The short version: An open standard can reduce platform fragmentation; it cannot remove the need to validate performance, interaction, and comfort on real devices.

OpenXR is a royalty-free standard for accessing VR, AR, and mixed-reality platforms through a common API. Khronos says OpenXR 1.1 moved several commonly used extensions into the core specification and refined the wording of the standard.

That matters because an XR team can share more application code across runtimes instead of building every interaction around a single vendorโ€™s extension. It does not mean a project is automatically portable. Tracking quality, controller layout, refresh rate, passthrough behavior, permissions, and thermal limits still differ by device and runtime.

Build a conformance matrix

List each target headset, runtime, graphics API, input path, and minimum frame-rate target. Test the same interaction at the edge of the playspace and in the first five minutes, where discomfort and setup failures are most expensive. Record the runtime version with the build.

Design for comfort, not only compatibility

A shared API can expose the same feature on two devices while the experience feels different. Offer snap turning, seated options, readable UI, recentering, and a clear way to exit. Measure dropped frames and motion latency instead of assuming a high-end development machine represents the audience.

Primary sources

OpenXRVRARmixed realityXR development