Which Is Easier for Rendering GLB Models: Three.js or Babylon.js?

There are over 10 open-source JavaScript libraries that we can use for drawing or rendering 3D models, such as Three.js, Babylon.js, A-Frame, PlayCanvas, and CesiumJS, and many more.

I’m just curious about which JavaScript libraries are the easiest to use and give more control. And what made me too lazy to try JavaScript libraries was the initial setup, which looked like React.js or Vue.js; but it turns out that the setup for Three.js and Babylon.js is simple and easy, just like regular HTML.

We can easily create a single index.html file and include the JavaScript libraries from a CDN using script tags. Using an extension like this is also helpful:

Here, we’re using a GLB file, because GLB and glTF are like the JPG/JPEG version of 3D models. We can find 3D models on Sketchfab. To find and download a 3D model on the Sketchfab website, we start by opening our web browser and going to the site. Then, we type keywords into the search bar to search for the model we want. After that, we browse through the results and click on a model to open its preview page, where we can rotate, zoom, and inspect it in 3D.

If the creator has enabled downloads, you will see a download button or a section listing file formats like GLB, FBX, OBJ, or Blender files.

My Experiment With Loading a GLB Model in Three.js

When I started experimenting with displaying a 3D model using Three.js. My goal was simple: load a GLB model, show it in the browser, and then adjust the lighting so the model looks exactly how I want.

At first, I set up a basic Three.js project. I created a scene, added a camera, and added a renderer so the 3D content could appear on the screen. Then I loaded my GLB file using the GLTFLoader. When everything showed up correctly, it felt great—my model was finally visible in 3D.

Before I started modifying lights, I wrote a simple Three.js setup to load the model. Here’s what each part of the code does:

1. Creating the Scene

const scene = new THREE.Scene();
scene.background = new THREE.Color(0xeeeeee);

The scene is like an empty room where everything goes. The background color sets the “wall color” of this 3D room.

2. Setting Up the Camera

const camera = new THREE.PerspectiveCamera(75, window.innerWidth / window.innerHeight, 0.1, 1000);
camera.position.set(0, 1.5, 3);

The camera is the viewer’s eyes. I set its position so it looks at the model from a good angle.

3. Creating the Renderer

const renderer = new THREE.WebGLRenderer({ antialias: true });
renderer.setSize(window.innerWidth, window.innerHeight);
document.body.appendChild(renderer.domElement);

The renderer draws the scene on the screen. The antialias option makes edges look smooth, not jagged.

4. Adding Lights

const light = new THREE.DirectionalLight(0xffffff, 1);
const ambient = new THREE.AmbientLight(0x404040);

I added two types of light:

• Directional light → like a sun shining from one direction
• Ambient light → soft global light everywhere

At this point the lighting was basic, but good enough to see the model.

5. Loading the GLB Model

const loader = new THREE.GLTFLoader();
loader.load('free_honda_crf_450.glb', function(gltf) {
  const model = gltf.scene;
  scene.add(model);
});

This part loads my Honda CRF 450 GLB file. When it finishes, the model appears in the scene.

Live preview:

[embed]Load GLB Model Edit descriptionpentahedron.github.io

My Experiment With Loading a GLB Model in Babylon.js

After finishing the Three.js version, I wanted to try the exact same task in Babylon.js. Babylon.js is also a powerful WebGL framework, but it has a noticeably different workflow from Three.js.

Just like before, my goal was simple: load a GLB model, display it in the browser, add some basic lighting, and make sure I could easily move around the model. As I started setting everything up, I quickly noticed that Babylon.js simplified several steps because many of its features are already built into the engine. It required less setup code, and a lot of things that needed separate helpers in Three.js were already included by default.

1. Creating the Engine & Scene

const canvas = document.getElementById("renderCanvas");
const engine = new BABYLON.Engine(canvas, true);
const scene = new BABYLON.Scene(engine);
scene.clearColor = new BABYLON.Color3(0.93, 0.93, 0.93);

Babylon uses an engine object that manages rendering. The scene works the same way as in Three.js.

