XR
XR is an umbrella term that includes the following types of applications:
- Virtual RealityVirtual Reality (VR) immerses users in an artificial 3D world of realistic images and sounds, using a headset and motion tracking. More info
See in Glossary (VR): The application simulates a self-contained environment around the user. - Mixed RealityMixed Reality (MR) combines its own virtual environment with the user’s real-world environment and allows them to interact with each other.
See in Glossary (MR): The application combines its own environment with the user’s real-world environment and allows them to interact with each other. - Augmented RealityAugmented Reality (AR) uses computer graphics or video composited on top of a live video feed to augment the view and create interaction with real and virtual objects. More info
See in Glossary (AR): The application layers content over a view of the real world.
The span between virtual to augmented reality is a continuum, with mixed reality falling somewhere in the middle, depending on the capabilities of a particular device and the intent of your application.
This documentation discusses how to develop XR applications in Unity:
| Topic | Description |
|---|---|
| Overview | An overview of how Unity supports XR development. |
| Set up an XR Project | How to set up a project for an XR game or application. |
| Set up an XR scene | How to add the GameObjectsThe fundamental object in Unity scenes, which can represent characters, props, scenery, cameras, waypoints, and more. A GameObject’s functionality is defined by the Components attached to it. More info See in Glossary and components needed by an XR sceneA Scene contains the environments and menus of your game. Think of each unique Scene file as a unique level. In each Scene, you place your environments, obstacles, and decorations, essentially designing and building your game in pieces. More info See in Glossary. |
| Run an XR application | How to build and run Unity XR projects during development. |
| XR graphics | XR-specific graphics topics. |
| Unity XR SDK | About the SDK available to headset and device makers for adding support for their hardware to Unity. |
Additional resources
| Topic | Description |
|---|---|
| XR Interaction Toolkit samples | Github repository with code samples using the XR Interaction Toolkit |
| AR Foundation Samples | Github repository of code samples using ARAugmented Reality More info See in Glossary Foundation |
| Build for XR and spatial computing | Learn more about XR case studies and the numerous XR platforms Unity supports. |
| Unity Learn | Free XR tutorials, projects and courses in Unity’s online learning platform |
| Unity Discussions | Unity Discussions for XR |
| Unity Blog | XR posts on the Unity Blog |
| What is AR, VR, MR, XR, 360? | A glossary of XR terms |