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Kiwi.js

MITJavaScriptv1.0.0

An open-source HTML5 game framework for creating mobile and desktop browser games with WebGL rendering and CocoonJS publishing.

Visit WebsiteGitHubGitHub
1.5k stars191 forks0 contributors

What is Kiwi.js?

Kiwi.js is an open-source HTML5 game framework built for creating high-performance 2D games that run in mobile and desktop browsers. It solves the problem of complex game development by providing a fast WebGL renderer, a modular entity/component system, and tools for publishing games as native apps via CocoonJS.

Target Audience

Game developers and indie studios looking to build cross-platform HTML5 games with professional rendering capabilities and easy mobile deployment.

Value Proposition

Developers choose Kiwi.js for its focus on speed through WebGL optimization, its extensible plugin architecture, and its tight integration with CocoonJS for hassle-free app store publishing.

Overview

Kiwi.js is a blazingly fast mobile & desktop browser based HTML5 game framework. It uses CocoonJS for publishing to the AppStore.

Use Cases

Best For

  • Creating 2D browser games with hardware-accelerated graphics
  • Developing mobile games deployable as native iOS/Android apps
  • Building games with modular entity/component architectures
  • Prototyping games quickly with built-in state management
  • Extending game engines with custom WebGL shaders or plugins
  • Publishing HTML5 games to multiple platforms from a single codebase

Not Ideal For

  • Projects requiring 3D graphics or advanced 3D rendering beyond 2D capabilities
  • Teams needing a framework with a large, active community and frequent modern feature updates
  • Developers who avoid vendor lock-in and prefer flexible mobile publishing options outside CocoonJS

Pros & Cons

Pros

Blazing Fast WebGL Rendering

Uses a custom WebGL renderer with optimizations like matrix concatenation caching, offering 10-50% performance gains as highlighted in the v1.4.0 release notes.

Easy Mobile App Publishing

Seamlessly integrates with CocoonJS to wrap HTML5 games as native iOS and Android apps, simplifying cross-platform deployment.

Modular Entity/Component System

Game objects are entities with attachable components like physics or animation, promoting code reusability and maintainability.

Comprehensive State Management

Provides a flexible state system with configurable preload, create, update, and destroy phases, easing game logic organization.

Cons

Vendor Lock-in for Mobile

Heavy reliance on CocoonJS for native app publishing ties developers to a specific service, risking flexibility if the service changes or discontinues.

Outdated and Limited Ecosystem

With version 1.4.0 as the last major release and no recent updates mentioned, the framework may lack modern features and have a smaller plugin repository.

Complex Setup for Newcomers

Requires setting up a web server (e.g., XAMPP) and using build tools like Grunt or Visual Studio, which can be intimidating for beginners.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick Stats

Stars1,472
Forks191
Contributors0
Open Issues72
Last commit3 years ago
CreatedSince 2013

Tags

#mobile-games#open-source#game-development#webgl#javascript#cross-platform#2d-games#game-engine

Built With

G
Grunt
W
WebGL
Y
Yeoman
T
TypeScript
B
Bower

Links & Resources

Website

Included in

HTML52.8kOpen Source Games2.7k
Auto-fetched 9 hours ago

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