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Building a configurator

Learn how to build an interactive 3D model configurator using the Sketchfab Viewer API, including asset preparation best practices, customizable viewer functions, and development requirements.

Written by Noah

Using the Sketchfab Viewer API, you can create a 3D model configurator for your model(s).

What's a 3D configurator? A 3D configurator is an interactive tool that allows others to experience your models in 3D and perform a number of actions, like hide or show objects, or edit materials and textures in real time.

Getting started

To build your own configurator, you'll first want to make sure you have a good model to work on. For configurator-ready models, it's best to prepare the following:

  • Avoid merging objects and materials that'll need to be configured

  • Give human readable names to your model's materials

  • Group objects under a single parent for easy manipulation

Not all models can be used in configurators. For example, 3D scans don't often work.

Viewer API functions

Once you have your model prepared, you'll want to decide what others can do with it. The Sketchfab Viewer API offers a number of functions and we are always working to offer more.

Using the Viewer API, you'll basically be assigning functions to buttons you or your developer create with code. For example, configurators can be made so that clicking a button changes the color of a select material on the model.

You can find a number of example functions and the code to create them in our Developers section.

In addition to using the Sketchfab Viewer API, you'll need to build a full-featured web application that interacts with it, including a user interface (buttons, menus, etc.) and operations to dynamically update the model.

Need help?

If you or your business is new to 3D or you're just looking to hire an external developer to build your configurator, Sketchfab can help. We offer consultations for free and configurator services for a fee.

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