Fractal Explorer

This page lets you zoom into, modify, and explore some common fractals. The URL updates as you explore, so you can share discoveries just by copying the page address.

It’s a GPU-driven fractal explorer with an experimental deep zoom path. The standard renderer still hits floating point limits at relatively shallow depths, and deep zoom currently focuses on validated Mandelbrot cases first.

Desktop controls

  • Click: set the image center
  • Scroll : zoom in / out
  • C: Increment color palette (decrement with Shift + C)
  • D: Increase pixel density (decrease with Shift + D)
  • E: Increase exponent (decrease with Shift + E)
  • F: Change fractal type
  • G: Increase color density (decrease with Shift + G)
  • I: Increase constant imaginary component (decrease with Shift + I) (does not affect Mandelbrot or Burning Ship sets)
  • J: Increase light intensity (decrease with Shift + J)
  • K: Increase light height (decrease with Shift + K)
  • L: Rotate light direction (reverse with Shift + L)
  • N: Toggle slope shading (on by default)
  • O: Reset center to origin
  • Q: Increase escape radius (decrease with Shift + Q)
  • R: Increase constant real component (decrease with Shift + R) (does not affect Mandelbrot or Burning Ship sets)
  • S: Increase animation speed (decrease with Shift + S)
  • A: Toggle stripe average coloring (off by default)
  • X: Clear state
  • Z: Zoom in slowly (zoom out with Shift + Z)
  • : Fine-adjust image center
  • Space: Play / pause animation (change direction with Shift + Space)
  • Enter: Save the active frame
  • ?: Show this info pane
  • Esc: Hide this info pane

Touch controls

  • Tap: set the image center
  • Swipe : Change color palette
  • Swipe : Zoom in / out

With two extra fingers held down

  • Swipe : Change constant real component
  • Swipe : Change constant imaginary component

With three extra fingers held down

  • Swipe : Change exponent
  • Swipe : Change escape radius

With four extra fingers held down

  • Swipe : Change fractal type
  • Swipe : Change animation speed

This code is open source and licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0. It was made by Riley.

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