility management, infrastructure monitoring, and Building Management Systems.[8][14]

Another example use case is for Project Management platforms where xeokit SDK enables an embedded 3D IFC/BIM Viewer into the online platform. One open-source reference in this regard is the integration in OpenProject.[15]

The SDK has been applied in digital twin systems to visualize 3D BIM models alongside Unity and CesiumJS with integration of live data sources and GIS data, in particular also for large infrastructure objects like bridges.[16]

Features

The xeokit SDK offers a range of features for developing interactive BIM visualization applications in web environments:

  • JavaScript library with interactive code examples and browser-native rendering using WebGL[17]
  • Support for multiple 3D formats and model federation, including IFC (via conversion to XKT), BCF, glTF, GLB, OBJ, STL, 3DXML, dotBIM (.bim)[18], CityJSON, and LAS/LAZ (point clouds). Models in different formats can be loaded simultaneously for federated visualization in a single scene.[8][19]
  • XKT binary format, optimized for fast loading and low memory usage while preserving geometry and IFC metadata.[6] In one documented case, an IFCv4 model was reduced from 186 MB to a 12 MB XKT file, representing a compression ratio of approximately 95%.[20]
  • Double-precision rendering of large 3D models[12]
  • Element selection and filtering by type or custom property.[7]
  • Typical BIM-related features such as support for BIM Collaboration Format (BCF) issues, annotations, slicing models with section view, measurement tools.[8][19][21]
  • Support for IFC metadata inspection and display of property sets.[21]
  • Tree view navigation, supporting hierarchical browsing of model elements.[7]
  • Extensibility via plugins, allowing integration with external APIs, semantic web graphs, sensor platforms, and facilities management systems.[7][21]
  • Vendor-neutral architecture, making it suitable for open and interoperable BIM workflows.[7]

Presentations and appearances

xeokit SDK was presented by its creator, Lindsay Kay, at the Virtual WebGL Meetup in 2020, an industry event hosted by the Khronos Group that also featured speakers from organizations such as Google, Sketchfab, and Microsoft.[22][23][24] Another early public presentation was given during the OSArch Monthly Meetup in July 2021, where xeokit was introduced as a toolkit for AEC graphics applications in the browser.[25]

In addition to industry meetups, xeokit SDK has been featured in AEC-focused hackathons. At the 2024 and 2025 AEC Hackathons in Zurich, xeokit was presented during a series of TechTalks and is listed on the independent platform opensource.construction as a "graduated" open-source project.[26][27][28] In 2024, during the AEC Hackathon in Wrocław, xeokit SDK was presented by its creator, Lindsay Kay, and was used by several participating teams. One of the projects, developed by the team IFC Data Miners, was awarded the top prize for "Best Overall Project." The prototype application utilized artificial intelligence and a natural-language user interface to enhance BIM model navigation using xeokit SDK.[29][30]

