ncsoft/Unreal.js
Unreal.js
Unreal.js is a JavaScript runtime and scripting layer for Unreal Engine that embeds the V8 engine to implement game logic and manage application state. It provides a bridge for writing high-level application behavior and actor control without modifying the core engine source code, as well as a framework for extending the Unreal Engine editor with custom interface elements.
The project distinguishes itself through a V8-based integration that supports real-time code reloading and live iteration, allowing scripts to be updated without restarting the application. It includes a bidirectional communication layer that maps JavaScript calls to native classes and enables JavaScript objects to inherit from native base classes for custom properties and network synchronization.
The runtime covers a broad set of capabilities including editor extensibility through a bridge API, native file system bindings, and automation tools for executing scripts via the command line. It also provides observability features such as memory usage profiling via heap snapshots and execution state debugging using a standardized socket interface.
Features
- Game Logic Scripting - Implements a system for defining custom interactive behaviors and game logic through a JavaScript scripting layer.
- V8 Engine Integrations - Embeds the V8 JavaScript engine into Unreal Engine to implement high-level game logic.
- Editor-to-Runtime Bridges - Provides a bridge API that translates editor commands into instructions for the JavaScript runtime.
- Live Reloading Environments - Updates running scripts in real-time to accelerate the development and iteration cycle.
- Game State Management - Provides mechanisms to create actors and manage high-level application state via the internal engine interface.
- Development Iteration Workflows - Provides a workflow for reflecting code changes instantly in the running game for rapid iteration.
- Embedded JavaScript Scripting - Integrates a JavaScript runtime into a native C++ application to provide programmable game logic.
- Hot Module Reloading - Supports updating script modules in real-time without requiring a full application restart.
- Native C-JavaScript Bridges - Implements a bidirectional communication layer mapping JavaScript calls to native C++ engine classes.
- C++ Class Bindings - Allows JavaScript objects to inherit from native C++ base classes to maintain state and synchronization.
- JavaScript Runtimes - Embeds a high-performance JavaScript engine into Unreal Engine to implement game logic and manage application state.
- Engine Class Extensions - Allows extending native game engine base classes via scripts to add custom properties and network synchronization.
- Editor Extensions - Allows the creation of custom tools and interface modifications to extend the Unreal Engine editor.
- Game Scripting Engines - Provides a scripting engine for writing game logic and managing application state within Unreal Engine.
- Editor Extensions - Enables adding custom elements and plugins to the editor user interface via script-based extensions.
- Debugging And Profiling - Supports inspecting execution and monitoring performance using any environment compatible with the V8 debugging protocol.
- JavaScript and TypeScript Debugging - Utilizes the V8 debugging protocol to inspect execution state and analyze memory usage.
- Game - Offers a framework for adding custom interface elements and automating tasks within the Unreal Engine editor.
- Runtime Debugging Protocols - Exposes a standardized socket interface for external IDEs to inspect execution state and capture heap snapshots.
- Real-time State Debugging - Enables connecting an external inspector to analyze execution state and find errors in real time.
- File System Bindings - Maps JavaScript file operations to native operating system APIs to manage project assets.
- Memory Profilers - Captures heap snapshots of the execution environment to analyze memory allocation and detect leaks.
