A product configurator brings together several different jobs: delivering a model, showing its surfaces, drawing it in a browser and turning a customer’s choices into a reliable order. This glossary connects the vocabulary to those jobs, so a project brief can describe the outcome as well as the technology.

Discuss your product rangeTry the demos

Use the filter to find a term. Each definition includes a practical question to take into a build review. The examples are development checks, not claims about a particular client’s results.

How the pieces connect

1. Define
Dimensions, options and rules
2. Prepare
Geometry, UVs and materials
3. Deliver
GLB, textures and decoders
4. Display
Lighting, renderer and controls
5. Validate
Price, availability and order data
An original project map: a good image is one part of the route to a valid configuration.


40 terms.

glTF

A format for delivering 3D scenes and assets to compatible applications. A .gltf description can reference separate buffers and images. Ask whether every referenced resource is available at the delivery location. Try the local file viewer; its supported formats and limits are explained on the page. Read the full definition of glTF.

GLB

The binary container form of glTF. It can bring the scene description and resources together, but the extension does not guarantee that every resource is embedded. Ask for the export and its dependencies. Read the guide and use the header inspector.

PBR materials

Materials described using physically motivated surface properties. They help a renderer respond plausibly to light, but still need careful source data and lighting. Ask whether a selected finish is recognisable under the intended viewing conditions. Change roughness and metalness in the material lab.

KTX2 textures

A texture container used in web 3D pipelines, including workflows that transcode Basis Universal textures into a supported GPU format. It needs the right loader and transcoder. Ask which devices were tested and what happens if decoding fails. See the Three.js loader documentation. Read the full definition of KTX2 textures.

Draco compression

A system for compressing 3D geometry. A compressed download also introduces a decoding step. Ask for both transfer size and time until the product is usable. The Draco project explains the technology; the site’s simple GLB viewer does not include its decoder. Read the full definition of Draco compression.

Meshopt

In a delivery discussion, this usually refers to meshoptimizer’s optimisation and compression tools or their glTF extension. Confirm which operation the pipeline uses. Ask for the decoder requirement and an actual before-and-after comparison. Read the meshoptimizer project documentation. Read the full definition of Meshopt.

HDRI lighting

Lighting derived from a high dynamic range image of an environment. It can provide both illumination and reflections, depending on the renderer. Ask whether bright highlights make finish comparisons harder. Compare the surfaces in the material lab, which uses a generated studio environment rather than a photographic HDRI. Read the full definition of HDRI lighting.

USDZ

A packaged USD asset format used in Apple’s AR delivery workflows. It is a separate deliverable from a GLB, so conversion needs its own visual checks. Ask whether materials, scale and orientation survived the export. Explore Apple’s Quick Look examples on a supported device. Read the full guide to USDZ.

AR Quick Look

Apple’s way to preview supported 3D content, including placing it in a real environment on compatible devices. It is a viewing hand-off rather than a complete shop configurator. Ask which exact product state opens in AR. Try Apple’s gallery. Read the full guide to AR Quick Look.

Scene Viewer

Google’s route for opening compatible models in 3D or AR from an Android app or browser. Support depends on the device and launch route. Ask what a customer sees when AR is unavailable. Consult the official launch examples and fallback guidance. Read the full definition of Scene Viewer.

WebXR

Browser APIs for immersive experiences such as augmented and virtual reality on supported hardware. It is different from opening a model in a native viewer. Ask which session types and permissions the experience requires. See the WebXR API overview. Read the full definition of WebXR.

WebGL

A browser graphics API used to draw interactive 3D scenes. A viewer also needs application code, resources and accessible controls. Ask whether the buying journey remains usable when rendering is unavailable. The local GLB viewer provides a small working WebGL example. Read the full definition of WebGL.

WebGPU

A browser API for GPU rendering and computation with a different programming model from WebGL. Availability still needs checking against the intended device list. Ask about the unsupported-device experience before choosing a renderer. See the WebGPU API documentation. Read the full definition of WebGPU.

Three.js

A JavaScript 3D library that provides scene, camera, material and rendering building blocks. It does not supply your product rules or order validation. Ask which parts of the application sit around the scene. Try the original chair viewer, built with Three.js. Read the full definition of Three.js.

Babylon.js

A web rendering engine with a broad set of scene and application tools. Choosing it does not remove the need to define the product’s commercial behaviour. Ask who maintains assets, rules and integrations. Compare the same furniture across three engines. Read the full definition of Babylon.js.

PlayCanvas

A web 3D engine with an associated browser-based editor and other development workflows. Clarify whether a proposal uses the engine alone or an editor-managed project. Ask how the team exports and maintains the result. Open the engine comparison demonstration. Read the full definition of PlayCanvas.

React Three Fiber

A React renderer for Three.js, allowing scenes to be expressed through React components. It uses Three.js rather than replacing its underlying rendering concepts. Ask how scene state stays consistent with the option form. The official introduction links to examples. Read the full definition of React Three Fiber.

model-viewer

A web component for displaying 3D models, with supported AR routes. It can simplify a product viewer, while more complex configuration still needs application logic. Ask whether the requirement is viewing or configuring. Explore the official component demonstrations. Read the full definition of model-viewer.

Normal map

A texture that changes the surface normals used for lighting, making fine detail appear without adding that detail to the mesh silhouette. Ask whether an important seam needs geometry instead. Use the wireframe view to distinguish actual triangles from surface appearance. Read the full definition of Normal map.

Roughness map

A texture describing how roughness varies over a surface. It affects the spread of reflections rather than simply changing the colour. Ask whether the pattern remains convincing at the customer’s viewing distance. The material lab demonstrates uniform roughness before you add a map. Read the full definition of Roughness map.

