XR SDKs and APIs - Rishan Solutions

XR SDKs & APIs: The Ultimate Developer Toolkit (2024)

To build immersive XR experiences, developers rely on Software Development Kits (SDKs) and Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). Here’s a breakdown of the most important tools for VR, AR, and MR development in 2024:

1. Platform-Specific XR SDKs

A. Mobile AR SDKs

SDK	Platform	Key Features	Best For
ARKit 6	iOS	LiDAR scanning, hand tracking, 3D object detection	iPhone AR apps
ARCore	Android	Depth API, Geospatial AR, multiplayer anchors	Cross-device AR
WebXR	Browser	No-app AR/VR, JavaScript-based	Web-based experiences

B. VR/MR SDKs

SDK	Platform	Key Features
Oculus SDK	Meta Quest	ASW 2.0, Passthrough API
OpenXR	Cross-platform	Standardized VR/AR development
SteamVR	PCVR	Lighthouse tracking, Motion Smoothing
Windows Mixed Reality	HoloLens	Hand interaction, spatial mapping

2. Cross-Platform XR APIs

A. Unity XR Tools

AR Foundation (Unifies ARKit/ARCore)
XR Interaction Toolkit (Controller/hand input)
Unity Mars (Context-aware AR)

B. Unreal Engine XR Tools

OpenXR Plugin (Meta, SteamVR, HoloLens support)
XR Feign Framework (Advanced locomotion)
Live Link XR (Real-time motion capture)

C. Web-Based XR APIs

Three.js (WebGL 3D rendering)
A-Frame (HTML-based VR)
8th Wall (WebAR with SLAM)

3. Specialized XR APIs

API	Purpose	Example Use
Apple RoomPlan	LiDAR room scanning	AR furniture placement
Google Geospatial	GPS-anchored AR	City-scale AR navigation
NVIDIA VRSS	Foveated rendering for PCVR	High-performance VR gaming
Ultraleap	Hand tracking	Controller-free UI interaction
Photon SDK	Multiplayer XR networking	Social VR apps

4. Choosing the Right SDK/API

For Mobile AR Developers:

graph TD
    A[Project Goal] --> B{iOS only?}
    B -->|Yes| C[ARKit 6]
    B -->|No| D[ARCore or WebXR]

For VR Developers:

graph TD
    E[Target Headset] --> F{Meta Quest?}
    F -->|Yes| G[Oculus SDK]
    F -->|No| H[OpenXR]

For Enterprise MR:

graph TD
    I[Device] --> J{HoloLens?}
    J -->|Yes| K[Windows MR SDK]
    J -->|No| L[Magic Leap SDK]

5. Emerging Standards (2024)

OpenXR 1.1 – Improved hand tracking profiles
WebXR Lighting Estimation – Real-world lighting in WebAR
ML-based SLAM APIs – AI-enhanced environment mapping

Key Takeaways

ARKit/ARCore dominate mobile AR, while OpenXR unifies VR.
WebXR is growing fast for no-download experiences.
Always check headset-specific optimizations (e.g., Quest Pro’s eye tracking APIs).