Augmented reality has its own vocabulary. Spend five minutes reading about WebAR and you’ll encounter terms like SLAM, WebXR, markerless tracking, and GPU rendering which are often used as though everyone already knows what they mean.
For brand teams, marketers, and agency strategists who are new to the space, this can make the technology feel more complicated than it actually is.
This glossary cuts through the jargon. It covers the core WebAR and AR terms you’ll encounter when evaluating platforms, briefing agencies, or reviewing campaign proposals, all explained in plain English, with context for why each concept matters in practice.
A
Anchor
In AR, an anchor is the reference point that fixes a virtual object to a position in the real world. When you place a 3D model on a table using surface tracking, the anchor is the point on the surface to which the model is attached. Anchors allow virtual objects to remain stable and correctly positioned as the user moves their phone.
AR (Augmented Reality)
Augmented reality (AR) is technology that overlays digital content whether that be images, 3D models, animations, text or sound onto the real world as viewed through a camera.
Unlike virtual reality (VR), which replaces the real world entirely, AR enhances it. AR can be delivered via dedicated apps, smart glasses, or (increasingly) directly in a mobile browser via WebAR.
ARCore
ARCore is Google’s platform for building augmented reality experiences on Android devices. It provides the core capabilities required for AR: motion tracking, environmental understanding (surface detection), and light estimation. ARCore is free to use and supports a wide range of Android smartphones.
ARKit
ARKit is Apple’s augmented reality framework for iOS devices (iPhone and iPad). It enables precise motion tracking, surface detection, face tracking, and object recognition. ARKit is free to use on Apple devices and is one of the key technology layers that makes high-quality mobile AR possible on iOS.
B
Blippbuilder
Blippbuilder is Blippar’s no-code AR creation platform. It allows brand teams, marketers, and agencies to build, publish, and manage WebAR experiences without any coding skills using a drag-and-drop interface. Blippbuilder supports a range of experience types including image-tracked product AR, face filters, and surface-placed 3D objects. A free tier is available.
Learn more about Blippbuilder here.
Browser-based AR
See WebAR. Browser-based AR refers to any augmented reality experience that runs within a mobile web browser rather than requiring a dedicated app download. The terms are used interchangeably.
C
Computer vision
Computer vision is the field of artificial intelligence concerned with enabling computers to interpret and understand visual information from cameras or images.
In AR, computer vision powers the ability to recognise specific images (image tracking), detect flat surfaces (surface tracking), map physical environments (SLAM), and track faces. It’s the core enabling technology behind almost all AR tracking.
D
Depth sensing
Depth sensing is the ability of a device to measure the distance between the camera and objects in the real world. On devices with dedicated depth sensors (like Apple’s LiDAR-equipped iPhones), depth data enables significantly more accurate surface placement and occlusion (where real objects can appear in front of virtual ones). Most WebAR experiences function without dedicated depth sensors, using SLAM-based depth estimation instead.
Dwell time
In AR analytics, dwell time refers to the length of time a user spends actively engaged with an AR experience in a single session. It’s one of the most commonly cited success metrics for brand AR campaigns because it measures genuine engagement rather than just views. AR experiences consistently generate dwell times significantly higher than other digital formats. 60 to 180 seconds is typical for well-designed WebAR.
E
Experience (AR experience)
In WebAR, an ‘experience’ refers to a single AR activation: the complete digital interaction a user has when they scan a QR code or trigger an AR launch. An experience might be a product visualisation, a face filter, a game, a portal, or an information overlay.
Platforms like Blippbuilder and the Blippar WebAR SDK are used to create and publish experiences.
F
Face tracking
Face tracking is an AR capability that identifies and tracks the user’s face in real time, enabling digital content to be placed on or around the face. It’s the technology behind selfie filters on social platforms and branded face filter campaigns.
In WebAR, face tracking is delivered entirely in the browser. No app is required. Blippar’s WebAR SDK supports real-time face tracking natively.
Frame rate (fps)
Frame rate, measured in frames per second (fps), describes how smoothly an AR experience renders. Higher frame rates produce smoother, more realistic-feeling experiences while lower frame rates can feel choppy or laggy.
Most consumer AR targets 30fps as a minimum for a comfortable experience. Blippar’s GPU SLAM technology is designed to maintain 30fps mobile AR rendering across a broad range of devices.
G
Geofencing
Geofencing in AR refers to triggering or restricting AR experiences based on the user’s physical location.
A campaign might, for example, only activate within a specific retail store, at an event venue, or within a particular city. Geofencing can be used for location-based exclusivity, local market activation, or to create place-specific content.
GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)
The GPU is the chip in a device responsible for rendering visual content. In AR, the GPU handles the real-time rendering of 3D models, animations, and effects. GPU performance directly affects how complex an AR experience can be and at what frame rate it runs. Blippar’s WebAR SDK uses GPU SLAM to enable high-quality, 30fps AR on standard mobile devices.
