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cesiumgs/3d-tiles-samples

Analysis updated 2026-07-26 · repo last pushed 2024-05-13

342JavaScriptAudience · developerComplexity · 1/5DormantSetup · easy

TLDR

A collection of ready-to-use 3D geospatial datasets that showcase the 3D Tiles streaming format, helping developers test rendering code and understand features like level-of-detail and metadata.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((repo))
    What it does
      Example 3D tilesets
      Showroom with screenshots
      Version 1.0 and 1.1
    Use cases
      Digital twin city models
      Point cloud visualization
      Architecture model viewer
    Audience
      Geospatial developers
      CesiumJS users
      Data pipeline teams
    Tech stack
      JavaScript
      3D Tiles format
      glTF extensions
    Setup
      Local server required
      Data and config only

Code map

Detail Auto

An interactive map of this repo's files and how they connect — its source is parsed live in your browser. Click Visualize to build it.

filefunction / class

What do people build with it?

USE CASE 1

Test your rendering code against correctly structured 3D Tiles datasets.

USE CASE 2

Validate your data pipeline output by comparing it to working sample tilesets.

USE CASE 3

Learn how level-of-detail switching and request volumes work in a browser.

What is it built with?

JavaScript3D TilesglTF

How does it compare?

cesiumgs/3d-tiles-samplesparaschopra/make-pages-interactiveneuralcpl/polymarket-trading-bot
Stars342339337
LanguageJavaScriptJavaScriptJavaScript
Last pushed2024-05-13
MaintenanceDormant
Setup difficultyeasyeasyhard
Complexity1/52/54/5
Audiencedeveloperdeveloperdeveloper

Figures from each repo's GitHub metadata at analysis time.

How do you get it running?

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min

Requires running a local web server to view the samples, but the repo contains only data and config files with no rendering software.

The explanation does not specify a particular license, but the project is open to community contributions following Cesium ecosystem guidelines.

In plain English

3D Tiles is an open format for streaming massive 3D geospatial content, like city-scale building models, point clouds, and terrain, so it loads efficiently in a browser or app just like streaming a map. The 3d-tiles-samples repository provides ready-to-use example datasets that demonstrate how the format works in practice. Think of these samples as a showroom. Each tileset showcases a specific feature or technique, complete with a screenshot so you can see what it looks like before you open it. You can explore how level-of-detail switching works (where distant objects render with less detail to save resources), how request volumes control when content loads, or how metadata can be attached to buildings and other objects. The repository includes examples for both version 1.0 and the newer 1.1 of the specification, along with samples that demonstrate specialized glTF extensions for attaching features and metadata to 3D models. This is primarily a resource for developers and teams building applications with 3D geospatial data, especially those using CesiumJS or other platforms that support the format. If you are building a digital twin of a city, a visualization tool for architectural models, or an app that displays point clouds from drone surveys, these tilesets give you reference data to test your implementation against. You can see how a correctly structured tileset behaves and use that to validate your own data pipelines or rendering code. To actually view the samples, you need to run them through a local server, there is a separate instructions file that walks you through that process. The repository does not include rendering software itself, it is purely the data and configuration files. The project is open to community contributions, following the same guidelines used by the broader Cesium ecosystem.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
I want to understand how the 3D Tiles format handles level-of-detail. How do I set up a local server to view the 3d-tiles-samples tilesets and which sample demonstrates distant objects rendering with less detail?
Prompt 2
I am building a digital twin of a city using CesiumJS. Which sample from the 3d-tiles-samples repository should I use as reference data to test attaching metadata to buildings?
Prompt 3
Help me start a local web server to serve the tileset data from the 3d-tiles-samples repository so I can load them in my browser-based app for testing.

Frequently asked questions

What is 3d-tiles-samples?

A collection of ready-to-use 3D geospatial datasets that showcase the 3D Tiles streaming format, helping developers test rendering code and understand features like level-of-detail and metadata.

What language is 3d-tiles-samples written in?

Mainly JavaScript. The stack also includes JavaScript, 3D Tiles, glTF.

Is 3d-tiles-samples actively maintained?

Dormant — no commits in 2+ years (last push 2024-05-13).

What license does 3d-tiles-samples use?

The explanation does not specify a particular license, but the project is open to community contributions following Cesium ecosystem guidelines.

How hard is 3d-tiles-samples to set up?

Setup difficulty is rated easy, with roughly 5min to a first successful run.

Who is 3d-tiles-samples for?

Mainly developer.

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