OpenXR

What is OpenXR?

OpenXR refers to an open, royalty-free standard that provides a unified interface for developers to access various VR and AR platforms, reducing fragmentation and enabling applications to run across multiple hardware ecosystems without significant reworking. Developed by the Khronos Group with collaboration from major industry players, this cross-platform API directly addresses one of the immersive industry's greatest challenges: the proliferation of hardware-specific development approaches that fragment the ecosystem and increase development costs.

How does OpenXR work?

The standard provides a common abstraction layer between applications and runtime environments, with consistent interfaces for tracking, rendering, and input systems across diverse hardware implementations. For developers, OpenXR significantly reduces platform-specific code, simplifies targeting multiple devices, and helps future-proof applications against hardware evolution.

The API supports both mobile and tethered devices across the reality spectrum from VR to AR, with extensions for platform-specific advanced features when needed.

How is OpenXR used?

As adoption increases across major platforms and engines, OpenXR is establishing itself as the foundation for a more cohesive, accessible development ecosystem that benefits both creators and users through improved compatibility, reduced development costs, and more sustainable application lifecycles.