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xeokit
Original author(s)Lindsay Kay.[1]
Developer(s)Creoox AG, Lindsay Kay
Initial release21 January 2019;
6 years ago (2019-01-21)[2]
Stable release
v2.6.76[3] / May 11, 2025; 47 days ago (2025-05-11)
Repositoryxeokit-sdk on GitHub
Written inJavaScript
EngineWebGL
Operating systemCross-platform
Predecessorxeogl[4], SceneJS[5]
Type3D Web Graphics SDK, BIM, CAD, Web3D, Computer Graphics
LicenseAGPL-3.0 or proprietary
Websitexeokit.io

xeokit SDK is an open-source JavaScript software development kit (SDK) for rendering 3D graphics in web browsers with focus on 3D Building Information Models (BIM). Developed by Creoox AG and originally authored by Lindsay Kay, the software was released in 2019 as a successor to earlier projects such as SceneJS and xeogl.

xeokit is a standard open-source library for having a BIM viewer without a vendor lock-in. It is designed to support the visualization of large-scale BIM models and has been referenced in academic publications, technical books, and professional use cases related to digital twins, smart buildings, and infrastructure monitoring. It has been featured in presentations at events organized by the Khronos Group and OSArch and has been used in prototypes recognized at international AEC Hackathons.

History

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xeokit SDK was created as a successor to earlier WebGL-based 3D visualization libraries developed by Lindsay Kay, also known as Xeolabs. The lineage of the SDK begins with SceneJS, a general-purpose 3D engine initially launched as a research project. SceneJS offered features such as support for OBJ and Collada models and level of detail (LOD) rendering. It included an interactive "playroom" on its website, allowing users to modify examples in real time. The library was noted for its optimized core and steady development. SceneJS existed already around the time of the official WebGL release in 2011.[6]

Following SceneJS, Kay developed xeogl, a WebGL library focused on real-time 3D rendering of large number of elements in the browser. The focus of the project shifted more clearly towards CAD, BIM and the AEC industry in general.[7][8]

Building on the experience from these earlier projects, xeokit SDK was introduced in 2019 with a dedicated focus on high-performance, rendering large 3D (BIM) models in the browser with double precision.[9] Additional background on the development of SceneJS, xeogl, and the xeokit SDK is discussed by Lindsay Kay in a Tech Talk presented at the AEC Hackathon Wrocław Edition 2024.[10]

Presentations and Appearances

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xeokit SDK was presented by its creator, Lindsay Kay, at the Virtual WebGL Meetup in 2020, an industry event hosted by the Khronos Group that also featured speakers from organizations such as Google, Sketchfab, and Microsoft.[11][12][13] Another early public presentation was given during the OSArch Monthly Meetup in July 2021, where xeokit was introduced as a toolkit for AEC graphics applications in the browser.[14]

In addition to industry meetups, xeokit SDK has been featured in AEC-focused hackathons. At the 2024 and 2025 AEC Hackathons in Zurich, xeokit was presented during a series of TechTalks and is listed on the independent platform opensource.construction as a "graduated" open-source project.[15][16][17] In 2024, during the AEC Hackathon in Wrocław, xeokit SDK was presented by its creator, Lindsay Kay, and was used by several participating teams. One of the projects, developed by the team IFC Data Miners, was awarded the top prize for "Best Overall Project." The prototype application utilized artificial intelligence and a natural-language user interface to enhance BIM model navigation using xeokit SDK.[18][19]

"Kill BIM" presentation at NXT DEV 2025 mentioning xeokit

More recent appearance was at NXT DEV 2025 during a presentation called "Kill BIM" by Martyn Day, AEC Magazine's co-founder and consulting editor. He is showing a potential future scenario where an AEC company could build their own software with an open data lake and AI agents. Current open-source tech stack suggested by ChatGPT includes xeokit as the technology for BIM tools and the model viewer.[20]

