codels-cli

Add Codels 3D models to a three.js project as code — no loaders, no asset pipeline. Zero dependencies, Node 18+. Install it globally (npm i -g codels-cli) to type just codels ….

npx codels-cli search "medieval barrel"
npx codels-cli info pine-tree
npx codels-cli add pine-tree barrel --param snow=true      # → src/models/pine-tree.js, src/models/barrel.js
npx codels-cli add sedan --format r3f --out src/components # React Three Fiber component
npx codels-cli add windmill --format glb                   # → public/models/windmill.glb (with its animations)
npx codels-cli pack platformer-kit                          # one module with the whole pack

import { createPineTree } from './models/pine-tree.js';
scene.add(createPineTree());

Every generated module only imports three. Units are meters, +Y is up, models face +Z and rest on y = 0. Parametric models take --param key=value (see npx codels-cli info <slug>); animated ones carry their THREE.AnimationClips in model.animations.

Formats

| --format | File | |---|---| | three (default) | ES module with create<Name>() | | r3f | React Three Fiber component | | instanced | create<Name>Instances(count, place) — hundreds of copies in a few draw calls | | glb · gltf · obj · stl | 3D files (default folder public/models) |

Options

• --out <dir> — where to write (default src/models, or public/models for 3D files)
• --force — overwrite existing files
• --compress — with --format glb: Meshopt-compressed file, 2–3× smaller (GLTFLoader.setMeshoptDecoder(MeshoptDecoder))
• --url <origin> or CODELS_URL — another Codels server (default https://codels.download)
• --key <cdl_…> or CODELS_API_KEY — optional API key for 10× higher rate limits, created at codels.download/me/api-keys

Models are CC0 unless their page says otherwise. The CLI itself is MIT licensed.