Build Godot for 2D and UI environments

AryanSynd

Hi, I'm looking for info on how to Build Godot excluding the 3D runtime, at the moment I'm targeting 2D and UI only software.
I've heard that it can be done, but haven't had much luck on searching for such info.
Thanks

DaveTheCoder

If you have no experience building the Godot engine, start here:
https://docs.godotengine.org/en/stable/development/compiling/

You can skip the "Compiling for ..." sections that don't apply to your platform. For example, if you're building on a Linux platform, the only one of those that's applicable is "Compiling for X11 (Linux, *BSD)".

This shows how to exclude the 3D stuff:
https://docs.godotengine.org/en/stable/development/compiling/optimizing_for_size.html#disabling-3d

AryanSynd

While the Documentation is ok for programmers, I have found the video from FinepointCGI to be more adequate in understanding on what needs to be done

The documentation is lacking for those less experienced keyboard warriors

cybereality

You can use Godot for 2D without removing the 3D parts. I don't think it will make much of a difference performance wise since they are separate. For example, if your base node in your Scene is a Control or Node2D, then the 3D portion of the engine won't be running. The only need for doing a custom compile is if you are deploying to mobile or other low-end devices where the file size matters a lot. Even so, the whole engine is around 40MB with everything, so even hardware from 5 or 10 years ago will work fine out of box.

AryanSynd

cybereality Thank you!
I am unsure how the Engine builds itself, weather it builds all the core modules or only those that are used. Every program is different.

I've been really impressed with how much Godot Code is optimised (it's very small for it's features)
I'm surprised if Godot doesn't expand to embed systems in the future

cybereality

There is nothing really compiled where you export a project. The export templates are pre-compiled executable versions of the engine, that just load a pck file. Your whole game or app is the pck file. Meaning every Godot game (made with a specific version of the editor) has the same exact exe file. This is one of the reasons exporting is fast, within a few seconds, while can take several minutes or even an hour with other engines. But this also means it is less customized for your game/app, but it really doesn't matter since the whole engine is 40MB and loads in like 1 second.

Megalomaniak

cybereality But this also means it is less customized for your game/app, but it really doesn't matter since the whole engine is 40MB and loads in like 1 second.

And if you want to customize you have to customize and rebuild the export template/s.