3D
A category of file formats covered by Format Atlas.
About this category
Blender projectA .blend file is Blender's native project format. It stores Blender scene data such as objects, meshes, materials, and animation for continued editing. Unlike an interchange format, it may not reproduce the same project in other applications, and external dependencies such as textures may need to be managed separately.DAEDAE files use COLLADA to describe 3D geometry, materials, animation, and other scene data in XML. Actual import and export support varies among tools.FBXFBX is used to exchange 3D models, materials, cameras, lights, rigs, and animation. Export settings and tool support vary, so imported scenes need inspection.glTFglTF is designed for efficient transfer of 3D assets between creation tools and applications. A .gltf file uses JSON and may reference external buffers or textures, while .glb is a binary container.OBJWavefront OBJ describes polygon meshes and free-form surfaces. Material definitions may be referenced in a separate MTL file, with texture images also needed for the intended appearance.PLYPLY records vertices and, when present, polygon faces. The header declares element counts and properties such as coordinates, normals and colors; faces reference vertex indices.STLSTL describes a solid's surface with triangles in ASCII or binary form. It is widely used for 3D printing, but generally does not convey reliable units, materials, colors, textures, or animation.3MF3MF packages a 3D model and manufacturing information for additive manufacturing. Unlike a simple STL workflow, it can carry units and supported materials or colors.USDUSD describes scenes assembled from multiple assets with layers, references, and variants. USDA, USDC, and USDZ differ in representation or packaging; application support must be checked.X3DX3D describes interactive 3D worlds and multimedia. XML, ClassicVRML and binary encodings exist; support depends on the runtime and selected encoding.