React Three Fiber Game
Overview
Use this skill when the 3D runtime lives inside a React application. This is the default React-native 3D path in the plugin and should be preferred over vanilla Three.js when the app shell, settings, storefront, editor surface, or surrounding product already uses React.
Recommended stack:
@react-three/fiberthree@react-three/drei@react-three/rapier@react-three/postprocessing@react-three/a11y when accessibility-sensitive interaction matters- DOM overlays in the normal React tree
Use This Skill When
- the project already uses React
- the 3D scene must share state with the rest of the app
- declarative scene composition is a net gain
- the team wants pmndrs helpers instead of building every helper layer by hand
Do Not Use This Skill When
- the app is not React-based
- the project wants a cleaner imperative runtime with minimal React coordination
- the problem is asset packaging rather than runtime composition
Best Fit Scenarios
- 3D configurators and tool-rich browser products
- React apps with embedded game or scene surfaces
- 3D menus, editors, or world maps in an existing React app
- 3D game UIs that depend on shared app state and non-canvas shells
Core Rules
- Keep simulation state outside render components.
- React components should describe scene composition, not become the source of truth for gameplay rules.
- Use React state and scene state deliberately.
- Shared UI state can live in app state.
- High-frequency simulation should not force the whole app through unnecessary React churn.
- Use pmndrs helpers intentionally.
- Drei for controls, loaders, helpers, environments, and common scene primitives.
@react-three/rapier for physics integration.@react-three/postprocessing for optional effects.@react-three/a11y when the interaction model benefits from accessible scene semantics.
- Keep HUD, settings, and menus in DOM by default.
- Keep starter scaffolds visually restrained.
- Start with one compact objective or status surface and transient prompts.
- Keep notes, maps, and multi-step checklists collapsed until opened.
- Do not surround the
Canvas with equally weighted glass cards.
Architectural Guidance
- Use a dedicated scene root component that owns the
Canvas.
- Keep camera rigs and control components isolated from gameplay systems.
- Keep loader and asset wrappers predictable.
- Keep DOM overlays and the 3D scene coordinated through explicit state boundaries.
- If a system needs tight imperative control, isolate it rather than forcing everything into declarative patterns.
- If the scene is immediately playable, keep the initial overlay budget low and let the world do more of the onboarding.
Anti-Patterns
- Treating React components as the gameplay state store
- Pushing heavy per-frame mutation through broad app state
- Using R3F only because React is available, even when the project needs a cleaner imperative runtime
- Building HUD or inventory UI inside the 3D scene by default
- Shipping an initial scaffold with large cards occupying every side of the viewport
References
- Shared architecture:
../web-game-foundations/SKILL.md
- Frontend direction:
../game-ui-frontend/SKILL.md
- 3D HUD layout patterns:
../../references/three-hud-layout-patterns.md
- React Three Fiber stack:
../../references/react-three-fiber-stack.md
- React starter:
../../references/react-three-fiber-starter.md
- GLB loader starter:
../../references/gltf-loading-starter.md
- Rapier starter:
../../references/rapier-integration-starter.md
- 3D asset pipeline:
../../references/web-3d-asset-pipeline.md
- WebGL debugging and perf:
../../references/webgl-debugging-and-performance.md