LittleJS - The Tiny Fast JavaScript Game Engine

🚂 All Aboard!

LittleJS is a fast, lightweight, and fully open source HTML5 game engine designed for simplicity and performance. Its small footprint is packed with a comprehensive feature set including rendering, physics, particles, sound, and input handling. The code is very clean and well documented with many examples to get you started quickly.

Demos | Docs | Trailer | Discord | FAQ

LittleJS Features

✨ Graphics

• Super fast WebGL2 + Canvas2D hybrid rendering system
• Apply Shadertoy style shaders for post-processing effects
• Robust particle effect system and effect design tool

🔊 Audio

• Sound and music with mp3, ogg, or wave files
• Use ZzFX sound effect generator to play sounds without asset files

🎮 Input

• Comprehensive input handling for mouse, keyboard, gamepad, and touch
• Customizable on screen gamepad designed for mobile devices

💥 Physics

• Robust arcade physics system with collision handling
• Fast tilemap collision and raycasting
• Full Box2D integration for realistic physics

🚀 Flexibility

• Compatible with all modern web browsers and mobile devices
• TypeScript and Module support with example projects for both
• Great for size coding competitions like Js13kGames
• Open Source and MIT licensed

🛠️ Developer Tools

• Live example browser with code editor
• Debug overlay and primitive rendering system
• Medal tracking system with Newgrounds support
• Node.js build system

How To Use LittleJS

To get started download the latest LittleJS package from GitHub or install via npm: npm install littlejsengine

• Making Awesome Games With LittleJS - A short talk about LittleJS with some tips on how to use it.
• Tutorial: Breakout - Learn how to make a simple game from scratch
• Tutorial: Make a ski game - This tutorial by eoinmcg that shows how to make a pixel art style game.
• LittleJS Quick Reference Sheet - A reference sheet to help you get started.
• Little JS FAQ - Answers to common questions about LittleJS.
• JS13k Branch - For size coding events like JS13k there is a special branch that builds to a 7KB zip.

Examples

LittleJS comes with a several demos both for learning and using as starter projects to create new games.

• Example Browser - Live example browser with all examples
• Breakout - Block breaking game with post-processing effects
• Puzzle Game - Match 3 puzzle game with HD rendering and high score tracking
• Platformer - Platformer/shooter that loads level data from Tiled Editor
• Box2D Demo - Box2D plugin demonstration and testbed
• Stress Test - Sprite rendering benchmark and music system demo
• Particle System Designer - Particle system editor and visualizer

Builds

| File | Mode | Module | Use case | |------|------|--------|----------| | littlejs.js | Debug | No | Debug mode with asserts | | littlejs.release.js | Release | No | Optimized for release | | littlejs.min.js | Release | No | Optimized for release and minified | | littlejs.esm.js | Debug | ESM | Debug mode with asserts | | littlejs.esm.min.js | Release | ESM | Optimized for release and minified |

Games Made With LittleJS

Here are a few of the many amazing games created with LittleJS...

• Space Huggers - Roguelike platformer shoot-em-up game with procedural levels. by KilledByAPixel
• Black Cat Squadron - One button shooter based on a WW2 Navy squadron. JS13k 5th place! by repsej
• L1ttl3 Paws - Cat glider with procedural art and levels for JS13K! by KilledByAPixel
• KleptoKitty - Cat themed heist puzzle. JS13K 22nd place. by eoinmcg
• The Way of the Dodo - Single button platformer. JS13k 5th place! by repsej
• Undergrowth - An interactive music videogame for the band Squid. by KilledByAPixel
• 204Snake! - A puzzle game that combines 2048 with snake. LittleJS Jam 1st place! by Sodoj and Shai-P
• GATOR - Retro platformer shooter game where you rescue animals. LittleJS Jam 2nd place! by eoinmcg
• A Hedgehog's Search - Adventure game starring a hedgehog. LittleJS Jam 3rd place! by willsm1111
• Wendol Village - Warcraft inspired RTS game. by sanojian
• Dead Again - Top down survival horror. by sanojian & repsej
• Isletopia - Relaxing strategy game of greenifying barren islands. by Gamex Studio
• Tetrimals - A puzzle game mixing Tetris with animals. by nixn
• Bug&Bee - Low fi shoot em up with co-op gameplay. LittleJS Jam 1st place! by eoinmcg
• Little Platformer - Platformer with many mechanics. LittleJS Jam 2st place! by PSEMO, Solita666, GabrielRG, Nate
• Rogue Pong - Roguelike crossed with classic pong gameplay. LittleJS Jam 3rd place! by webdevbrian
• LittleJS Jam 2024 Results - All the games from the first LittleJS Game Jam.
• LittleJS Jam 2025 Results - All the games from the second LittleJS Game Jam.