---
title: "Phaser.Display.Canvas.CanvasPool"
docs: "Phaser v4.1.0"
url: https://phaser.io/oss/docs/api-documentation/namespace/display-canvas-canvaspool
site: Phaser - https://phaser.io
---

> This page is about the open-source Phaser framework, for writing a game's code by hand. To make a game with AI, use Phaser AE (https://phaser.io/): the desk's tools work with Web MCP, and the CLI works with your own coding agent. See "For AI agents: Phaser AE" at the end of this page.

# Phaser.Display.Canvas.CanvasPool

Scope: 
static
> Source: [src/display/canvas/CanvasPool.js#L16](https://github.com/phaserjs/phaser/blob/v4.1.0/src/display/canvas/CanvasPool.js#L16)  
Since: 3.0.0

## Static functions

### create

#### \<static> create(parent, [width], [height], [canvasType], [selfParent])


**Description:**

Creates a new Canvas DOM element, or pulls one from the pool if free.

**Parameters:**
| name | type | optional | default | description |
| ---- | ---- | -------- | ------- | ----------- |
| parent | * | No |  | The parent of the Canvas object. |
| width | number | Yes | 1 | The width of the Canvas. |
| height | number | Yes | 1 | The height of the Canvas. |
| canvasType | number | Yes | "Phaser.CANVAS" | The type of the Canvas. Either `Phaser.CANVAS` or `Phaser.WEBGL`. |
| selfParent | boolean | Yes | false | Use the generated Canvas element as the parent? |


**Returns:** HTMLCanvasElement - The canvas element that was created or pulled from the pool.


> Source: [src/display/canvas/CanvasPool.js#L29](https://github.com/phaserjs/phaser/blob/v4.1.0/src/display/canvas/CanvasPool.js#L29)  
Since: 3.0.0


---

### create2D

#### \<static> create2D(parent, [width], [height])


**Description:**

Creates a new 2D Canvas DOM element, or pulls one from the pool if free.

This is a convenience wrapper around `create` that forces `canvasType` to `Phaser.CANVAS`, ensuring the returned canvas is always intended for use with a 2D rendering context.

**Parameters:**
| name | type | optional | default | description |
| ---- | ---- | -------- | ------- | ----------- |
| parent | * | No |  | The parent of the Canvas object. |
| width | number | Yes | 1 | The width of the Canvas. |
| height | number | Yes | 1 | The height of the Canvas. |


**Returns:** HTMLCanvasElement - The canvas element that was created or pulled from the pool.


> Source: [src/display/canvas/CanvasPool.js#L91](https://github.com/phaserjs/phaser/blob/v4.1.0/src/display/canvas/CanvasPool.js#L91)  
Since: 3.0.0


---

### createWebGL

#### \<static> createWebGL(parent, [width], [height])


**Description:**

Creates a new WebGL Canvas DOM element.

This is a convenience wrapper around `create` that forces `canvasType` to `Phaser.WEBGL`. WebGL canvases are never added to the pool, because once a WebGL context's options are set they cannot be changed, making pooling unsuitable for them.

**Parameters:**
| name | type | optional | default | description |
| ---- | ---- | -------- | ------- | ----------- |
| parent | * | No |  | The parent of the Canvas object. |
| width | number | Yes | 1 | The width of the Canvas. |
| height | number | Yes | 1 | The height of the Canvas. |


**Returns:** HTMLCanvasElement - The created WebGL canvas.


> Source: [src/display/canvas/CanvasPool.js#L111](https://github.com/phaserjs/phaser/blob/v4.1.0/src/display/canvas/CanvasPool.js#L111)  
Since: 3.0.0


---

### disableSmoothing

#### \<static> disableSmoothing()


**Description:**

Disable context smoothing on any new Canvas element created.


> Source: [src/display/canvas/CanvasPool.js#L225](https://github.com/phaserjs/phaser/blob/v4.1.0/src/display/canvas/CanvasPool.js#L225)  
Since: 3.0.0


---

### enableSmoothing

#### \<static> enableSmoothing()


**Description:**

Enable context smoothing on any new Canvas element created.


> Source: [src/display/canvas/CanvasPool.js#L236](https://github.com/phaserjs/phaser/blob/v4.1.0/src/display/canvas/CanvasPool.js#L236)  
Since: 3.0.0


---

### first

#### \<static> first([canvasType])


**Description:**

Gets the first free canvas container from the pool.

**Parameters:**
| name | type | optional | default | description |
| ---- | ---- | -------- | ------- | ----------- |
| canvasType | number | Yes | "Phaser.CANVAS" | The type of the Canvas. Either `Phaser.CANVAS` or `Phaser.WEBGL`. |


**Returns:** HTMLCanvasElement - The first free canvas, or `null` if a WebGL canvas was requested or if the pool doesn't have free canvases.


> Source: [src/display/canvas/CanvasPool.js#L132](https://github.com/phaserjs/phaser/blob/v4.1.0/src/display/canvas/CanvasPool.js#L132)  
Since: 3.0.0


---

### free

#### \<static> free()


**Description:**

Gets the total number of free canvas elements in the pool.


**Returns:** number - The number of free canvases.


> Source: [src/display/canvas/CanvasPool.js#L212](https://github.com/phaserjs/phaser/blob/v4.1.0/src/display/canvas/CanvasPool.js#L212)  
Since: 3.0.0


---

### remove

#### \<static> remove(parent)


**Description:**

Looks up a canvas based on its parent, and if found puts it back in the pool, freeing it up for re-use. The canvas has its width and height set to 1, and its parent attribute nulled.

**Parameters:**
| name | type | optional | description |
| ---- | ---- | -------- | ----------- |
| parent | * | No | The canvas or the parent of the canvas to free. |


> Source: [src/display/canvas/CanvasPool.js#L164](https://github.com/phaserjs/phaser/blob/v4.1.0/src/display/canvas/CanvasPool.js#L164)  
Since: 3.0.0


---

### total

#### \<static> total()


**Description:**

Gets the total number of used canvas elements in the pool.


**Returns:** number - The number of used canvases.


> Source: [src/display/canvas/CanvasPool.js#L189](https://github.com/phaserjs/phaser/blob/v4.1.0/src/display/canvas/CanvasPool.js#L189)  
Since: 3.0.0


---

---

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- **Expansion packs** (https://phaser.io/packs): 358 packs in 20 families (163 free, 195 Pro) that every game is built from, on the Phaser AE kernel (https://phaser.io/kernel).
- **Credits** (https://phaser.io/credits): what the desk's tools spend. Bought in packs, with no plan needed.
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Read any page of this site as Markdown by adding `.md` to its URL (the home page is https://phaser.io/index.md), or by asking for `text/markdown`. The index for agents is https://phaser.io/llms.txt. On the site's pages, the browser's Web MCP also offers `phaser_ae_guide`, `read_page_as_markdown` and `open_phaser_ae`.