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glTF / GLB (3D)

glTF is an open, royalty-free 3D format from the Khronos Group, often called "the JPEG of 3D." It bundles geometry, materials, textures, and animation in a compact, runtime-ready form, and GLB is its single-file binary version used on the web and in AR.

Files & formatsGeneral

glTF / GLB (3D)

Also known as: .gltf file, .glb file, GL Transmission Format, how to open glTF

glTF is an open, royalty-free 3D format from the Khronos Group, often called "the JPEG of 3D." It bundles geometry, materials, textures, and animation in a compact, runtime-ready form, and GLB is its single-file binary version used on the web and in AR.

  • Open, royalty-free format from the Khronos Group
  • GLB packs mesh, materials, and animation into one file
  • The standard for web 3D and AR delivery

What glTF and GLB store

glTF (GL Transmission Format) is designed for efficient loading and display, not editing. It packs a full model — meshes, PBR materials, textures, skins, and animation — into a structure apps can render directly with little processing.

A .gltf file is JSON that can reference separate binary and image files, while a .glb wraps everything into one self-contained binary file. GLB is the usual choice for sharing because it keeps the model in a single download.

Where glTF is used

glTF is the standard for 3D on the web, in AR (it powers iOS Quick Look alongside USDZ), and in many game and product viewers. Browsers, Windows 3D Viewer, Blender, and online viewers all open it.

Because it is compact and royalty-free, glTF/GLB is the recommended export target when you want fast loading and broad support. Heavier authoring formats like FBX or OBJ are typically converted to glTF for delivery.

Related terms

Keep reading the reference.

Files & formatsOBJ (3D model)OBJ is a plain-text 3D geometry format that stores a model’s vertices, faces, and texture coordinates. It is one of the most widely supported interchange formats, but it carries no animation and stores materials in a separate .mtl file.GeneralFiles & formatsFBX (3D)FBX is a rich 3D interchange format owned by Autodesk that can carry geometry, materials, textures, rigs, and animation in a single file. It is the common pipeline format for games and film, and files tend to be large because they bundle so much.GeneralStorage conceptsCompression (lossy vs lossless)Compression shrinks a file by encoding its data more efficiently. Lossless compression rebuilds the original exactly, while lossy compression permanently discards detail the eye or ear is least likely to notice in exchange for much smaller files.GeneralStorage conceptsFile systemA file system is the method a device uses to organize and track files on storage — naming them, recording where each one lives, and managing free space. Common ones include APFS (Apple), NTFS (Windows), and exFAT and FAT32 (cross-platform).General