How I Built a Browser-Based 3D Solar System with Three.js (And Why It Was Harder Than I Expected)
Source: Dev.to
Introduction
When I started building Cosmic Explorer, I thought it would take a few weeks. It took much longer — and I learned more about browser‑based 3D rendering than I ever expected.
Cosmic Explorer is a fully interactive 3D solar system that runs in your browser, built with Three.js and vanilla JavaScript. It includes real planetary data, a flyable spaceship, wormhole travel, and a complete asteroid‑escape mini‑game. No downloads. No installs. Just open a tab.
Live demo: https://rtm20.github.io/cosmic-explorer/
Source code: https://github.com/rtm20
Core Technologies
- Three.js – 3D scene management and WebGL abstraction
- Custom GLSL shaders – wormhole effect and planet atmospheres
- Vanilla JavaScript – no frameworks for the core engine
- Procedural generation – asteroid fields
- Web Audio API – ambient soundtrack
The final codebase is approximately 6,000 lines, all handcrafted.
Takeaways
Browser‑based 3D is far more capable than most developers give it credit for. If you’re curious about Three.js, WebGL, or real‑time 3D in the browser, this project convinced me that the platform is ready for serious interactive experiences.
If you try it out, I would love to know what you think in the comments.