CARTO VL is a JavaScript library to create custom Location Intelligence applications over vector rendering.
This library is still under support but it will not be further developed. We don’t recommend starting new projects with it as it will eventually become deprecated. Instead, learn more about our current CARTO for deck.gl library here
CARTO VL requires a browser that supports WebGL, a method of generating dynamic 3D graphics using JavaScript, accelerated through hardware (GPU).
Most modern browsers support CARTO VL, precisely:
The library currently requires:
OES_texture_float extension.gl.MAX_RENDERBUFFER_SIZE >= 1024.gl.MAX_VERTEX_TEXTURE_IMAGE_UNITS >= 8.For a good experience, >= 8GB or RAM is recommended and also having a dedicated GPU with updated drivers.
Some browsers, specially in mobile devices, only have experimental or partial WebGL support. We cannot guarantee that CARTO VL will work on those cases.
To check if your browser supports WebGL, just open the browser support example. It will use two functions from CARTO VL library to check for the requirements: carto.isBrowserSupported() and carto.unsupportedBrowserReasons(). The example map will clearly display if your browser has at least partial support for WebGL. If WebGL is not supported, an error message will be shown in a panel instead.
You can grab more information regarding your browser’s WebGL support in this link: WebGL Report. For more details about WebGL extensions, you can have a look at Khronos WebGL Extension Registry. And if you want to check some stats about different WebGL parameters and extensions, you can visit WebGL Stats.