GLB (the binary version of glTF) has become the universal format for real-time 3D. Whether you're working with web viewers, room planners, or real-time rendering platforms, understanding GLB best practices is essential.
1. Optimize Your Geometry Before Export
Clean topology matters. Before exporting to GLB, remove duplicate vertices, fix non-manifold geometry, and apply all transforms. A clean mesh exports predictably and renders efficiently.
In Blender, always apply scale (Ctrl+A → Scale) before export. Unapplied transforms are the most common cause of unexpected sizing issues in GLB viewers.
2. Use PBR Materials Correctly
GLB supports the metallic-roughness PBR workflow. Set up your materials using the Principled BSDF shader in Blender, and ensure your texture maps are correctly assigned: Base Color, Metallic, Roughness, Normal, and Emissive.
Avoid using custom shader nodes that don't translate to glTF — they'll be ignored during export.
3. Pack Textures Efficiently
GLB embeds textures directly in the file. Use appropriately sized textures (1K or 2K for most furniture) and compress them as JPEG or use KTX2 with Basis Universal compression for significant file size reductions.
The occlusion-roughness-metallic texture can be packed into a single RGB image: Red = Occlusion, Green = Roughness, Blue = Metallic.
4. Test in Multiple Viewers
Don't assume your GLB looks the same everywhere. Test in the glTF Sample Viewer, Three.js, Babylon.js, and your target platform. Each viewer may interpret materials slightly differently, especially with transparency and emissive maps.
5. Use Draco Compression Wisely
Draco compression can reduce file sizes by 90%+, but it adds decode time on the client. For real-time applications where load speed matters, balance compression ratio against decode performance. For web-based viewers, Draco is almost always worth it.
Mastering GLB workflows means faster asset pipelines, smaller files, and consistent results across platforms. These tips will save you hours of debugging and rework.