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Introducing Howler.js, a Javascript audio library with full cross-browser support

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  • 2 min read
  • 01 Nov 2018

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Developed by GoldFire Studios, Howler.js is an audio library for the modern web that makes working with audio in JavaScript easy and reliable across all platforms. It defaults to Web Audio API and falls back to HTML5 Audio to provide support for all browsers and platforms including IE9 and Cordova. Originally, it was developed for an HTML5 game engine, but it can also be used just as well for any other audio related function in web applications.

Features of Howler.js

  • Single API for all audio needs: It provides a simple and consistent API to make it easier to build audio experiences in your application.
  • Audio sprites: For more precise playback and lower resources. you can define and control segments of files with audio sprites.
  • Supports all codecs: It supports all codecs such as MP3, MPEG, OPUS, OGG, OGA, WAV, AAC, CAF, M4A, MP4, WEBA, WEBM, DOLBY, FLAC.
  • Auto-caching for improved performance: It automatically caches loaded sounds that can be reused on subsequent calls for better performance and bandwidth.
  • Modular architecture: Its modular architecture helps you to easily use and extend the library to add custom features.

Which browsers does it support?


Howler.js is compatible with the following:

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  • Google Chrome 7.0+
  • Internet Explorer 9.0+
  • Firefox 4.0+
  • Safari 5.1.4+
  • Mobile Safari 6.0+
  • Opera 12.0+
  • Microsoft Edge


Read more about Howler.js on its official website and also check out its GitHub repository.

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