I
Image tracking
Image tracking is an AR capability that detects and tracks a specific flat image. This could be a product label, a poster, a magazine page or a business card. It then overlays digital content on top of it. When a user points their camera at the target image, the AR experience appears anchored to that image. Image tracking is one of the most common mechanisms for packaging AR, since the product itself becomes the trigger. Also called ‘marker-based tracking’ when the trigger is a specifically designed pattern.
L
Light estimation
Light estimation is an AR feature that analyses the lighting in the real-world environment and adjusts the shading and shadows of virtual objects to match. Without it, 3D objects placed in a scene look artificially lit and fail to blend convincingly with the real world. Light estimation significantly improves the realism of surface-placed AR experiences.
M
Marker-based tracking
See Image Tracking. Marker-based tracking refers to AR experiences triggered and anchored to a specific predefined image or pattern (the ‘marker’). Common markers include QR codes, barcodes, logos, and designed trigger images. The marker acts as an anchor point for the AR experience.
Markerless tracking
See Surface Tracking and SLAM. Markerless tracking refers to AR that doesn’t require a specific image to trigger or anchor the experience. Instead, it uses computer vision to identify flat surfaces (floors, tables, walls) and places virtual objects on them. The technology relies on SLAM to map the environment in real time.
O
Occlusion
Occlusion in AR refers to the ability of real-world objects to appear in front of virtual ones, creating a more convincing sense of depth and presence. For example, if a virtual character is placed behind a real chair, occlusion means the chair appears to physically block the character. Basic occlusion is possible with standard device cameras while more advanced occlusion requires depth sensing data.
Q
QR code (in WebAR context)
In WebAR campaigns, a QR code is the most common trigger mechanism. The consumer scans the code with their phone camera, which opens a URL in the mobile browser and launches the AR experience. Unlike app-based AR triggers, QR-launched WebAR requires no installed software. The QR code is essentially a shortcut to a URL, and the AR experience lives at that URL. One key advantage is that the content at the URL can be updated without reprinting the QR code.
S
SDK (Software Development Kit)
An SDK is a packaged set of tools, libraries, and documentation that developers use to build features into their own products. Blippar’s WebAR SDK provides developers with the building blocks to add AR capabilities including tracking, rendering and analytics to their own websites, apps, or campaign builds. The SDK is compatible with major frameworks including Unity, PlayCanvas, A-Frame, and Babylon.js.
See also: Blippar WebAR SDK
SLAM (Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping)
SLAM is one of the most important technologies in AR. It allows a device to build a real-time map of an unknown environment while simultaneously tracking its own position within that map, using only the device’s camera (and sometimes inertial sensors).
In practice, SLAM is what enables an AR experience to accurately place a virtual object on a floor or table and have it stay in place as the user moves around. Blippar uses GPU SLAM to achieve 30fps mobile AR rendering on standard smartphones.
Surface tracking
Surface tracking is an AR capability that detects flat horizontal or vertical surfaces (floors, tables, walls, desks) in the real world and allows virtual objects to be placed on them. It’s the technology behind ‘place a 3D sofa in your living room’ furniture AR experiences. Surface tracking typically uses SLAM to understand the geometry of the environment.
W
WebAR
WebAR (web-based augmented reality) is augmented reality that runs directly in a mobile web browser, without requiring a dedicated app download. A user accesses a WebAR experience via a URL, typically by scanning a QR code or tapping a link, and the experience launches in their browser.
WebAR is delivered using a combination of web technologies including WebGL, WebXR, and device camera access APIs. It’s significantly more accessible than app-based AR because it eliminates the installation barrier.
See also: How much does WebAR cost in 2026? — Blippar
WebGL (Web Graphics Library)
WebGL is a JavaScript API that enables high-performance 3D graphics rendering directly in a web browser, without plugins. It uses the GPU to render complex 3D scenes in real time. WebGL is a foundational technology for WebAR. It’s what allows 3D models, animations, and visual effects to run smoothly in a mobile browser.
WebXR (WebXR Device API)
WebXR is a standardised web API developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) that enables web browsers to access AR and VR capabilities on a wide range of devices. It provides a unified interface for accessing device sensors, camera feeds, and display systems needed for immersive experiences. WebXR is one of the key specifications enabling native browser-based AR, and its adoption across iOS (Safari) and Android (Chrome) has been central to the growth of WebAR as a deployment format.
Z
Z-fighting
Z-fighting is a visual artefact in 3D rendering that occurs when two surfaces are placed at almost exactly the same depth, causing the renderer to rapidly alternate which one appears in front. It manifests as a flickering, striped pattern on a surface. In AR, it most commonly occurs when a virtual surface is placed directly on top of a detected real-world surface. It’s solved by adjusting the depth offset of virtual objects during development.
Now that you speak the language, start building. Try Blippbuilder free or download the Blippar WebAR SDK to start creating WebAR experiences today.
Sources & further reading
Intro to WebAR — Medium / Antaeus AR