Compositions

Updated: Sep 30, 2025

In Spatial Editor, a composition is a spatial arrangement or scene that contains a hierarchy of assets, such as 3D models. You can create one or more compositions in a single project, and each composition is stored as an asset hierarchy in a .glxf file.

Compositions are essential for constructing entire scenes for Spatial SDK applications or for creating reusable asset hierarchies. These hierarchies can be merged into single compositions at runtime, enhancing flexibility and reusability.

Manage compositions

To create a new composition: Click on File and select New Composition.

To open a composition: double-click its .glxf file in the Project Assets panel.

To edit a composition: select its composition tab and make changes using the Composition panel, Viewport, and Properties panel.

To add a new composition to your project: click File and select New Composition in the top menu or tap the hotkey C.

To delete a composition: go to the Project tab (the far left tab) and view your whole project hierarchy and assets. From there, you can see all your project’s compositions in the hierarchy of the project in the left panel and delete them as needed.

Group objects with empty nodes

When building a composition it’s important to keep them organized and structured. This can help you navigate and manipulate your objects, and make it easier to understand the relationships between them.

To group objects under an empty node:

Click a node you want to add to your group in the Composition panel.

Right-click and select Group

Drag and drop each object you want to group under Group.

Right click the group and select Rename to title the group.

Alternatively, an empty node can be added to the composition by clicking the empty node icon at the top-right of the Composition panel.

When grouping and organizing 3D objects in your project:

Use meaningful names for your groups and objects to make it easier to identify them later.

Experiment with different grouping strategies to find what works best for your specific project.

Work with multiple compositions

You can work with multiple compositions within a single project. These compositions could represent different scenes in your app, or be used to create prepackaged object hierarchies, akin to reusable blocks. You can change the behavior of the composition or objects within a composition depending on the state of the app.

Instantiate assets into multiple compositions

Assets can be instantiated into multiple compositions. To do this, simply drag and drop the asset from the Project Assets panel into the desired composition. This allows you to reuse assets across different parts of your app, making it easier to maintain consistency and reduce duplication.

Nest compositions

Compositions can be nested within other compositions. To nest a composition, drag and drop it from the Project Assets panel into another composition that’s open. This allows you to create complex object hierarchies and reuse entire compositions as building blocks for your app.

Use your compositions with Spatial SDK

For instructions on exporting your project, loading compositions, and integrating content with Android, refer to the guide on using Spatial Editor compositions in your Spatial SDK project.