Applications and Adoption

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xeokit SDK has been publicly adopted in several commercial and open-source web-based platforms for BIM visualization. For instance, OpenProject, an open-source project management software, integrated xeokit in its IFC model viewer to support digital construction workflows.[21] Other examples include Campo[22], Fonn[23], bimspot[24], CMDBuild[25]

xeokit SDK enables the visualization of 3D BIM models in standard web browsers without requiring proprietary software, facilitating vendor-neutral workflows helping avoid vendor lock-in. Typical application domains include Common Data Environments (CDEs), digital twin platforms, IoT-integrated systems for smart buildings, facility management, Building Management Systems, and Asset management platform in the built environment.[26][27]

The SDK has been applied in digital twin systems to visualize 3D BIM models alongside Unity and CesiumJS with integration of live data sources and GIS data, in particular also for large infrastructure objects like bridges.[28]

Features

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The xeokit SDK offers features for developing interactive BIM visualization applications in web environments:

  • Support for multiple 3D formats and model federation, including IFC (via conversion to XKT), BCF, glTF, GLB, OBJ, STL, 3DXML, dotBIM (.bim)[29], CityJSON, and LAS/LAZ (point clouds).[26][30]
  • XKT binary format, optimized for fast loading and low memory usage while preserving geometry and IFC metadata.[31] In one documented case, an IFCv4 model was reduced from 186 MB to a 12 MB XKT file, representing a compression ratio of approximately 95%.[32]
  • Double-precision rendering of large 3D models[9]
  • Typical BIM-related features such as support for BIM Collaboration Format (BCF) issues, IFC metadata properties, annotations, measurement tools, element selection and filtering by type or custom property.[26][30][33][34]

