Which Unity Modules Do I Need? Explanation of Each Module.
Unity comes with multiple modules that you can install depending on your needs. Being an avid Unity user myself, I wanted to make sure which modules did what so that I knew what I did and did not have to install.
Install only the Unity modules you are using. You do not need all of them. The most popular are Android Build Support for Android apps, iOS Build Support for iPhone apps, and either Universal Windows Platform Build support for Windows 10 platforms or Windows Build Support for other versions of Windows.
List of Unity Modules and What They Do
Platforms:
Android Build Support – Install this if you are planning on building an app for a device running Android OS.
iOS Build Support – If you are planning on building an app for the iPhone, you would choose this. Note that you need a Mac to fully build the project. You cannot use a PC for that.
tvOS Build Support – This is for developing apps targeted for Apple’s TV platform. According to the documentation, you could use the iOS Build Support module to run apps on Apple TV. But you can better adapt it using the tvOS Build Support. (source 1)
Linux Build Support (IL2CPP) – This module is for building to Linux devices. According to Unity, IL2CPP allows for increased performance with process like engine code stripping, better security, and platform compatibility for projects made with unity. Note that build times are greatly increased over building with Mono (See below). There are also ways to decrease build time by changing certain settings. (source 2, source 3)
Linux Build Support (Mono) – This module is for building to Linux devices. It does not include some of the benefits of IL2CPP. However, it has faster build times. It supports managed libraries with Just In Time compilation. It also supports runtime code execution.
Mac Build Support (MONO) – This module allows you to release builds on macOS desktop and laptop computers.
Universal Windows Platform Support – This module allows you to create builds for Windows platforms. This is what you would choose for Windows 10, Windows 10 Mobile, and Xbox One.
WebGL Build Support – This module allows you to upload your app to a website and run your it in an internet browser.
Windows Build Support (IL2CPP) – This module allows you to build for devices that run Windows operating systems other than Windows 10.
Lumin OS (Magic Leap) Build Support – This module allows you to build augmented reality apps for AR gear.
Documentation:
Documentation – Installing this module will copy the documentation for Unity right into the editor. Otherwise, you can find the official documentation on Unity’s website.
Language packs (preview): These allow for Unity editor translations in several languages.
You Do Not Need All of the Modules
Remember, the build modules are only needed if you are ready to test your app on a platform and not just in the Unity editor. You can always run your app in the Unity editor to get an idea of how things will look and feel. However, when you are ready to test on actual devices, you will need the build modules installed to get an accurate representation of how the game will play.
How Do You Install Unity Modules?
When first installing a specific version of Unity from Unity Hub, do the following:
- Pick the version and click ‘NEXT’.
- This is where you add the modules to install. Select the checkboxes on the left of the module.
- Click ‘DONE’.
On the right side you get to see how much storage is required to install the module so that you can take that into consideration.
Can I Add Unity Modules Later?
You can add modules later in Unity Hub. This is a useful feature because if you find out you need a certain module after you have already installed a certain version of Unity, you can still add it. But remember, if you installed your version of Unity with the Unity Installer instead of Unity Hub, you cannot add modules this way.
- Click ‘Installs’ on the left.
- Click the three dots on the top right of one of your installed versions of Unity.
- Select ‘Add Modules’.
- Select the checkbox to the left of the module you want.
- Click ‘DONE’.
