| name | web-games |
| description | Web browser game development. Framework selection (Phaser, PixiJS, Kaplay, Canvas/WebGL, Three.js, Babylon.js), hybrid DOM+canvas, WebGPU, optimization, PWA, audio unlock. Use when building HTML5/WebG |
| category | Creative & Media |
| source | antigravity |
| tags | ["api","ai"] |
| url | https://github.com/sickn33/antigravity-awesome-skills/tree/main/skills/game-development/web-games |
Web Browser Game Development
Framework selection and browser-specific principles. For stack choice details see game-development/engine-selection.
1. Framework Selection
Decision Tree
What type of game?
│
├── 2D Game
│ ├── Full game engine features? → Phaser 4
│ ├── Fast prototype / jam? → Kaplay
│ ├── Raw rendering power? → PixiJS 8
│ └── Tiny / no dependency? → Raw Canvas / WebGL
│
├── 3D Game
│ ├── Full engine (physics, XR)? → Babylon.js
│ └── Rendering focused? → Three.js
│
├── Hybrid (DOM UI + canvas moments)
│ └── Custom shell + guest viewport
│ (Canvas/Kaplay/Phaser/Pixi inside a region/modal)
│
└── Narrative-first
└── Ink (inkjs) or Twine export + DOM host
Comparison
| Framework | Type | Best For |
|---|
| Raw Canvas / WebGL | 2D / low-level | Small scope, full control |
| Kaplay | 2D toolkit | Rapid prototypes |
| Phaser 4 | 2D engine | Full game features |
| PixiJS 8 | 2D renderer | Rendering, custom systems |
| Three.js | 3D renderer | Visualizations, lightweight 3D |
| Babylon.js | 3D engine | Full engine, XR |
Hybrid shell + guest
Use when chrome is HTML (menus, inventories, text, dashboards) but bursts of play need a canvas:
- Mount guest in a container; pass context in.
- Run a local game loop in the guest.
- Return results (score, pass/fail); destroy guest (RAF, listeners, GL context as needed).
Do not let the guest own global app routing unless the product is a full-screen game.
2. WebGPU Adoption
Browser Support (2025)
| Browser | Support |
|---|
| Chrome | ✅ Since v113 |
| Edge | ✅ Since v113 |
| Firefox | ✅ Since v131 |
| Safari | ✅ Since 18.0 |
| Total | ~73% global |
Decision
- New GPU-heavy projects: Use WebGPU with WebGL fallback
- Broad legacy / simple 2D: Start with WebGL or Canvas 2D
- Feature detection: Check
navigator.gpu
3. Performance Principles
Browser Constraints
| Constraint | Strategy |
|---|
| No local file access | Asset bundling, CDN |
| Tab throttling | Pause when hidden (visibilitychange) |
| Mobile data limits | Compress assets |
| Audio autoplay | Require user interaction |
Optimization Priority
- Asset compression - KTX2, Draco, WebP
- Lazy loading - Load on demand
- Object pooling - Avoid GC
- Draw call batching - Reduce state changes
- Web Workers - Offload heavy computation
4. Asset Strategy
| Type | Format |
|---|
| Textures | KTX2 + Basis Universal (or WebP/PNG for simple 2D) |
| Audio | WebM/Opus (fallback: MP3) |
| 3D Models | glTF + Draco/Meshopt |
| Phase | Load |
|---|
| Startup | Core assets, <2MB |
| Gameplay | Stream on demand |
| Background | Prefetch next level |
5. PWA for Games
Benefits: offline play, install, fullscreen, optional push.
Requirements: service worker, web app manifest, HTTPS.
6. Audio Handling
- Create/resume
AudioContext on first click/tap
- Prefer Web Audio API; pool sources; preload common SFX
- Compress with WebM/Opus when possible
7. Anti-Patterns
| ❌ Don't | ✅ Do |
|---|
| Load all assets upfront | Progressive loading |
| Ignore tab visibility | Pause when hidden |
| Block on audio load | Lazy load audio |
| Skip compression | Compress everything |
| Assume fast connection | Handle slow networks |
| Leave canvas engines running off-screen | Tear down guests |
Remember: Browser is the most accessible platform. Respect its constraints.
When to Use
Use when building HTML5/WebGL/WebGPU games, choosing a browser runtime, or wiring hybrid DOM+canvas guests.
Limitations
- Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
- Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
- Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.
