WebGL2RenderingContext: drawElementsInstanced() method

Baseline Widely available

This feature is well established and works across many devices and browser versions. It’s been available across browsers since September 2021.

The WebGL2RenderingContext.drawElementsInstanced() method of the WebGL 2 API renders primitives from array data like the gl.drawElements() method. In addition, it can execute multiple instances of a set of elements.

Note: When using WebGL 1, the ANGLE_instanced_arrays extension can provide this method, too.

Syntax

js
drawElementsInstanced(mode, count, type, offset, instanceCount)

Parameters

mode

A GLenum specifying the type primitive to render. Possible values are:

  • gl.POINTS: Draws a single dot.
  • gl.LINE_STRIP: Draws a straight line to the next vertex.
  • gl.LINE_LOOP: Draws a straight line to the next vertex, and connects the last vertex back to the first.
  • gl.LINES: Draws a line between a pair of vertices.
  • gl.TRIANGLE_STRIP
  • gl.TRIANGLE_FAN
  • gl.TRIANGLES: Draws a triangle for a group of three vertices.
count

A GLsizei specifying the number of elements to be rendered.

type

A GLenum specifying the type of the values in the element array buffer. Possible values are:

offset

A GLintptr specifying an offset in the element array buffer. Must be a valid multiple of the size of the given type.

instanceCount

A GLsizei specifying the number of instances of the set of elements to execute.

Return value

None (undefined).

Exceptions

  • If mode is not one of the accepted values, a gl.INVALID_ENUM error is thrown.
  • If offset is a valid multiple of the size of the given type, a gl.INVALID_OPERATION error is thrown.
  • If count or instanceCount are negative, a gl.INVALID_VALUE error is thrown.

Examples

js
gl.drawElementsInstanced(gl.POINTS, 2, gl.UNSIGNED_SHORT, 0, 4);

Specifications

Specification
WebGL 2.0 Specification
# 3.7.9

Browser compatibility

BCD tables only load in the browser

See also