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Show HN: NativeVision, helping React Native devs to build XR apps for any device (github.com)

49 points by cjcassar ↗ HN
Hello everyone,

We've discovered an open source library named Viro that hadn't been updated in over two years. We've revitalized the library, enabling the creation of XR apps on the latest iOS and Android platforms. Our goal is to transform NativeVision into a versatile library that can be used across various XR devices, including Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest.

Our aim is to make it easy for React developers to start working on XR projects using React Native or Expo, much like how they would for iOS or Android apps.

If you have any feedback please share as it helps a lot!

26 comments

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bilalq
Always exciting to see abandoned OSS projects get new life breathed into them. One of the biggest issues around React Native's ecosystem is how quickly some libs get abandoned. Props to you all for reviving this.
cjcassar
Agreed! The goal here is to make it easier for react native engineers to build on any XR (AR or VR) device. Even the new ones being released.
kristianp
What's the difference between XR and AR? It's the first time I've seen XR used.
refulgentis
It means VR and AR in one device (i.e. reality can be completely occluded if desired)
cjcassar
Yes thank you for clarifying, this is what we mean!
nwienert
Many will say otherwise but the most accurate answer is that it’s short for “Xtreme Reality” - for example, if you look at a car, it will add flames to the side. Look at your dad - bleached blonde tips. Stuff like that.
mellosouls
That's not the most accurate answer, though perhaps it has some usage in that sense; it's not what it means in the context here.
dangrover
Also, other characters in XR have predilection to say stuff like "You can't make it spicy enough for me!" and “Holy moly, Stromboli!”
mellosouls
XR is short for the umbrella term "eXtended Reality", though I suspect (without proof) the latter started as a backronym, with the X perhaps originally meaning the traditional placeholder "whatever" for "Augmented", "Virtual", "Mixed" etc, which "Extended Reality" encompasses.

Eg.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extended_reality

cjcassar
Yes, exactly the above. Except it doesn’t replace Spatial computing conveniently
doublerebel
Great to see more open cross-platform efforts to help with reactive development in XR. When I started building for Hololens (2016), I had to architect such a thing nearly from scratch.

How does this compare to existing efforts? such as:

- Babylon React Native (supported by Microsoft)

- VisionOS support being added to React Native (supported by Callstack)

cjcassar
Both very good projects

The overarching goal for us is to foster a comprehensive ecosystem around the NativeVision framework. This would not only simplify the development process for non-gaming XR projects but also enhance the scalability and adaptability of these applications. The idea is akin to how Vercel supports Next.js, offering various tools and integrations to streamline development and deployment processes.

jimmySixDOF
React-Three-Fiber is quite popular too and has an active development community more around 3D less XR but not impossible and people are working on it. Triplex is an R3F editor I have not looked at lately but was adding features last time I did. Good luck with this I think everything Immersive Web is going to just get more important as the optics we have access to keep getting better faster stronger cheaper !
cwbuilds
This is awesome. Any plans to add Apple Vision Pro?
cjcassar
Yes, this is on our roadmap for release by early March! After which we will add openXR support for the other major devices.
ilaksh
Nice. But I thought Apple Vision Pro was not an XR device but instead "spatial computing". /s
cjcassar
Their marketing team wants us to call it this. Let’s just pretend SP is under the XR umbrella ;)
bmikaili
Did ViroReact get revived? I really wanted to use it because Unity‘s dev experience sucks hard, but last I checked it was abandoned.
cjcassar
Yes! We’re reviving it and pushing forward with building an ecosystem of tools around it.
bmikaili
Is that going to be open source? Would love to contribute, was thinking myself that this is a niche that desperately needs to be filled.
cjcassar
Yes it is open source! Check out our full github on the link about to explore some of the other tools we're building
cjcassar
If anyone wants to DM about how we can improve , please email me here: christopherjcassar@gmail.com