Question 1

How does HGSL compare to writing raw GLSL for WebGL?

Accepted Answer

HGSL offers superior IDE support and modern language features like modularization and inheritance, but adds a dependency on Haxe and its toolchain. For teams already using Haxe, it's a significant productivity boost over error-prone manual GLSL coding.

Question 2

How to set up HGSL in Visual Studio Code?

Accepted Answer

Install Haxe 4.3.1 or later, add the vshaxe extension in VSCode, initialize a Haxe project, and copy the HGSL source or install via Haxelib. The README provides step-by-step instructions, including configuring the Haxe path for completions.

Question 3

Can HGSL shaders be used with other graphics APIs besides WebGL?

Accepted Answer

HGSL compiles to GLSL ES 3.0, which is primarily for WebGL 2.0. It might be compatible with other GLSL-based APIs like OpenGL ES, but WebGL 2.0 is the main target, and compatibility depends on the underlying graphics pipeline.

Question 4

What are the performance costs of using HGSL?

Accepted Answer

Since HGSL compiles to standard GLSL at compile time, there's no runtime performance penalty. The generated code is efficient GLSL ES 3.0, similar to hand-written shaders, with all abstractions resolved before execution.

Question 5

How does HGSL handle shader uniforms and attributes?

Accepted Answer

HGSL uses annotations like @uniform and @attribute to define inputs, with optional layout specifications for locations. This provides type-safe access and metadata extraction, as shown in examples for vertex and fragment shaders.

Question 6

Is HGSL good for large shader libraries?

Accepted Answer

Yes, with features like modularization and inheritance, HGSL supports reusable shader libraries. However, be cautious of mutual reference issues that can cause compile errors, as noted in the limitations.

HGSL

What is HGSL?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

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Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions