How to Cache 3D Assets
CDN cache headers: immutable + max-age 1 year for hashed asset URLs. Service Worker for offline support.
Caching 3D assets: (1) Use hashed asset filenames (Vite/Webpack do this automatically) — content hash in filename means changing the asset changes the URL. (2) Set Cache-Control: public, max-age=31536000, immutable on hashed assets — browser caches for 1 year, no revalidation. (3) Optional: Service Worker for offline support — cache critical 3D assets locally for instant subsequent loads. (4) HTTP/2 push or rel=preload for above-the-fold 3D assets. Time: 2-4 hours for cache-control setup. Service Worker is optional but adds polish for repeat visitors.
Further reading
Three resources I recommend after this guide: the official Three.js fundamentals docs (excellent and underused), Bruno Simon's Three.js Journey (paid, comprehensive), and the React Three Fiber docs if you'll work in React. Beyond that, reading other developers' source on GitHub — search for 'three-js portfolio' on GitHub trending — accelerates learning faster than any tutorial.
Prerequisites
Before starting on how to cache assets, you need: a JavaScript baseline (familiarity with ES modules, async/await, npm), a working local dev environment (Node 18+, a code editor), and a basic mental model of what WebGL renders. You don't need 3D modeling skills — for most tutorials, the assets are provided. Time investment: 2-4 hours of focused work for the basic version.
Step-by-step outline
Step 1: scaffold the project (Vite + Three.js). Step 2: get a basic scene rendering — camera, light, geometry. Step 3: load the asset (glTF). Step 4: hook up animation timeline (GSAP or built-in). Step 5: add interactivity (click, scroll). Step 6: optimize for mobile (device-tier check, asset compression). Step 7: deploy. Each step builds on the previous; skipping leads to confusion later.
Common pitfalls
Three failure modes I see beginners hit: (1) trying to render before assets finish loading — always wait for the loader callback, (2) using full-resolution textures on mobile — always have KTX2 or compressed alternatives, (3) leaving the scene rendering when off-screen — pause the render loop with IntersectionObserver. Each pitfall has a clear fix; the trick is recognizing the symptom.
Frequently asked questions
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