FBXs

FBX is a proprietary 3D file format that stores complex scene data including geometry, topology, materials, textures, skinning, animation, and camera and light information. It is used as an interchange format between digital content creation applications and real-time engines.

FBX originated as Filmbox, developed by Kaydara. It was acquired by Autodesk and released as FBX, which Autodesk has maintained since, making it a key component of its ecosystem for exchanging 3D data.

FBX has two main encodings: a binary format (the most common) and an ASCII text representation used for debugging or compatibility. The binary form is typically faster to read/write and more compact. The file uses a version number; newer software versions sometimes require corresponding FBX versions, and cross-version compatibility is not guaranteed. The format supports a wide range of data: geometry and topology, textures and materials, animations and rigging, morph targets, lights, cameras, and scene hierarchy.

In practice, FBX is widely supported by major digital content creation tools such as Maya, 3ds Max, Blender, Cinema 4D, and Houdini, and by game engines like Unity and Unreal Engine. It enables export of complex scenes, including animation curves, skinning, constraints, and blend shapes, making it a common interchange artery in many pipelines.

As a proprietary format, FBX is not an open standard, though Autodesk provides the FBX SDK under a license that allows developers to implement import/export in their applications. This has made FBX a de facto interchange format in many industries, even as some projects explore open formats like glTF for specific data types.