Unity 6 XR Development Guide

Source: Unity 6.3 LTS Documentation (6000.3)

XR Architecture Overview

Unity defines XR as encompassing three application types:

• Virtual Reality (VR) -- The application simulates a self-contained environment around the user
• Mixed Reality (MR) -- Combines virtual environments with real-world settings for interaction
• Augmented Reality (AR) -- The application layers content over a view of the real world

The XR stack in Unity 6 consists of:

1. XR Plug-in Management -- Discovers and loads platform XR SDKs
2. OpenXR Plugin -- Open, royalty-free standard by Khronos for cross-platform XR
3. XR Interaction Toolkit (XRI) -- High-level component-based interaction system
4. AR Foundation -- Cross-platform AR framework with provider plug-in architecture
5. Input System -- Action-based input required by OpenXR and XRI