High-performance GPU-accelerated particle system for Three.js WebGPU.
npm install vanilla-vfxHigh-performance GPU-accelerated particle system for Three.js WebGPU.
Available for React Three Fiber (R3F), and experimentally for vanilla Three.js, TresJS (Vue), and Threlte (Svelte).
- 🚀 GPU Compute Shaders - All particle simulation runs on the GPU for maximum performance
- 🎨 Flexible Appearance - Sprites, custom geometry, materials, and shaders
- 🌀 Advanced Physics - Gravity, turbulence, attractors, collisions, and more
- 🎯 Multiple Emitter Shapes - Point, Box, Sphere, Cone, Disk, and Edge emitters
- 📊 Curve-based Control - Bezier curves for size, opacity, velocity, and rotation over lifetime
- 🔗 Emitter System - Decoupled emitters that can share particle systems
- ⚡ WebGPU Native - Built specifically for Three.js WebGPU renderer
- 🐢 WebGL fallback – Three VFX targets WebGPU (79% global support) but provides a CPU fallback
Add it to your React Three Fiber project with:
``bash`
npm install r3f-vfx
`tsx
import { Canvas } from '@react-three/fiber'
import { VFXParticles } from 'r3f-vfx'
function App() {
return (
)
}
`
Add it to your vanilla Three.js project with:
`bash`
npm install vanilla-vfx
`ts
import { VFXParticles } from 'vanilla-vfx'
const particles = new VFXParticles(renderer, { debug: true })
scene.add(particles.renderObject)
`
Add it to your TresJS project with:
`bash`
npm install tres-vfx
`vue
`
Add it to your Threlte project with:
`bash`
npm install threlte-vfx
`svelte
`
Use the debug panel to design your effect, then copy the generated code and replace it in your code.
The main particle system component.
#### Basic Props
| Prop | Type | Default | Description |
| -------------- | ----------- | ----------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| name | string | - | Register system for use with VFXEmitter |maxParticles
| | number | 10000 | Maximum number of particles |autoStart
| | boolean | true | Start emitting automatically |delay
| | number | 0 | Seconds between emissions (0 = every frame) |emitCount
| | number | 1 | Particles to emit per burst |position
| | [x, y, z] | [0, 0, 0] | Emitter position |
#### Appearance Props
| Prop | Type | Default | Description |
| ------------- | ------------------------ | ------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| size | number \| [min, max] | [0.1, 0.3] | Particle size range |colorStart
| | string[] | ["#ffffff"] | Starting colors (random pick) |colorEnd
| | string[] \| null | null | Ending colors (null = no transition) |fadeSize
| | number \| [start, end] | [1, 0] | Size multiplier over lifetime |fadeOpacity
| | number \| [start, end] | [1, 0] | Opacity over lifetime |appearance
| | Appearance | GRADIENT | Shape: DEFAULT, GRADIENT, CIRCULAR |intensity
| | number | 1 | Color intensity multiplier |blending
| | Blending | NORMAL | Blend mode: NORMAL, ADDITIVE, MULTIPLY, SUBTRACTIVE |
#### Physics Props
| Prop | Type | Default | Description |
| ----------- | ----------------------- | ------------------------- | ---------------------------- |
| lifetime | number \| [min, max] | [1, 2] | Particle lifetime in seconds |speed
| | number \| [min, max] | [0.1, 0.1] | Initial speed |direction
| | Range3D \| [min, max] | [[-1,1], [0,1], [-1,1]] | Emission direction per axis |gravity
| | [x, y, z] | [0, 0, 0] | Gravity vector |friction
| | FrictionConfig | { intensity: 0 } | Velocity damping |
#### Emitter Shape Props
| Prop | Type | Default | Description |
| -------------------- | ---------------- | ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| emitterShape | EmitterShape | BOX | Shape: POINT, BOX, SPHERE, CONE, DISK, EDGE |emitterRadius
| | [inner, outer] | [0, 1] | Radius range for sphere/cone/disk |emitterAngle
| | number | π/4 | Cone angle in radians |emitterHeight
| | [min, max] | [0, 1] | Height range for cone |emitterDirection
| | [x, y, z] | [0, 1, 0] | Cone/disk normal direction |emitterSurfaceOnly
| | boolean | false | Emit from surface only |startPosition
| | Range3D | [[0,0], [0,0], [0,0]] | Position offset per axis |
#### Geometry Mode Props
| Prop | Type | Default | Description |
| ------------------- | ----------------------- | ---------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| geometry | BufferGeometry | null | Custom particle geometry |lighting
