# Vecto3d: Browser-Based SVG to 3D Export Workflow

> Vecto3d converts SVG artwork into editable 3D previews and exports PNG, MP4, GIF, STL, GLB, or GLTF files. It suits designers and developers who need a quick browser workflow, although Safari performance and the absence of formal releases limit some production use cases.

**lakshaybhushan/vecto3d** — A super simple tool to convert your SVG's to 3D models.

- Repository: https://github.com/lakshaybhushan/vecto3d
- Website: https://vecto3d.app
- Stars: 1,491 · Forks: 90
- Language: TypeScript
- License: MIT
- Published: 2026-10-16 · Updated: 2026-10-16 · Language: en
- Canonical page: https://hysenlabs.com/projects/lakshaybhushan-vecto3d

## Vecto3d's SVG-to-3D Editor and Export Scope

Vecto3d addresses a specific gap between vector editing and 3D presentation. A designer can begin with an SVG icon, logo, illustration, or built-in example, then give the flat artwork visible depth without first constructing a scene in a desktop modeling application. The result can remain an interactive browser preview or become an image, animation, 3D file, or fabrication mesh. This makes the project most relevant to graphic designers, front-end developers, product teams producing visual assets, and makers who need an STL quickly.

The project does not present itself as a general-purpose modeling suite. Its controls are concentrated around converting the source artwork: geometry, material, environment, display, and export. Available formats include PNG for a still image, MP4 for recorded rotation, GIF for a short loop, STL for 3D printing workflows, GLB for a portable binary model, and GLTF for a JSON-based model. That format range covers web previews, social or presentation imagery, motion assets, and common downstream 3D uses, but the documentation does not describe scene composition, rigging, animation authoring, UV mapping, or non-destructive editing history.

Users do not need an account, and the README states that uploaded files stay in the browser. The source SVG is held in session storage so the landing page can pass it into the editor. Vecto3d is therefore positioned as a direct conversion workspace rather than a cloud file service. Its simplicity is useful, but projects needing organization, collaboration, asset libraries, or controlled server-side processing would have to look beyond the documented feature set.

## Local SVG Processing and Three.js Preview Pipeline

The repository layout shows a Next.js application divided between an SVG input flow and a 3D editor. `app/page.tsx` handles the landing and SVG input experience, while `app/edit/page.tsx` contains the editor route. Preview components live under `components/previews/`, with editor controls and the export panel under `components/edit/`. Shared browser and device behavior is placed in `hooks/`, while reusable application logic is separated into `lib/`.

The browser-facing sequence starts when a user drops, pastes, or selects an SVG. `lib/svg-sanitizer.ts` is identified as the location for SVG validation and sanitization. The current file is kept in session storage, which allows the editor route to recover the input without uploading it. Once editing begins, Three.js and React Three Fiber provide the rendered 3D scene. Zustand manages editor state, as listed in both the README and `lib/store.ts` layout description.

Export responsibilities are similarly divided. `lib/exporters.ts` contains PNG and 3D export helpers, while `lib/video-recorder.ts` handles MP4 and GIF recording. The README states that animation recording uses the live WebGL preview. Exporters for images and formats such as GLB, GLTF, and STL must therefore operate from the active browser scene rather than from a documented command-line pipeline. This is consistent with the stated privacy model, but it also means browser rendering capabilities, memory limits, and download behavior can affect export results. The documentation does not provide exported-file size limits or a non-browser API.

## Geometry, Materials, Lighting, and Motion Controls

Vecto3d turns several common presentation variables into direct editor controls. The Geometry section includes depth, bevel, thickness, size, and smoothness. These settings are enough to move beyond a flat SVG and tune the transition between its front surface and extruded sides. The documentation does not expose topology controls, polygon count, segment count, remeshing, or mesh repair, so users cannot tell from the README whether every SVG path produces a suitable solid geometry.

The Material section provides presets plus direct controls for roughness, metalness, clearcoat, and color. Environment controls include lighting presets and intensity. Display settings add a custom background and bloom intensity. This separation makes it possible to distinguish geometry from rendering. A model can remain unchanged while the user compares its appearance under different material and lighting conditions.

Viewport interaction includes direct rotation, resetting changes, and fullscreen. MP4 and GIF recording add a separate workflow: auto-rotate must be enabled in the export panel, after which the user chooses speed and duration. The README does not document audio, frame-rate selection, keyframes, camera paths, or manual animation timing. Vecto3d should therefore be judged as a tool for turning source artwork into a controlled visual rotation, not as a replacement for timeline-based animation software.

## Running Vecto3d Locally with Bun

The hosted application requires no installation, but the repository can be run locally. Vecto3d uses Bun as its package manager, and the README provides these exact setup commands:

```bash
git clone https://github.com/lakshaybhushan/vecto3d.git
cd vecto3d
bun install
bun run dev
```

The development script runs `next dev --turbopack`. After the commands complete, the README directs the user to open `http://localhost:3000`. At that address, the first practical action is to select, drop, or paste an SVG, or to choose one of the built-in examples. The landing page then moves that file into the 3D editor through session storage.