References

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  1. ^ "xeokit SDK". xeokit.io. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
  2. ^ "xeokit SDK GitHub Releases". github.com/xeokit/xeokit-sdk/releases/tag/v0.1. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
  3. ^ "xeokit SDK GitHub Releases". github.com/xeokit/xeokit-sdk/releases. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
  4. ^ "xeogl on GitHub". github.com/xeolabs/xeogl. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
  5. ^ "SceneJS on GitHub". github.com/xeolabs/scenejs. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
  6. ^ Anttonen, Matti; Salminen, Arto (2011). "Building 3d webgl applications" (PDF). Tampere University of Technology, Department of Software Systems. ISBN 978-952-15-2623-7. Retrieved 2025-05-19.
  7. ^ Malcolm, Andrew; Werbrouck, Jeroen; Pauwels, Pieter (2021). "LBD Server: Visualising Building Graphs in Web-Based Environments Using Semantic Graphs and GlTF-Models". Formal Methods in Architecture. Cham: Springer International Publishing. pp. 287–293. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-57509-0_26. ISBN 978-3-030-57509-0. Retrieved 2025-05-20.
  8. ^ Kastman, Pål (2021). Development of a 3D viewer for showing of house models in a web browser – A usability evaluation of navigation techniques (PDF) (Master thesis). Linköping, Sweden: Linköping University, Department of Computer and Information Science. Retrieved 2025-05-20.
  9. ^ a b Hernández Moral, Gema; Serna González, Víctor Iván; Sanz Jimeno, Roberto; Mulero Palencia, Sofía (2024). "Modular Big Data Applications for Energy Services in Buildings and Districts: Digital Twins, Technical Building Management Systems and Energy Savings Calculations". Machine Learning Applications for Intelligent Energy Management: Invited Chapters from Experts on the Energy Field. Cham, Switzerland: Springer Nature Switzerland. pp. 53–103. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-47909-0_3. ISBN 978-3-031-47909-0. Retrieved 2025-05-20.
  10. ^ Evolution of 3D Visualization in AEC: Tracing the Path of Xeokit SDK. Wrocław, Poland: Creoox AG. 2024-10-15. Retrieved 2025-05-20.
  11. ^ "WebGL Meetup by The Khronos Group". www.khronos.org. 7 January 2021. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
  12. ^ "Presentation at WebGL Meetup by The Khronos Group" (PDF). www.khronos.org. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
  13. ^ Virtual WebGL Meetup - 2020. The Khronos Group. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
  14. ^ "Xeokit:a 3D Web Programming Toolkit for AEC Graphics, Monthly Meetup #16". osarch.org. Retrieved 2025-05-16.
  15. ^ "xeokit @ AEC Hackathon in Zurich 2024". opensource.construction. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  16. ^ "xeokit @ AEC Hackathon in Zurich 2025". opensource.construction. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  17. ^ "xeokit @ opensource.construction". opensource.construction. Retrieved 2025-05-21.
  18. ^ "AEC Hackathon Wrocław Edition 2024 – summary" (in Polish). Wrocław University of Science and Technology. 2024-10-30. Retrieved 2025-05-20.
  19. ^ Final presentation at AEC Hackathon Wrocław. Wroclaw, Poland: Creoox AG. 2024-10-17. Retrieved 2025-05-20.
  20. ^ Day, Martyn (2025-06-12). Kill BIM. nxtaec.com/video/kill-bim-martyn-day-aec-magazine-nxt-bld-nxt-dev/. London, UK. Retrieved 2025-06-24.
  21. ^ Birthe Lindenthal (2020). "OpenProject BIM 10.4: digital construction project management with 3D building model viewer (IFC)". Retrieved 2025-05-20.
  22. ^ "Capmo Construction Software on GitHub". GitHub. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
  23. ^ "Fonn Construction Management Software". 22 November 2022. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
  24. ^ "bimspot BIM Collaboration Platform". GitHub. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
  25. ^ "CMDBuild for Asser Management". 2022. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
  26. ^ a b c Spettu, Franco; Achille, Cristiana; Fassi, Francesco (2024). "State-of-the-Art Web Platforms for the Management and Sharing of Data: Applications, Uses, and Potentialities". Heritage. 7 (11): 6008–6035. doi:10.3390/heritage7110282.
  27. ^ Chamari, Lasitha; Petrova, Ekaterina; Pauwels, Pieter (2023). "An End-to-End Implementation of a Service-Oriented Architecture for Data-Driven Smart Buildings". IEEE Access. 11. IEEE: 117261–117281. Bibcode:2023IEEEA..11k7261C. doi:10.1109/ACCESS.2023.3325767. Retrieved 2025-05-19.
  28. ^ Gao, Yan; Li, Haijiang; Song, Honghong (2023). "AIoT-informed digital twin communication for bridge maintenance". Automation in Construction. 150. Elsevier B.V. doi:10.1016/j.autcon.2023.104835. Retrieved 2025-05-19.
  29. ^ Wojciech Radaczyński. "Viewers and graphics SDKs that support .bim files". GitHub. Retrieved 2025-05-20.
  30. ^ a b Kuzminykh, Artur (2022). Integrated Planning and Recording Circularity of Construction Materials through Digital Modelling (PDF) (Master thesis). Braga, Portugal: Universidade do Minho, Escola de Engenharia.
  31. ^ Eneyew, Dagimawi D.; Capretz, Miriam A. M.; Bitsuamlak, Girma T. (2022). "Toward Smart-Building Digital Twins: BIM and IoT Data Integration". IEEE Access. 10. IEEE: 130487–130506. Bibcode:2022IEEEA..10m0487E. doi:10.1109/ACCESS.2022.3229370. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
  32. ^ Fatokun, Isaac; Sheela, Arun Raveendran Nair; Mecharnia, Thamer (2023). "Modular Knowledge integration for Smart Building Digital Twins" (PDF). LDAC'23: 11th Linked Data in Architecture and Construction Workshop. Matera, Italy. Retrieved 2025-05-19.
  33. ^ Schlütter, Dominik; Pauen, Nicolas; Frisch, Jérôme; Van Treeck, Christoph (2022). "INTEGRATED DESCRIPTION OF TECHNICAL BUILDING SERVICES IN BIM". Proceedings of BauSim Conference 2022: 9th Conference of IBPSA-Germany and Austria. BauSim Conference. Vol. 9. Weimar, Germany: IBPSA-Germany and Austria. doi:10.26868/29761662.2022.72. Retrieved 2025-05-19.
  34. ^ Chamari, Lasitha; Petrova, Ekaterina; Pauwels, Pieter (2022). A web-based approach to BMS, BIM and IoT integration: a case study. Proceedings of the REHVA 14th HVAC World Congress (CLIMA 2022). doi:10.34641/clima.2022.228. Retrieved 2025-05-15.
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