Earth Visualization with Three.js: A GitHub-Inspired Approach

Recently, i had the idea of implementing a 3D Earth on my website using Three.js. I was inspired by GitHub's landing page, where they use a similar visualization.

I wanted to take that idea a step further by adding the ability to define specific places on the globe based on their latitude and longitude coordinates. However, when i started researching, i realized that there were very few examples available online that offered the design and functionality i had in mind. Although i found some similar implementations, most were outdated or did not meet the technical requirements I was looking for.

The uniqueness of this project is that it is not simply limited to a visual representation of the planet. My main goal was to be able to define real-world locations, marking starting and destination points that could be used to highlight projects i have worked on, or even point out places of interest in a personalized way. This adds a layer of interactivity, allowing users to visually explore the places mentioned on the site, enhancing the browsing experience. I firmly believe that 3D visualizations have great potential to transform the way we interact with geographic information on the web.

What makes this project special is that it is built using the latest versions of Node.js, ensuring compatibility with the most modern development environments and offering optimal performance. Node.js has evolved significantly in recent years, and using its most recent versions allowed me to take advantage of major improvements in speed and module handling. By developing with this technology, i ensure that the project is scalable and easily adaptable to future updates, which is crucial for any software aiming for long-term maintenance.

A key part of the project was the implementation of basic interactions such as rotation and zoom. These features give the user complete control over the visualization of the planet, which is especially useful when it comes to detailed exploration of geographical locations.

An important next step will be the implementation of a REST API that allows the project to access data about interesting places dynamically.

For more detail read the awesome article created by @alextheedom

This API will provide up-to-date information on global points of interest, such as historical landmarks, tourist spots, or even relevant projects from different industries. Users will be able to interact with the API to get additional details about each location marked on the globe. I believe this functionality will add a very interesting layer of value to the project, making it much more than just a simple 3D visualization.

This is my result:

Video demo

In summary, this project has not only allowed me to explore new capabilities of Three.js and Node.js, but it has also challenged me to find innovative solutions to common technical problems in creating 3D graphics for the web. Through this process, i have been able to improve my skills in TypeScript and strengthen my ability to solve compatibility and code optimization issues. My goal is to continue developing new features, such as the possibility of further customizing interactions and adding support for mobile devices, which will make this 3D experience accessible from any platform.

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