| | Lighting | STANDARD | Material: BASIC, STANDARD, PHYSICAL |shadow
| | boolean | false | Enable shadow casting/receiving |orientToDirection
| | boolean | false | Orient geometry to velocity |orientAxis
| | string | "z" | Axis to align: "x", "y", "z", "-x", "-y", "-z" |rotation
| | Range3D \| [min, max] | [0, 0] | Initial rotation per axis |rotationSpeed
| | Range3D \| [min, max] | [0, 0] | Rotation speed rad/s |
#### Stretch Props
| Prop | Type | Default | Description |
| ---------------- | --------------- | ------- | ----------------------------- |
| stretchBySpeed | StretchConfig | null | Stretch particles by velocity |
`ts`
interface StretchConfig {
factor: number // Stretch multiplier
maxStretch: number // Maximum stretch amount
}
#### Turbulence Props
| Prop | Type | Default | Description |
| ------------ | ------------------ | ------- | --------------------- |
| turbulence | TurbulenceConfig | null | Curl noise turbulence |
`ts`
interface TurbulenceConfig {
intensity: number // Turbulence strength
frequency: number // Noise scale
speed: number // Animation speed
}
#### Attractor Props
| Prop | Type | Default | Description |
| ----------------- | ------------------- | ------- | -------------------------------- |
| attractors | AttractorConfig[] | null | Up to 4 attractors |attractToCenter
| | boolean | false | Pull particles to emitter center |
`ts`
interface AttractorConfig {
position: [x, y, z]
strength: number // Positive = attract, negative = repel
radius?: number // 0 = infinite range
type?: 'point' | 'vortex'
axis?: [x, y, z] // Vortex rotation axis
}
#### Collision Props
| Prop | Type | Default | Description |
| ----------- | ----------------- | ------- | --------------- |
| collision | CollisionConfig | null | Plane collision |
`ts`
interface CollisionConfig {
plane: { y: number } // Plane Y position
bounce?: number // Bounce factor (0-1)
friction?: number // Horizontal friction
die?: boolean // Kill on collision
sizeBasedGravity?: number // Gravity multiplier by size
}
#### Soft Particles Props
| Prop | Type | Default | Description |
| --------------- | --------- | ------- | ---------------------------- |
| softParticles | boolean | false | Fade near geometry |softDistance
| | number | 0.5 | Fade distance in world units |
#### Curve Props
All curves use Bezier spline format:
`ts`
interface CurveData {
points: Array<{
pos: [x, y] // Position (x: 0-1 progress, y: value)
handleIn?: [x, y] // Bezier handle in (offset)
handleOut?: [x, y] // Bezier handle out (offset)
}>
}
| Prop | Type | Description |
| -------------------- | ----------- | ---------------------------------------- |
| fadeSizeCurve | CurveData | Size multiplier over lifetime |fadeOpacityCurve
| | CurveData | Opacity over lifetime |velocityCurve
| | CurveData | Velocity multiplier (overrides friction) |rotationSpeedCurve
| | CurveData | Rotation speed multiplier |
#### Custom Shader Props
| Prop | Type | Description |
| ---------------- | -------------- | ------------------------------ |
| colorNode | NodeFunction | Custom color shader |opacityNode
| | NodeFunction | Custom opacity shader |backdropNode
| | NodeFunction | Backdrop sampling (refraction) |castShadowNode
| | NodeFunction | Shadow map output |alphaTestNode
| | NodeFunction | Alpha test/discard |
`ts
type NodeFunction = (data: ParticleData, defaultColor?: Node) => Node
interface ParticleData {
progress: Node // 0 → 1 over lifetime
lifetime: Node // 1 → 0 over lifetime
position: Node // vec3 world position
velocity: Node // vec3 velocity
size: Node // float size
rotation: Node // vec3 rotation
colorStart: Node // vec3 start color
colorEnd: Node // vec3 end color
color: Node // vec3 interpolated color
intensifiedColor: Node // color × intensity
shapeMask: Node // float alpha mask
index: Node // particle index
}
`
#### Texture Props
| Prop | Type | Description |
| ---------- | ---------------- | ------------------- |
| alphaMap | Texture | Alpha/shape texture |flipbook
| | FlipbookConfig | Animated flipbook |
`ts`
interface FlipbookConfig {
rows: number
columns: number
}
Decoupled emitter component that links to a VFXParticles system.
