# axmol
**Repository Path**: simdsoft/axmol
## Basic Information
- **Project Name**: axmol
- **Description**: A Multi-platform Engine for Desktop, XBOX (UWP) and Mobile games. (A radical fork of Cocos2d-x-4.0)
- **Primary Language**: C++
- **License**: MIT
- **Default Branch**: dev
- **Homepage**: None
- **GVP Project**: No
## Statistics
- **Stars**: 54
- **Forks**: 12
- **Created**: 2020-02-28
- **Last Updated**: 2026-04-04
## Categories & Tags
**Categories**: game-dev
**Tags**: None
## README
# Axmol Engine
## A Multi-platform Engine for Desktop, XBOX (UWP), WebAssembly and Mobile games.
[Axmol Engine](https://axmol.dev) is an open-source, C++ multi-platform engine designed for mobile devices, desktop, and Xbox, well-suited for 2D game development. It was launched in November 2019 as a fork of Cocos2d-x v4.0.
Please [visit our Wiki](https://github.com/axmolengine/axmol/wiki) to know more about Axmol.
***
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[](https://github.com/axmolengine/axmol/releases)
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[](https://github.com/axmolengine/axmol)
[](https://github.com/axmolengine/axmol/pulls)
[](https://discord.gg/QjaQBhFVay)
[](https://github.com/fffaraz/awesome-cpp)
[](https://ossinsight.io/collections/game-engine/)
[Chinese ver. / 简体中文](README_CN.md)
***
## 📢 Branches
> **Important Notice**
> - **`dev` branch**: Serves as the **v3** development branch. It is under active development and may contain unstable or experimental features. PRs for new features, enhancements, or bug fixes (unless critical for v2 LTS) should be submitted to this branch **as the primary target**.
> - **`release/2.x` branch**: Has entered the **stable maintenance phase** (2.11.x will be the final v2 LTS release). This branch is reserved for critical bug fixes and security patches only to ensure production stability.
>
> Use the `dev` branch if you want to contribute to v3 development, test new features, or submit non-critical bug fixes. For production deployment, continue to use the `release/2.x` branch for stability and compatibility.
>
> ⚠️ **Do not submit PRs to the `release/2.x` branch that apply full-file `clang-format` or large-scale reformatting changes.**
> Such changes significantly increase merge conflicts and make code review unnecessarily difficult, consuming additional time. Additionally, non-critical feature/enhancement PRs targeting `release/2.x` will not be accepted given its LTS maintenance status.
> Any PRs violating these rules **will not be accepted**.
***
## ⚡️Building
* Download it: [Latest Release](https://github.com/axmolengine/axmol/releases) / [AtomGit Mirror](https://atomgit.com/axmol/axmol) / [SourceForge Mirror](https://sourceforge.net/projects/axmol-engine.mirror) / [Gitee Mirror](https://gitee.com/simdsoft/axmol)
* [How to install](docs/DevSetup.md)
If you have a Cocos2d-x project, migrating to Axmol Engine is easy. We have prepared a [Migration Guide](https://github.com/axmolengine/axmol/wiki/Cocos2d%E2%80%90x-migration-guide).
## Learning and docs
* [Documentation](https://axmol.dev/manual/latest/)
* [Axmol Wiki](https://github.com/axmolengine/axmol/wiki)
* [Tutorials Page](https://github.com/axmolengine/axmol/wiki/Tutorials)
* [Frequently Asked Questions](https://github.com/axmolengine/axmol/wiki/FAQ)
## General information
Axmol Engine has iterated and improved over the Cocos2d-x v4.0 base. Now is faster and more capable, while staying lightweight. [Check a comparative here](https://github.com/axmolengine/axmol/wiki/Axmol-vs-Cocos2d%E2%80%90x).
**Supported platforms**:
* Mobile: iOS, Android
* Desktop: Windows, Linux, macOS, tvOS
* Console: Xbox (Universal Windows Platform)
* Web: WebAssembly (Preview: [Axmol tests](https://axmol.netlify.app/wasm/cpp-tests/cpp-tests) / [FairyGUI tests](https://axmol.netlify.app/wasm/fairygui-tests/fairygui-tests))
**Languages**:
* C++
* Lua
**Renderer RHI**:
* Vulkan for Windows, Linux, Android (since axmol-v3)
* D3D12 for Windows and UWP (since axmol-v3)
* D3D11 for Windows and UWP (since axmol-v3)
* Metal for macOS, iOS and tvOS
* OpenGL 3.3+ for Linux, macOS and Windows
* OpenGL ES 2.0+ for Android
* OpenGL ES 3.0+ for iOS and tvOS
* ANGLE GLES 3.0+ for Windows and UWP
* WebGL 2.0 (OpenGL ES 3.0): WASM
**Architectures**:
* iOS/tvOS (x64, arm64)
* Android (x86, x64, armv7, arm64)
* Windows (x86, x64, arm64)
* Linux (x64, arm64)
* OSX (x64, arm64)
* UWP (x64, arm64)
* Wasm32, Wasm64(since axmol-v3)
*Note: The arm64 build support for Linux and Windows has been available since Axmol v3.*
**Supported 2D physics engines** ([more info here](https://github.com/axmolengine/axmol/wiki/2D-Physics-Engines-Information)):
* Box2D
**Supported 3D physics engines**:
* Bullet Physics SDK
**Included extensions**:
* FairyGUI
* ImGUI
* Spine
* Live2D
* Effekseer
* And more! Check our [Extensions Wiki Page](https://github.com/axmolengine/axmol/wiki/Extensions)
[More extensions created by our community](https://github.com/axmolengine/axmol/wiki/Made-in-Axmol)
## Features
Some highlights:
- Added **Vulkan** render support (axmol-v3)
- Added **D3D12** render support (axmol-v3)
- Added **D3D11** render support (axmol-v3)
- **Add HiDPI support for Windows/Linux/WebAssembly desktop platforms** (axmol-v3)
- **New MediaPlayer**: render video as texture2D using MediaEngine. [More info in our Wiki](https://github.com/axmolengine/axmol/wiki/Media-Player).
