# Gaussian Splatting

3D Gaussian Splatting is a revolutionary technique for capturing, representing, and rendering photorealistic 3D scenes. Unlike traditional polygonal meshes, Gaussian Splatting uses millions of small, semi-transparent elliptical splats to reconstruct detailed environments with exceptional visual fidelity.

[Interactive demo: 360 lookaround camera](https://playcanv.as/e/p/cLkf99ZV/)

## What Makes Gaussian Splatting Special?

Gaussian Splatting excels at capturing real-world environments through photogrammetry, making it incredibly quick and affordable to generate high-quality 3D content. The technique is particularly powerful for:

- **Photorealistic environments** - Capture real locations with stunning visual detail
- **Rapid content creation** - Generate complex 3D scenes from simple photo/video capture
- **Volumetric representation** - Handle translucent materials, fine details, and complex lighting naturally
- **Real-time rendering** - Optimized for interactive frame rates in web browsers

## 3DGS in the Real World

Gaussian Splatting is being used across a growing range of industries. Popular applications include real estate, construction progress and site documentation, e-commerce product visualization, virtual tourism and cultural heritage preservation.

See the [3D Gaussian Splatting section of Awesome PlayCanvas](https://github.com/playcanvas/awesome-playcanvas#3d-gaussian-splatting) for real-world projects built with PlayCanvas.

:::tip[Add Your Project]

Built a public 3DGS experience with PlayCanvas? Open a pull request to add your site to the list.

:::

## PlayCanvas Gaussian Splatting Workflow

PlayCanvas provides a complete ecosystem for working with Gaussian Splats:

1. **[Creating Splats](https://developer.playcanvas.com/user-manual/gaussian-splatting/creating.md)** - Methods for creating your own splat data
2. **[Viewing Splats](https://developer.playcanvas.com/user-manual/gaussian-splatting/viewing.md)** - Preview and evaluate splats using the PlayCanvas Model Viewer
3. **[Editing and Publishing Splats](https://developer.playcanvas.com/user-manual/gaussian-splatting/editing.md)** - Clean up, optimize, publish, and curate splats on the [SuperSplat](https://developer.playcanvas.com/user-manual/supersplat.md) platform (Editor, Studio, Viewer, Convert) or via the [splat-transform CLI](https://developer.playcanvas.com/user-manual/splat-transform.md)
4. **[Building Splat-based Apps](https://developer.playcanvas.com/user-manual/gaussian-splatting/building.md)** - Integrate splats into your PlayCanvas projects