References

  1. ↑ "xeokit SDK". xeokit.io. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
  2. ↑ "xeokit SDK GitHub Releases". github.com/xeokit/xeokit-sdk/releases/tag/v0.1. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
  3. ↑ "xeokit SDK GitHub Releases". github.com/xeokit/xeokit-sdk/releases. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
  4. ↑ "xeogl on GitHub". github.com/xeolabs/xeogl. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
  5. ↑ "SceneJS on GitHub". github.com/xeolabs/scenejs. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Eneyew, Dagimawi D.; Capretz, Miriam A. M.; Bitsuamlak, Girma T. (2022). "Toward Smart-Building Digital Twins: BIM and IoT Data Integration". IEEE Access. IEEE. 10: 130487–130506. Bibcode:2022IEEEA..10m0487E. doi:10.1109/ACCESS.2022.3229370. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Chamari, Lasitha; Petrova, Ekaterina; Pauwels, Pieter (2022). A web-based approach to BMS, BIM and IoT integration: a case study. Proceedings of the REHVA 14th HVAC World Congress (CLIMA 2022). doi:10.34641/clima.2022.228. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Spettu, Franco; Achille, Cristiana; Fassi, Francesco (2024). "State-of-the-Art Web Platforms for the Management and Sharing of Data: Applications, Uses, and Potentialities". Heritage. 7 (11): 6008–6035. doi:10.3390/heritage7110282.
  9. ↑ Anttonen, Matti; Salminen, Arto (2011). "Building 3d webgl applications" (PDF). Tampere University of Technology, Department of Software Systems. ISBN 978-952-15-2623-7. Retrieved 2025-05-19.
  10. ↑ Malcolm, Andrew; Werbrouck, Jeroen; Pauwels, Pieter (2021). "LBD Server: Visualising Building Graphs in Web-Based Environments Using Semantic Graphs and GlTF-Models". Formal Methods in Architecture. Cham: Springer International Publishing. pp. 287–293. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-57509-0_26. ISBN 978-3-030-57509-0. Retrieved 2025-05-20.
  11. ↑ Kastman, Pål (2021). Development of a 3D viewer for showing of house models in a web browser – A usability evaluation of navigation techniques (PDF) (Master thesis). Linköping, Sweden: Linköping University, Department of Computer and Information Science. Retrieved 2025-05-20.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Hernández Moral, Gema; Serna González, Víctor Iván; Sanz Jimeno, Roberto; Mulero Palencia, Sofía (2024). "Modular Big Data Applications for Energy Services in Buildings and Districts: Digital Twins, Technical Building Management Systems and Energy Savings Calculations". Machine Learning Applications for Intelligent Energy Management: Invited Chapters from Experts on the Energy Field. Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature Switzerland. pp. 53–103. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-47909-0_3. ISBN 978-3-031-47909-0. Retrieved 2025-05-20. Search this book on
  13. ↑ Evolution of 3D Visualization in AEC: Tracing the Path of Xeokit SDK. Wrocław, Poland: Creoox AG. 2024-10-15. Retrieved 2025-05-20.
  14. ↑ Chamari, Lasitha; Petrova, Ekaterina; Pauwels, Pieter (2023). "An End-to-End Implementation of a Service-Oriented Architecture for Data-Driven Smart Buildings". IEEE Access. IEEE. 11: 117261–117281. Bibcode:2023IEEEA..11k7261C. doi:10.1109/ACCESS.2023.3325767. Retrieved 2025-05-19.
  15. ↑ Birthe Lindenthal (2020). "OpenProject BIM 10.4: digital construction project management with 3D building model viewer (IFC)". Retrieved 2025-05-20.
  16. ↑ Gao, Yan; Li, Haijiang; Song, Honghong (2023). "AIoT-informed digital twin communication for bridge maintenance". Automation in Construction. Elsevier B.V. 150. doi:10.1016/j.autcon.2023.104835. Retrieved 2025-05-19.
  17. ↑ "xeokit SDK GitHub Repo". github.com/xeokit/xeokit-sdk. Retrieved 2025-05-19.
  18. ↑ Wojciech Radaczyński. "Viewers and graphics SDKs that support .bim files". GitHub. Retrieved 2025-05-20.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Kuzminykh, Artur (2022). Integrated Planning and Recording Circularity of Construction Materials through Digital Modelling (PDF) (Master thesis). Braga, Portugal: Universidade do Minho, Escola de Engenharia.
  20. ↑ Fatokun, Isaac; Sheela, Arun Raveendran Nair; Mecharnia, Thamer (2023). "Modular Knowledge integration for Smart Building Digital Twins" (PDF). LDAC'23: 11th Linked Data in Architecture and Construction Workshop. Matera, Italy. Retrieved 2025-05-19.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Schlütter, Dominik; Pauen, Nicolas; Frisch, Jérôme; Van Treeck, Christoph (2022). "INTEGRATED DESCRIPTION OF TECHNICAL BUILDING SERVICES IN BIM". Proceedings of BauSim Conference 2022: 9th Conference of IBPSA-Germany and Austria. BauSim Conference. 9. Weimar, Germany: IBPSA-Germany and Austria. doi:10.26868/29761662.2022.72. Retrieved 2025-05-19.
  22. ↑ "WebGL Meetup by The Khronos Group". www.khronos.org. 7 January 2021. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
  23. ↑ "Presentation at WebGL Meetup by The Khronos Group" (PDF). www.khronos.org. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
  24. ↑ Virtual WebGL Meetup - 2020. The Khronos Group. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
  25. ↑ "Xeokit:a 3D Web Programming Toolkit for AEC Graphics, Monthly Meetup #16". osarch.org. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
  26. ↑ "xeokit @ AEC Hackathon in Zurich 2024". opensource.construction. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  27. ↑ "xeokit @ AEC Hackathon in Zurich 2025". opensource.construction. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  28. ↑ "xeokit @ opensource.construction". opensource.construction. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  29. ↑ "AEC Hackathon Wrocław Edition 2024 – summary" (in Polish). Wrocław University of Science and Technology. 2024-10-30. Retrieved 2025-05-20.CS1 maint: Unrecognized language (link)
  30. ↑ Final presentation at AEC Hackathon Wrocław. Wroclaw, Poland: Creoox AG. 2024-10-17. Retrieved 2025-05-20.

External links


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