`tsx
position={[0, 1, 0]}
emitCount={5}
delay={0.1}
direction={[[0, 0], [0, 0], [-1, -1]]}
localDirection={true}
/>
`
#### Props
| Prop | Type | Default | Description |
| ---------------- | ------------------ | ----------- | -------------------------------------- |
| name | string | - | Name of VFXParticles system |particlesRef
| | Ref | - | Direct ref (alternative to name) |position
| | [x, y, z] | [0, 0, 0] | Local position offset |emitCount
| | number | 10 | Particles per burst |delay
| | number | 0 | Seconds between emissions |autoStart
| | boolean | true | Start emitting automatically |loop
| | boolean | true | Keep emitting (false = once) |localDirection
| | boolean | false | Transform direction by parent rotation |direction
| | Range3D | - | Direction override |overrides
| | SpawnOverrides | - | Per-spawn property overrides |onEmit
| | function | - | Callback after each emission |
#### Ref Methods
`ts`
interface VFXEmitterAPI {
emit(): boolean // Emit at current position
burst(count?: number): boolean // Burst emit
start(): void // Start auto-emission
stop(): void // Stop auto-emission
isEmitting: boolean // Current state
getParticleSystem(): ParticleAPI
group: THREE.Group // The group element
}
Programmatic emitter control.
`tsx
function MyComponent() {
const { emit, burst, start, stop } = useVFXEmitter('sparks')
const handleClick = () => {
burst([0, 1, 0], 100, { colorStart: ['#ff0000'] })
}
return
}
`
#### Returns
`ts`
interface UseVFXEmitterResult {
emit(
position?: [x, y, z],
count?: number,
overrides?: SpawnOverrides
): boolean
burst(
position?: [x, y, z],
count?: number,
overrides?: SpawnOverrides
): boolean
start(): boolean
stop(): boolean
clear(): boolean
isEmitting(): boolean
getUniforms(): Record
getParticles(): ParticleAPI
}
Zustand store for managing particle systems.
`ts
const store = useVFXStore()
// Access registered particle systems
const sparks = store.getParticles('sparks')
sparks?.spawn(0, 0, 0, 50)
// Store methods
store.emit('sparks', { x: 0, y: 0, z: 0, count: 20 })
store.start('sparks')
store.stop('sparks')
store.clear('sparks')
`
`tsx`
size={[0.3, 0.8]}
colorStart={['#ff6600', '#ffcc00', '#ff0000']}
colorEnd={['#ff0000', '#330000']}
fadeSize={[1, 0.2]}
fadeOpacity={[1, 0]}
gravity={[0, 0.5, 0]}
lifetime={[0.4, 0.8]}
direction={[
[-0.3, 0.3],
[0.5, 1],
[-0.3, 0.3],
]}
speed={[0.01, 0.05]}
friction={{ intensity: 0.03, easing: 'easeOut' }}
appearance={Appearance.GRADIENT}
intensity={10}
/>
`tsx`
size={[0.05, 0.1]}
colorStart={['#00ffff', '#0088ff']}
fadeOpacity={[1, 0]}
lifetime={[1, 2]}
emitterShape={EmitterShape.SPHERE}
emitterRadius={[0.5, 1]}
startPositionAsDirection={true}
speed={[0.1, 0.2]}
/>
`tsx`
import { BoxGeometry } from 'three/webgpu'
;
maxParticles={500}
size={[0.1, 0.2]}
colorStart={['#ff00ff', '#aa00ff']}
gravity={[0, -2, 0]}
lifetime={[1, 2]}
rotation={[
[0, Math.PI * 2],
[0, Math.PI * 2],
[0, Math.PI * 2],
]}
shadow={true}
lighting={Lighting.STANDARD}
/>
`tsx`
size={[0.3, 0.6]}
colorStart={['#666666', '#888888']}
colorEnd={['#333333']}
fadeSize={[0.5, 1.5]}
fadeOpacity={[0.6, 0]}
gravity={[0, 0.5, 0]}
lifetime={[3, 5]}
direction={[
[-0.1, 0.1],
[0.3, 0.5],
[-0.1, 0.1],
]}
speed={[0.02, 0.05]}
turbulence={{
intensity: 1.2,
frequency: 0.8,
speed: 0.3,
}}
/>
`tsx`
velocityCurve={{
points: [
{ pos: [0, 1], handleOut: [0.1, 0] },
{ pos: [0.5, 0.2], handleIn: [-0.1, 0], handleOut: [0.1, 0] },
{ pos: [1, 0], handleIn: [-0.1, 0] },
],
}}
speed={[0.5, 1]}
lifetime={[2, 3]}
/>
Full TypeScript support with exported types:
`ts``
import type {
VFXParticlesProps,
VFXEmitterProps,
ParticleAPI,
SpawnOverrides,
CurveData,
TurbulenceConfig,
CollisionConfig,
AttractorConfig,
} from 'r3f-vfx'
MIT