For changes intended for a pull request, the documented checks are:

```bash
bun run lint
NODE_ENV=production bun run build
```

The lint script executes ESLint, while the production build runs `next build --turbopack`. The `package.json` also defines `bun run start` for starting a built Next.js application and `bun run format` for Prettier formatting. The README does not document a deployment tutorial beyond linking the browser tool and identifying Vercel-related dependencies, so local setup is the only concrete installation workflow described.

## Safari Constraints and Production Export Boundaries

Browser support is the clearest limitation. The README recommends Chrome and Firefox, while Safari can have WebGL rendering and performance issues. Vecto3d displays a warning before continuing in Safari, but the warning does not guarantee equivalent rendering or export behavior. Teams that require Safari support should treat it as a compatibility risk rather than an established deployment target.

The privacy model also has a precise boundary. SVG processing and editing happen locally, and the current file is stored in session storage so it can move into the editor. That supports a no-account workflow, but the documentation does not state that session storage survives a closed tab, describe quota behavior, or promise that every generated artifact remains local. It also does not claim that the browser tool is suitable for confidential files under an enterprise retention policy. The local processing statement should not be expanded into a security guarantee that the README does not make.

Maintenance history adds another adoption constraint. The repository is not archived, and its last push was on 2026-08-19, which is within six months of 2026-10-16. However, it has no GitHub releases, while `package.json` identifies version `1.3.0`. There is therefore repository activity but no documented release schedule or published upgrade notes. Private version and compatible upstream dependencies are part of the maintenance cost for teams that fork or self-host the project.

## Vecto3d Compared with a Manual 3D Workflow

The practical alternative is a manual 3D workflow in which a designer or modeler creates geometry, assigns materials, arranges lights, and exports the scene from dedicated modeling software. The approaches differ at the input stage. Vecto3d starts from an existing SVG and exposes depth and bevel controls immediately, while a manual workflow treats the source vector as reference material and adds modeling operations explicitly.

Vecto3d is the better fit when the goal is a quick visual treatment based on an existing flat asset. Its editor combines geometry, material, lighting, background, viewport, and recording controls in one browser workspace. The hosted version also removes installation and account setup. The documented output formats support browser sharing, 3D model delivery, and fabrication workflows.

A manual workflow is more appropriate when the output requires authored topology, scene organization, camera choreography, keyframes, or deliberate correction of complex paths. Vecto3d does not document those capabilities. Its appeal is speed and directness, while its boundary is control. The browser application makes conversion accessible, but users must still inspect whether the generated mesh satisfies the requirements of the downstream tool.

## MIT License and Self-Hosting Ownership

Vecto3d is released under the MIT License. The README directs contributors to `CONTRIBUTING.md` before opening a pull request and identifies the license text at `LICENSE`. The license permits use and modification under its stated terms, but this review does not provide legal advice or interpret obligations for a particular organization.

For teams choosing the repository rather than the hosted tool, maintenance is not limited to editing React components. The application depends on Next.js 16, React 19, Three.js-facing packages, React Three Fiber, postprocessing libraries, recording code, and browser storage. The package manifest uses a lockfile named `bun.lockb`, and the documented build path can run Prettier before a non-production build according to the `NODE_ENV` condition. Upgrade planning should account for both dependency compatibility and the absence of GitHub releases.

The source also separates concerns clearly enough for targeted maintenance. Export logic, video recording, state, sanitization, previews, and controls have separate locations. That structure reduces the need to modify the whole editor for a narrowly scoped change. It does not replace validation: the README provides lint and production build commands, but it does not publish a test suite or report coverage.

## Conclusion

Vecto3d is suitable for designers, front-end developers, and makers who want to turn SVG artwork into a visual 3D asset without installing desktop modeling software. It is less suitable for Safari-dependent sessions, sensitive workflows that require predictable server-side processing, or teams that need a formal release and upgrade policy. Verify your chosen SVG, inspect the exported geometry in its target application, and test MP4 or GIF recording in the browser used for delivery before adopting it.

## FAQ

### Does Vecto3d require an account or installation?

No. The hosted tool requires neither an account nor local installation, and the README states that uploaded files stay in the browser.

### Which formats can Vecto3d export?

Vecto3d documents PNG, MP4, GIF, STL, GLB, and GLTF exports. MP4 and GIF use the live WebGL preview with auto-rotate enabled in the export panel.

### Can I run Vecto3d locally?

Yes. The README documents a Bun-based setup using `git clone`, `bun install`, and `bun run dev`, followed by opening `http://localhost:3000`.

### Does Vecto3d work well in Safari?

Safari is not a preferred browser. The README recommends Chrome and Firefox and says Safari can have WebGL rendering and performance issues, so the editor warns users before continuing.

### Are Vecto3d SVG files uploaded to a server?

According to the README, SVG processing and editing happen locally in the browser. The current file is kept in session storage so it can move from the landing page into the editor.

## Sources

- [Issues](https://github.com/lakshaybhushan/vecto3d/issues)
- [lakshaybhushan/vecto3d on GitHub](https://github.com/lakshaybhushan/vecto3d)
- [License: MIT](https://github.com/lakshaybhushan/vecto3d/blob/main/LICENSE)
- [Project website](https://vecto3d.app)
- [README](https://github.com/lakshaybhushan/vecto3d/blob/main/README.md)

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Hysen Labs editorial analysis, written from the project's own repository and release notes. Cite the canonical page: https://hysenlabs.com/projects/lakshaybhushan-vecto3d