Getting Started with Needle Engine
Build fully interactive 3D websites using your favorite tools. Needle Engine works with professional 3D editors and modern web frameworks, giving you the power to create rich web experiences that deploy anywhere.
What You'll Get
With Needle Engine, you get:
- 🎨 Visual authoring in Unity or Blender
- 🚀 Automatic optimization with state-of-the-art compression (up to 100x smaller files)
- 📱 Cross-platform support (desktop, mobile, VR, AR)
- ⚡ Hot reload for instant feedback during development
- 🌐 Deploy anywhere on the web with a single command
Choose Your Workflow
Pick the tool that matches your skills and project needs:
Which Tool Is Right for You?
Unity Integration
- 💼 Professional game development workflows
- 🎮 Extensive asset ecosystem
- 📜 C# scripting support
- 🔧 Advanced editor features
- Learn more about Unity Integration
Blender Add-on
- 🆓 Free and open-source
- 🎨 Powerful modeling and animation tools
- 🐍 Python scripting
- 💪 Industry-standard workflows
- Learn more about Blender Integration
Vanilla JavaScript
- 💻 No 3D editor needed
- 🌐 Pure web development
- 📦 Use with any framework (React, Vue, Svelte, etc.)
- ✨ Full three.js compatibility
- Learn more about three.js Integration
Install a Code Editor
Visual Studio Code is recommended for creating and editing JavaScript, TypeScript, HTML, and CSS files. It's a free, open-source editor that works on all platforms and integrates seamlessly with Needle Engine.
Why VS Code?
- Built-in TypeScript support
- Excellent debugging tools
- Rich extension ecosystem
- Live Server support for local development
- Git integration
Required Tools
Automatic Installation with Unity or Blender
When using the Unity or Blender integration, we'll guide you through installing these tools automatically. You don't need to install them manually.
The following tools are used by Needle Engine to create, preview, and build your web app:
Quick Start Paths
Choose your path based on your preferred tool and workflow:
Path 1: Start with Unity
Best for: Game developers, Unity users, teams with existing Unity projects
Download Needle Engine for UnityWhat you'll learn:
- Install Needle Engine in Unity
- Create your first interactive 3D scene
- Export and preview in the browser
- Add interactivity with components
Supported Unity versions: 2020.3.16+, 2021.3.9+, 2022.3.0+
Path 2: Start with Blender
Best for: 3D artists, Blender users, open-source enthusiasts
Download Needle Engine for BlenderWhat you'll learn:
- Install the Blender add-on
- Set up your first web project
- Export scenes to the web
- Add Needle components
Supported Blender versions: 4.1+
Path 3: Start with Web Code
Best for: Web developers, three.js users, integration into existing sites
Quick options:
CDN (Fastest):
<script type="module" src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@needle-tools/engine/dist/needle-engine.min.js"></script>
<needle-engine src="your-scene.glb"></needle-engine>NPM (Production):
npm install @needle-tools/engineYour First Project
Ready to build something? Follow one of our step-by-step tutorials:
🎓 For Unity Users
Your First Unity Project → - Create an interactive 3D scene in Unity and export it to the web in minutes.
🎓 For Blender Users
Your First Blender Project → - Build a web-ready 3D experience using the Blender add-on.
🎓 For Web Developers
Your First Web Project → - Integrate Needle Engine into your existing web project with JavaScript.
🚀 Beyond the Basics
After completing your first project, explore these tutorials:
- TypeScript Essentials - Learn TypeScript for custom components
- Create Custom Components - Add interactivity with code
- Deploy Your Project - Publish your 3D experience to the web
Next Steps
📚 Learn by Doing (Tutorials)
New to Needle Engine? Start with these learning-oriented guides:
- TypeScript Essentials - Learn TypeScript basics for web development
- Needle Engine for Unity Developers - Key differences from traditional Unity
- Your First Interactive Scene - Build something real (Unity)
- Your First Interactive Scene - Build something real (Blender)
🛠️ Solve Specific Problems (How-To Guides)
Know what you want to build? Jump straight to task-oriented guides:
- Export 3D Content - Get your models and assets web-ready
- Create Custom Components - Add interactivity with code
- Deploy Your Project - Publish to hosting platforms
- Enable WebXR - Build VR and AR experiences
- Add Multiplayer - Create networked experiences
💡 Understand the Concepts (Explanation)
Want to understand how Needle Engine works under the hood?
- Project Structure - Editor vs web project architecture
- Technical Architecture - How glTF extensions work
- Component System - Component lifecycle and design
📖 Look Things Up (Reference)
Need to find specific information quickly?
- Component Catalog - All 100+ built-in components
- API Documentation - Complete TypeScript API
- Features Overview - Platform compatibility matrix
- FAQ - Common questions and troubleshooting
🎨 Get Inspired
- Samples & Showcase - Explore interactive samples and see what others have built
💬 Get Help
- Discord - Join our community for live support
- Forum - Ask questions and share projects
- FAQ - Common issues and solutions
Need Help?
If you run into issues during setup, check out our FAQ or join our Discord community where we're happy to help!