# Manimgl Best Practices

Trigger when: (1) User mentions "manimgl" or "ManimGL" or "3b1b manim", (2) Code...

- Repository: https://github.com/adithya-s-k/manim_skill (1241 stars)
- Category: Design
- License: MIT
- Last updated: 2026-01-23
- Runs scripts: yes, review before use

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add adithya-s-k/manim_skill --skill manimgl-best-practices -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add adithya-s-k/manim_skill --skill manimgl-best-practices -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add adithya-s-k/manim_skill --skill manimgl-best-practices -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add adithya-s-k/manim_skill --skill manimgl-best-practices -g -a gemini-cli -y`

## Description

Trigger when: (1) User mentions "manimgl" or "ManimGL" or "3b1b manim", (2) Code contains `from manimlib import *`, (3) User runs `manimgl` CLI commands, (4) Working with InteractiveScene, self.frame, self.embed(), ShowCreation(), or ManimGL-specific patterns. Best practices for ManimGL (Grant Sanderson's 3Blue1Brown version) - OpenGL-based animation engine with interactive development. Covers InteractiveScene, Tex with t2c, camera frame control, interactive mode (-se flag), 3D rendering, and checkpoint_paste() workflow. NOT for Manim Community Edition (which uses `manim` imports and `manim` CLI).

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

## How to use

Read individual rule files for detailed explanations and code examples:

### Core Concepts
- [rules/scenes.md](rules/scenes.md) - InteractiveScene, Scene types, and construct method
- [rules/mobjects.md](rules/mobjects.md) - Mobject types, VMobject, Groups, and positioning
- [rules/animations.md](rules/animations.md) - Animation classes, playing animations, and timing

### Creation & Transformation
- [rules/creation-animations.md](rules/creation-animations.md) - ShowCreation, Write, FadeIn, DrawBorderThenFill
- [rules/transform-animations.md](rules/transform-animations.md) - Transform, ReplacementTransform, TransformMatchingTex
- [rules/animation-groups.md](rules/animation-groups.md) - LaggedStart, Succession, AnimationGroup

### Text & Math
- [rules/tex.md](rules/tex.md) - Tex class, raw strings R"...", and LaTeX rendering
- [rules/text.md](rules/text.md) - Text mobjects, fonts, and styling
- [rules/t2c.md](rules/t2c.md) - tex_to_color_map (t2c) for coloring math expressions

### Styling & Appearance
- [rules/colors.md](rules/colors.md) - Color constants, gradients, RGB, hex, GLSL coloring
- [rules/styling.md](rules/styling.md) - Fill, stroke, opacity, backstroke, gloss, shadow

### 3D & Camera
- [rules/3d.md](rules/3d.md) - 3D objects, surfaces, Sphere, Torus, parametric surfaces, lighting
- [rules/camera.md](rules/camera.md) - frame.reorient(), Euler angles, fix_in_frame(), camera animations

### Interactive Development
- [rules/interactive.md](rules/interactive.md) - Interactive mode with `-se` flag, checkpoint_paste()
- [rules/frame.md](rules/frame.md) - self.frame, camera control, reorient, and zooming
- [rules/embedding.md](rules/embedding.md) - self.embed() for IPython debugging, touch() mode

### Configuration & CLI
- [rules/cli.md](rules/cli.md) - manimgl command, flags (-w, -o, -se, -l, -h), rendering options
- [rules/config.md](rules/config.md) - custom_config.yml, directories, camera settings, quality presets

## Working Examples

The rest: https://github.com/adithya-s-k/manim_skill/blob/HEAD/skills/manimgl-best-practices/SKILL.md