Being a developer encountering an error is not uncommon. One of the errors is…
Uncaught TypeError: THREE.OrbitControls is not a constructor?
So, in this article, we will cover how this error occurs, determine its causes, and importantly, provide solutions to it.
Uncaught typeerror three.orbitcontrols is not a constructor
The “Uncaught TypeError: THREE.OrbitControls is not a constructor” error is revealing that there is a problem with the way the OrbitControls module is being used.
Further, the THREE.OrbitControls module is not being recognized as a constructor, which means that the code is likely trying to call it as a function or is missing the necessary dependencies.
To resolve this error, you can check if the module is properly imported and if all the necessary dependencies are included.
Additionally, you can ensure that the module is being called as a constructor by using the new keyword, as follows:
const controls = new THREE.OrbitControls(camera, renderer.domElement);
Make sure also to check the version of THREE.js being used is compatible with the version of OrbitControls.
Why did this error occur?
There are several causes why the error “Uncaught TypeError: THREE.OrbitControls is not a constructor” might occur.
Here are some possible causes:
- OrbitControls module is not properly imported or included in the project.
- There is a version mismatch between the version of OrbitControls being used and the version of THREE.js being used.
- The OrbitControls module is being called as a function instead of a constructor.
- There may be a syntax error in the code that is preventing the OrbitControls module from being recognized as a constructor.
- There may be a conflict with other libraries or modules being used in the project that is causing the error to occur.
- The necessary dependencies for the OrbitControls module are missing or not properly installed.
- The scope of the OrbitControls module is incorrect or is not properly defined.
- There may be a typo or misspelling in the name of the OrbitControls module.
How to fix Uncaught typeerror three.orbitcontrols is not a constructor
Here is an example of how to fix the error “Uncaught TypeError: THREE.OrbitControls is not a constructor”.
Let’s say you have the following code:
import { OrbitControls } from 'three';
const controls = OrbitControls(camera, renderer.domElement);
The “Uncaught TypeError: THREE.OrbitControls is not a constructor” error occurs because the OrbitControls module is not being called as a constructor.
To solve this error, you can call the OrbitControls module as a constructor using the “new” keyword like this:
import { OrbitControls } from 'three';
const controls = new OrbitControls(camera, renderer.domElement);
Considering the code above code, the OrbitControls module is called as a constructor with the “new” keyword.
Then will instantiate a new instance of the OrbitControls class.
Afterward, it should resolve the error and allow the code to properly utilize the OrbitControls module.
Furthermore, “import” statement is used to import the OrbitControls module into the project, making it available for use in the code.
Additionally, a module is then called as a constructor with the “new” keyword, which creates a new instance of the module and assigns it to the “controls” variable.
Additional Resources
Anyway here are some other fixed typeerror wherein you can refer to try when you might face these errors:
- Typeerror: cannot read property ‘testenvironmentoptions’ of undefined
- Typeerror: strings must be encoded before hashing
Conclusion
To conclude, Uncaught typeerror three.orbitcontrols is not a constructor implying that there is a problem with the way the OrbitControls module is being used.
To ensure that the module is being called as a constructor with the new keyword.
Use the following code:
const controls = new THREE.OrbitControls(camera, renderer.domElement);By considering these solutions, surely the error will be fixed.
That’s all for this article. I hope you have learned and fixed the error you are encountering.
Thank you! 😊
Frequently Asked Questions
Understanding int/str/float TypeErrors
Python separates numeric types from strings strictly. Concatenating, comparing, and arithmetic across type boundaries requires explicit conversion.
Common triggers
- User input is always str.
input()always returns str. Wrap withint()orfloat(). - CSV cells are all str. Even numeric-looking columns are strings until converted.
- JSON numbers vs str. json.loads preserves the JSON type — but only “123” as string in the JSON becomes str in Python.
- Format string mismatch.
"%d" % "5"raises TypeError. Useint("5")first. - Compare int and str. Python 3 fails on
"1" < 2. Convert one side first.
Diagnostic pattern
# BAD — user input treated as int
age = input("Enter your age: ")
if age >= 18: # TypeError: '>=' not supported between 'str' and 'int'
print("Adult")
# GOOD — convert first, guard failure
try:
age = int(input("Enter your age: "))
except ValueError:
print("Invalid age")
age = 0
if age >= 18:
print("Adult")
Best practices
- Convert at boundaries. Convert input, config values, and API responses to the right type immediately after loading.
- Use pydantic or dataclasses. Modern data validation libraries convert and check types automatically.
- Avoid == across types. Compare like-to-like.
Official documentation
What is Python TypeError and what causes it?
TypeError is raised when an operation is applied to an object of the wrong type. Common patterns: calling a non-callable object, adding incompatible types (str + int), passing the wrong number of arguments, or accessing attributes on a NoneType. Each TypeError message names the operation and expected vs actual types, the fix is almost always to convert types explicitly (int(), str()) or fix the wrong variable assignment.
How do I quickly debug a Python TypeError?
Three steps: (1) Read the full error message, it names the exact operation and types involved. (2) Print the type of every variable in that line: print(type(var1), type(var2)). (3) Check what the function expected vs what you passed. Most TypeError fixes are 1-line type casts or fixing a variable that became None unexpectedly.
Should I catch TypeError or let it propagate?
For internal code, let TypeError propagate, it’s almost always a real bug (wrong type passed). For boundary code (parsing user input, third-party API responses), catch TypeError + ValueError together: try: parsed = int(value) except (TypeError, ValueError): parsed = 0. Catching internal TypeErrors hides bugs.
How do I prevent TypeError in production?
Three patterns: (1) Use type hints (def add(a: int, b: int) -> int) and check with mypy / pyright in CI. (2) Validate inputs at boundaries (Pydantic for FastAPI, DRF serializers for Django). (3) Default values that match expected types (return 0 not None for numeric functions). Static typing catches 80% of TypeErrors before runtime.
Where can I find more TypeError fixes?
Browse the TypeError reference hub for 220+ specific TypeError fixes. For broader Python debugging, see the Python Tutorial hub. For related error types, see ValueError and AttributeError guides.
Glay Eliver
Programmer & Technical Writer at PIES IT Solution
Glay Eliver is a programmer and writer at PIES IT Solution, author of over 600 tutorials at itsourcecode.com. Specializes in JavaScript tutorials, Microsoft Office how-tos (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), and Python error debugging covering ImportError, TypeError, AttributeError, ModuleNotFoundError, and JavaScript ReferenceError. Authored several of the site’s highest-traffic Excel and MS Office reference articles.
Expertise: JavaScript · MS Excel · MS Word · MS PowerPoint · Python · Python ImportError · Python TypeError · Python AttributeError · ModuleNotFoundError · JavaScript ReferenceError · Pygame
· View all posts by Glay Eliver →