The WebXR standard provides augmented reality capabilities in a web browser. On Google Chrome, WebXR uses ARCore to provide AR functionalities on supported Android devices.
When choosing between WebXR and ARCore, consider the target user experience. An Android application using ARCore will provide a more seamless user experience than opening a web browser to display WebXR content. Similarly, a webpage will be able to start a seamless WebXR session in the browser. This allows your users to stay within a familiar environment.
Feature comparison
When choosing to develop your AR experience using either ARCore or WebXR, keep in mind that not all ARCore features are available in WebXR.
The following table describes ARCore features and their corresponding status in Chrome.
| ARCore Feature | Chrome Status | WebXR Explainer |
|---|---|---|
| Hit Test | Shipped | WebXR Device API - Hit Testing |
| Anchors | Shipped | What Is An Anchor |
| Depth API | Shipped | WebXR Depth Sensing |
| Plane Detection | Developer Trial | Plane detection explainer |
| Lighting Estimation | Shipped | WebXR Device API - Lighting Estimation |
| Augmented Faces | highlight_off | highlight_off |
| Augmented Images | highlight_off | highlight_off |
| Instant Placement | highlight_off | highlight_off |