2. Setting Up the Camera (ArcRotateCamera)

const camera = new BABYLON.ArcRotateCamera(
  "camera",
  Math.PI / 2,
  Math.PI / 3,
  5,
  new BABYLON.Vector3(0, 1, 0),
  scene
);
camera.attachControl(canvas, true);

The ArcRotateCamera is basically OrbitControls built into the camera itself. No extra libraries needed. Pan, zoom, and rotate work automatically.

3. Adding Lights

const dirLight = new BABYLON.DirectionalLight(
  "dirLight",
  new BABYLON.Vector3(-5, -10, -7.5),
  scene
);
dirLight.intensity = 0.8;

const hemiLight = new BABYLON.HemisphericLight(
  "hemiLight",
  new BABYLON.Vector3(0, 1, 0),
  scene
);
hemiLight.intensity = 1.2;

Babylon doesn’t require as many manual tweaks because materials and light behavior are more automatic and physically based.

4. Environment Lighting

scene.createDefaultEnvironment({
  createSkybox: false
});

One line gives the model realistic reflections. This is the equivalent of setting up PMREM in Three.js.

5. Loading the GLB Model

BABYLON.SceneLoader.Append(
  "",
  "free_honda_crf_450.glb",
  scene,
  function (scene) {
    const model = scene.meshes[scene.meshes.length - 1];
    model.scaling = new BABYLON.Vector3(1, 1, 1);
  }
);

GLB loading is very simple and doesn’t require loader construction.

This part loads my Honda CRF 450 GLB file. When it finishes, the model appears in the scene.

Live preview:

[embed]Babylon.js Load GLB Model Edit descriptionpentahedron.github.io

Three.js vs Babylon.js (Side-By-Side Comparison)

| Feature                 | Three.js                              | Babylon.js                              |
| ----------------------- | ------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------- |
| Camera controls         | Requires OrbitControls.js             | Built into ArcRotateCamera              |
| Environment reflections | Must use PMREMGenerator + extra scene | One line: createDefaultEnvironment()    |
| GLB loading             | Requires GLTFLoader                   | Built-in SceneLoader                    |
| Materials/lighting      | More manual, raw WebGL style          | PBR-ready by default                    |
| Scene setup             | More code, more flexibility           | Less code, more automatic               |
| Learning curve          | Lower for beginners                   | Higher for full API depth               |
| Documentation           | Very large ecosystem, many examples   | Very complete built-in playground       |
| Rendering engine        | Lightweight and flexible              | Full-featured engine with many defaults |

Conclusion

Which Was Easier?

For this experiment, Babylon.js was easier for loading a GLB model and getting good lighting quickly.

Why Babylon.js felt easier:

• Orbit controls are built into the camera
• Environment lighting is one line
• GLB loading is simpler and requires no loader setup
• Materials automatically behave with PBR shading
• It provides more “ready-made” features, so you write less code

Why Three.js is still great:

Even though Babylon.js is easier for fast results, Three.js gives you more control.

Here’s what “more control” means in practice:

• You can build your rendering pipeline exactly the way you want (shaders, post-processing, custom materials, advanced lighting techniques)
• Three.js exposes many low-level WebGL features directly
• You can combine and modify systems far beyond the defaults
• It gives you freedom to decide how everything works instead of relying on built-in shortcuts

This makes Three.js extremely powerful for:

• Experimental graphics
• Custom shader effects
• Stylized rendering
• Highly optimized or unusual 3D workflows

You write more code, but you also control more of the engine’s behavior.

The full source code is available on my **GitHub account**, where you can explore, modify, and experiment.

[embed]GitHub - pentahedron/webgl Contribute to pentahedron/webgl development by creating an account on GitHub.github.com

For more tutorials and code examples, you can follow my GitHub account to keep learning, building your own projects, and supporting me!