February 27, 2026
3Blue1Brown goes browser
Show HN: I ported Manim to TypeScript (run 3b1B math animations in the browser)
Math animations hit the browser — the crowd goes wild
TLDR: A popular math animation tool was ported to the browser, making slick visuals possible without Python. The community cheered, with web-first users and teachers buzzing about easy demos and slide decks, while playful “web vs. Python” banter stayed friendly—this makes math visuals way more accessible.
The browser crowd just got their wish: the beloved math animation library behind 3Blue1Brown is now running right in your window, no Python required. The vibe? Pure celebration. One fan cheered, “I’m far more into the web than Python,” while another declared it “a project I’ve wanted to tackle for years.” With manim-web, you can spin up circles, squares, graphs, even 3D cubes, then animate them like a movie. Teachers are already planning lessons: a commenter who uses Reveal.js slide decks said this will be “a great tool to have,” clearly picturing classrooms turning into mini animation studios.
The strongest opinion? Team Web is ascendant. Folks love the copy‑paste simplicity—npm install, write a few lines, and boom: math magic in your page. There’s playful banter about “browser over Python,” but it’s all good vibes, no flame wars. People are also giggling at the idea of 3Blue1Brown becoming “3Blue1Browser,” and imagining professors dropping GIFs into slides like influencers.
Feature flex alert: shapes, text, LaTeX (math text), graphing, 3D goodies, interactions, GIF/video export, plus easy React/Vue drop-ins. Even existing Python Manim scripts can be converted to TypeScript. The only “drama”? Everyone racing to be first to demo it live in class. Show HN turned into Show Math, and the crowd loved it.
Key Points
- •manim-web ports Manim to TypeScript for running math animations in the browser without Python.
- •Installation is available via npm or a script tag, with a quick-start example provided.
- •The library offers extensive 2D/3D primitives, animation utilities, and interactive elements.
- •LaTeX rendering uses KaTeX; graphing tools and export to GIF/video are supported.
- •React and Vue integrations are provided, plus a tool to convert Manim Python scripts to TypeScript.