---
id: presentation/cesiumjs
about:
  label: CesiumJS
  description: >-
    Open-source JavaScript library from Cesium for 3D globes and maps in the
    browser; streams 3D Tiles, terrain, imagery and time-dynamic data on a WGS84
    globe.
  tags:
    - 3d globe
    - web
    - javascript
    - 3d tiles
    - open source
    - visualization
tool:
  form: open-source JavaScript library
  group: 3D cities and mapping
  homepage: 'https://cesium.com/platform/cesiumjs/'
  licence: Apache-2.0
  cost: free
domains:
  - places
open:
  source: open
  data: unknown
  api: 'yes'
  participation: open
  licence: Apache-2.0
provenance:
  origin: agent
  sources:
    - title: CesiumJS – Cesium
      url: 'https://cesium.com/platform/cesiumjs/'
    - title: GitHub - CesiumGS/cesium
      url: 'https://github.com/CesiumGS/cesium'
  created: '2026-10-19'
  reviewed: '2026-10-19'
  reviewed_by: 'Claude, from the sources listed'
  status: draft
---
The globe follows WGS84, the standard model of the Earth's shape used by GPS. Onto it CesiumJS streams 3D Tiles, the open specification for buildings, photogrammetry and point clouds. The library also loads glTF models (a standard 3D model format), imagery and terrain layers, and vector data in KML, GeoJSON and CZML. Time-dynamic visualisation, live telemetry and 4D views have first-class support. The same scene can be shown in 3D, in 2D or in a 2.5D Columbus view.

CesiumJS installs from npm and is released under the Apache 2.0 licence, free for commercial and non-commercial use. Cesium says the library has been open source since 2012. Tiles can be streamed from Cesium ion, the company's hosted service, or from any other source. The GitHub repository takes contributions.

Many of the published city twins on this site are viewed in CesiumJS or in a viewer built on top of the library.