This is an experimental technology
Because this technology's specification has not stabilized, check the compatibility table for usage in various browsers. Also note that the syntax and behavior of an experimental technology is subject to change in future versions of browsers as the specification changes.
The Gamepad API is a way for developers to access and respond to signals from gamepads and other game controllers in a simple, consistent way. It contains three interfaces, two events and one specialist function, to respond to gamepads being connected and disconnected, and to access other information about the gamepads themselves, and what buttons and other controls are currently being pressed.
Interfaces
Gamepad- Represents a gamepad/controller connected to the computer.
GamepadButton- Represents a button on one of the connected controllers.
GamepadEvent- The event object representing events fired that are related to gamepads.
Experimental Gamepad extensions
GamepadHapticActuator- Represents hardware in the controller designed to provide haptic feedback to the user (if available), most commonly vibration hardware.
GamepadPose- Represents the pose of a controller (e.g. position and orientation in 3D space) in the case of a WebVR controller.
See also the extensions to the Gamepad interface, for features that allow you to access the above information.
Extensions to other interfaces
Navigator
Navigator.getGamepads()- An extension to the
Navigatorobject that returns an array ofGamepadobjects, one for each connected gamepad.
Window events
Window.ongamepadconnected- Represents an event handler that will run when a gamepad is connected (when the
gamepadconnectedevent fires). Window.ongamepaddisconnected- Represents an event handler that will run when a gamepad is disconnected (when the
gamepaddisconnectedevent fires).
Tutorials and guides
Specifications
| Specification | Status | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | Unknown | Defines the Experimental Gamepad extensions. |
| Gamepad The definition of 'The Gamepad API specification' in that specification. |
Working Draft | Initial definition |
Browser compatibility
| Feature | Chrome | Edge | Firefox (Gecko) | Internet Explorer | Opera | Safari (WebKit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General support | 21.0 webkit 35.0 |
(Yes) | 29.0 (29.0) | No support | 15.0 webkit 22.0 |
10.1 |
| Gamepad extensions | No support | No support | No support[1] | No support | No support | No support |
| Feature | Android | Edge | Firefox Mobile (Gecko) | IE Phone | Opera Mobile | Safari Mobile | Samsung Internet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General support | No support | (Yes) | 32.0 (32.0) | No support | No support | No support | Yes |
| Gamepad extensions | No support | No support | No support[1] | No support | No support | No support | No support |
[1] Enabled in Firefox Nightly and Beta, versions 55 and above. Enabled/disabled by the dom.gamepad-extensions.enabled pref.
See also
- The Gamepad API by Ted Mielczarek and Robert Nyman
- Simple API demo page (source)