- Windows video player support (based on Microsoft Media Foundation)
- **WebAssembly support** (by @nowasm) - Preview: [Axmol tests](https://axmol.netlify.app/wasm/cpp-tests/cpp-tests)
- **Universal Windows Platform** (UWP) support for Xbox consoles
- **Apple M1 and Android x64 support** (by @pietpukkel)
- **Windows x64 build support**
- **Powerful cross-platform build system**
- Improved Windows workflow, supporting linking with engine prebuilt libs. Please read the [Windows workflow guide](https://github.com/axmolengine/axmol/issues/564).
- Refactored AudioEngine, OpenAL for all platforms:
- [OpenAL Soft](https://github.com/kcat/openal-soft) (pass `-DAX_USE_ALSOFT=ON` to CMake to force enabling it)
- [OpenAL.framework](https://opensource.apple.com/tarballs/OpenAL) (if no `AX_USE_ALSOFT` option specified, cmake script will choose it on OSX/iOS/tvOS, even though it was marked as deprecated is still available)
- Implemented all .wav formats supported by OpenAL Soft (MS-ADPCM, ADPCM, etc.)
- Refactored UserDefault with [mio](https://github.com/mandreyel/mio)
- [Upstream Version License](3rdparty/README.md) - Third-party:
- Third-party license overview, for easier publishing of your commercial apps based on Axmol framework.
- Some links to third party libs which support axmol too.
- [Upstream Version License](extensions/README.md) - Extensions:
- Extensions license overview, for easier publishing of your commercial apps based on Axmol framework.
- Reimplemented HttpClient based on yasio for concurrent http requests processing.
- Modularized all optional extensions, move from engine core folder to an extensions folder.
- Use Google [Angle](https://github.com/google/angle) as default renderer backend on Windows.
- Using GL loader Glad.
- Using [pugixml](https://pugixml.org)
- Using [curl](https://github.com/curl/curl) for transferring data with URL syntax
- Using SAX parser for .plist files
- ASTC 4x4 / 6x6 / 8x8 support (if hardware decoding is not supported, then software decoding is used)
- ETC2 RGB / RGBA support (if hardware decoding is not supported, then software decoding is used)
- Migrate VR rendering support from the legacy project and enhance it (axmol-v3)
Please read the [full list of changes since Cocos2d-x v4.0](CHANGELOG.md).
See the [Milestones](https://github.com/axmolengine/axmol/milestones) for planned features.
## Contributions
How to contribute:
* Suggestions, bug fixes, and improvements are highly appreciated!
- [Instructions for contributing](CONTRIBUTING.md)
- [Collaborators list](AUTHORS.md)
* Please do not forget to add the topic `axmol` and `axmolengine` to any related repository you create!
* Adding a star on GitHub will help Axmol grow as well. Thank you!
If you find **Axmol Engine** helpful, please consider donating in [https://axmol.dev/donate](https://axmol.dev/donate). Thank you very much!
## Sponsors
#### Platinum Sponsors
#### More Sponsors
Please visit: [https://axmol.dev/donate](https://axmol.dev/donate)
## Community
Our community is growing! Please join us at:
* [GitHub Discussions](https://github.com/axmolengine/axmol/discussions) (preferred way for questions and discussing the engine)
* [Discord](https://discord.gg/QjaQBhFVay)
* [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/axmol/)
In order to see some of our community works, please check our Axmol Showcase: [Made in Axmol](https://github.com/axmolengine/axmol/wiki/Made-in-Axmol)
## Reference links
- [1kiss](https://github.com/simdsoft/1kiss): A cross-platform one step build powershell script, with auto setup general dependent tools.
- [axslcc](https://github.com/axmolengine/axslcc): The axmol new shader workflow tool, forked from `glslcc`.
- [Official Cocos2d-x](https://github.com/cocos2d/cocos2d-x)
## Axmol Stats
