Glossary

WebGL

WebGL stands for Web Graphics Library. It's the browser API that lets web pages render interactive 2D and 3D graphics directly on the GPU, without a plugin. Based on OpenGL ES and supported by every modern browser, WebGL is the foundation that makes real-time 3D product viewers and Web AR possible on the open web.

Quick Facts

Stands for: Web Graphics Library
Based on: OpenGL ES
Renders on: the GPU, no plugin needed
Browser support: universal in modern browsers
Higher-level tools: Three.js, model-viewer

WebGL is the layer that lets a web page talk to the graphics card. Before it, 3D in the browser meant plugins like Flash or Unity Web Player. WebGL removed that barrier: every modern browser can now render a spinning, lit, interactive 3D model with no install.

Working with raw WebGL is low level, which is why almost nobody does. Libraries like Three.js sit on top of it, and components like model-viewer sit on top of those.

For a WordPress product page you stay at the top of that stack. PausAR Viewer uses a WebGL-based renderer through model-viewer, so a GLB file becomes an interactive 3D viewer the moment you drop the Elementor widget into the page.

Comparison

Property	WebGL	WebGPU
Status	Mature, universal	Newer, growing support
Performance	High	Higher, modern GPU access
Web 3D today	The current foundation	The emerging successor

FAQ

Do I need a plugin for WebGL?

No. WebGL is built into every modern browser. No Flash, no install.

Is WebGL hard to use?

Raw WebGL is low level, but you rarely touch it. Tools like Three.js and model-viewer, and on WordPress the PausAR Viewer Elementor widget, handle it for you.

How do I use WebGL on a WordPress site?

Through PausAR Viewer. Upload a GLB to the Elementor widget and the plugin renders it with a WebGL-based viewer, no coding required.