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Docs are a work in progress for version 1.0. Many features described here are not yet in the latest release. You can build Shader Studio from main to try them now.

Compile Modes

Compile modes control when your shader recompiles after you make changes.

Choosing a Mode

Open Menu → Compile Mode and select one of three modes:

Mode When it compiles
Hot On every keystroke (default)
Save Only when you save the file
Manual Only when you trigger it explicitly

The current mode is shown in the menu. Your choice is saved and restored across sessions.

Hot Mode

The shader recompiles immediately as you type. Compilation errors appear in the preview as soon as they occur.

Save Mode

The shader only recompiles when you save the file (Cmd+S / Ctrl+S). Unsaved edits do not trigger a recompile.

Manual Mode

The shader only compiles when you explicitly request it. Two ways to trigger:

  • Press Ctrl+Enter
  • Click the Compile Now button that appears at the left of the toolbar in manual mode