From C to Browser: WebAssembly

Compiling native code to run in the browser.

The Challenge

MiniRT started as a C ray tracer using the minilibx graphics library. The goal was simple: get it running in a browser without requiring users to install anything.

Traditional approaches would have been:

• JavaScript reimplementation — Months of work, potential performance loss
• Native plugin — Dead technology, security concerns
• Server-side rendering — Latency, no interactivity

WebAssembly offered a fourth path.

MiniRT — WebAssembly Ray Tracer

A real-time ray tracer running entirely in the browser via WebAssembly. Originally built as a 42 school project, MiniRT has been compiled to WASM to bring GPU-accelerated ray tracing to the web without any plugins.

Features

• Real-time Rendering — Interactive camera controls with smooth navigation
• Multiple Scene Support — Pre-bundled scenes including Billiards, Snowman, Solar System, and more
• Custom Scene Editor — Write and test your own .rt scene files directly in the browser
• File Upload — Load external scene files with full validation
• No Plugins — Pure WebAssembly, runs natively in any modern browser

Controls

Try It Out

Launch the interactive demo: Open MiniRT