Introduction

Extensible 3D (X3D) Graphics is the open, royalty-free International Standard for publishing, viewing, printing, and archiving interactive 3D models on the Web. X3D further supports the Humanoid Animation (HAnim) Standard which includes full-fidelity representations for articulated skeleton and skin of the human body.  These are powerful capabilities. 

As an open standard X3D can run on many platforms, but importantly can render 3D models in most web browsers without the requirement for additional or proprietary applications.  Further, once models are developed utilizing X3D, these easily port to alternative platforms like holographic, head-mounted or other display devices. 

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X3D Capabilities

X3D is now 4th-generation VRML. X3D is a direct superset of VRML with four encodings: XML encoding .x3d, Classic VRML encoding .x3dv, VRML97 encoding .wrl and JavaScript Object Notation (JSON).  Programming language bindings are available for JavaScript and Java, with work in progress on C++/C# and Python.  X3D is designed so that all of these forms are functionally equivalent, you can choose to use any of them. X3D and HAnim International Standards are developed and maintained by the Web3D Consortium. 

• X3D is a file format and run-time architecture to represent and communicate 3D scenes and objects.
• X3D fully represents three-dimensional (3D) data.
• X3D is developed and maintained by the Web3D Consortium, and ratified by the International Standards Organization (ISO). 
• X3D has evolved from the original Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML), still viable since 1997, into the considerably more mature and refined ISO X3D standard.
• X3D provides a system for the storage, retrieval and playback of real-time 3D scenes in multiple applications, all within an open architecture that supports a wide array of domains and user scenarios.

Supported Verticals

X3D has a rich set of componentized features that can be tailored for use in engineering and scientific visualization, CAD and architecture, Geospatial, Human animation, 3D printing and 3D Scanning, AR/MR/VR. Today X3D has several applications in medical visualization, training and simulation, multimedia, entertainment, education, and more.

New to X3D 

If you are new to X3D, the site WebX3D (note the "X") provides material for starting up. See the X3D menu item Learn for more details.

Further Information 

• Why you should use X3D  
• Getting Started with X3D
• X3D version 4
• Ongoing X3D Progress
• X3D Tools and Resources
• What is X3D Flyer 
• X3D Case Studies, some real-world uses for X3D