Metalness

A PBR property describing metallic behaviour. In a simple material workflow, a metal and a painted surface need different treatment; paint over metal does not automatically make the visible surface metallic. Ask which layer the customer sees. Change the copper and painted presets in the material lab. Read the full definition of Metalness.

Ambient occlusion

A way to approximate the reduced exposure to surrounding light around creases and contact areas. It can add depth, but strong baked darkening may look wrong when parts move. Ask whether a shadow belongs to the surface or a particular arrangement. Inspect movable parts in the configurator demonstrations. Read the full definition of Ambient occlusion.

UV mapping

The mapping from points on a 3D surface to positions in a texture. Poor mapping can stretch a wood grain or place a seam in a visible area. Ask for a close view of the most recognisable pattern. Compare finishes in the table demonstration. Read the full definition of UV mapping.

Texture atlas

Several texture regions packed into a shared image. It can help organise rendering resources, but needs careful borders, resolution and material planning. Ask what happens when an individual finish changes. Inspect the relationship between surfaces and resources using a local asset in the GLB viewer. Read the full definition of Texture atlas.

Level of detail (LOD)

Different representations selected according to distance or another viewing criterion. A simpler distant model can reduce work, but switching must preserve the product’s recognisable shape. Ask where transitions happen. The Three.js LOD documentation includes the implementation model. Read the full definition of Level of detail (LOD).

Draw calls

Commands that submit drawing work to the graphics system. Splitting a product into many material groups can increase them even with few triangles. Ask for a rendering profile as well as a polygon count. The viewer reports geometry counts; these are not a draw-call benchmark. Read the full definition of Draw calls.

Instancing

A way to draw repeated geometry with different transforms using shared resources. It is useful for repeated elements, though variation and selection still need planning. Ask whether repeated units are actually identical enough to share a representation. See the Three.js instancing documentation. Read the full definition of Instancing.

Baked lighting

Lighting information calculated ahead of time and stored for use during rendering. It can reduce live work, but may encode an arrangement that later options change. Ask which objects and lights were fixed when it was baked. Compare selectable product states in the demonstrations. Read the full definition of Baked lighting.

Tone mapping

The mapping of a scene’s light values into the range the display can show. It affects the final appearance alongside exposure and colour management. Ask whether finish comparisons use the same viewing setup. Try the separate finish and exposure controls in the lighting demonstration. Read the full definition of Tone mapping.

Environment map

A representation of the surroundings used for reflections and, in suitable workflows, illumination. A material’s appearance depends on what it reflects. Ask whether a dark metal is poorly configured or simply reflecting a dark scene. Compare rough and smooth surfaces in the material lab. Read the full definition of Environment map.

Rules engine

The logic that decides which combinations are valid and what follows from each choice. Product rules belong in explicit data or code, with tests for conflicting selections. Ask whether changing one option silently invalidates another. Follow a guided journey in the table demonstration. Read the full definition of Rules engine.

CPQ

Configure, price, quote: a workflow that turns selections into a priced proposal. The visual model is one input to that process. Ask who owns the price, approval rules and quote version. Use the brief’s worked example to separate display decisions from commercial validation. Read the full definition of CPQ.

SKU explosion

The rapid growth in catalogue combinations when independent choices are multiplied. Six finishes, four widths and three bases produce 72 combinations before any restrictions. Ask which combinations need inventory identities and which can be represented as custom specifications. Try the option journeys with that distinction in mind. Read the full definition of SKU explosion.

Line-item properties

Additional information attached to a Shopify cart line, such as an engraving or configuration reference. A submitted property is not authoritative pricing or proof of a valid build. Ask where values are validated and how fulfilment sees them. See the Shopify Cart API examples. Read the full definition of Line-item properties.

Product variants

Distinct versions of a product used by a commerce catalogue, often carrying their own availability or price. A visual choice does not necessarily need a separate variant. Ask how the selected product maps to the item actually ordered. Compare the options and summary in the table demonstration. Read the full definition of Product variants.

One product asset, several useful outputs: Still imagery, Interactive view, Configured product.

Parametric models

Models whose geometry is derived from parameters such as width or module count. Changing dimensions also raises questions about constraints, textures and component spacing. Ask which changes regenerate the model and which are simple transformations. Start with the dimensions and rules in the worked project brief. Read the full definition of Parametric models.

3D asset pipeline

The repeatable route from editable source material to reviewed delivery files. It includes naming, export settings, optimisation and checking the result in its real viewer. Ask whether a replacement asset can pass the same checks. Pair the header inspector with a visual review. Read the full definition of 3D asset pipeline.

Digital twin

A digital representation connected to a particular real asset or process and its data. Teams use the term with different levels of ambition, so a static product model should not be assumed to meet a twin requirement. Ask which live data, identity and updates the project needs. Compare that scope with the site’s static demonstration products. Read the full definition of Digital twin.

Configurator embed

A configurator inserted into a surrounding website, often through an iframe or script. The integration still needs loading states, focus handling, sizing and an agreed message contract. Ask what the parent page receives when the visitor confirms a selection. Test the demonstration journeys alongside their surrounding pages. Read the full definition of Configurator embed.

Material swatch

A sample used to identify and compare a finish. On screen it may be an image, colour or rendered surface, each with limits. Ask whether its stable identifier matches the production finish rather than only a display label. Compare the labelled choices in the seating demonstration. Read the full definition of Material swatch.

Turn the terms into a brief

For each unfamiliar term, write the outcome you need and the test that proves it. “Use PBR” is less useful than specifying that three approved finishes remain distinguishable under a consistent studio environment. “Pass configuration to cart” needs a clear definition of the identity, selections and validated price that the order system receives.

Related guides