QuaternionEngine/docs/SHADERS.md

Shaders & Hot Reload

• Locations

  • Sources live under shaders/ and are compiled to .spv next to the sources.

• Build integration

  • CMake invokes glslangValidator -V for *.vert, *.frag, *.comp targeting Vulkan 1.2.
  • Windows PowerShell helper compile_shaders.ps1 uses glslc targeting Vulkan 1.3 and supports additional stages:
    • .mesh (-fshader-stage=mesh), .task, and ray tracing stages (.rgen, .rmiss, .rchit, .rahit, .rint, .rcall).
  • Keep glslangValidator/glslc on PATH and ensure your Vulkan SDK is installed.

• Hot reload

  • PipelineManager::hotReloadChanged() watches .spv modification times.
  • Pipelines rebind the next frame when a shader file timestamp changes.
  • ImGui → Pipelines window provides a manual “Reload Changed” button and lists currently registered pipelines.

• Conventions

  • Name SPIR‑V files with full extension, e.g. fullscreen.vert.spv, deferred_lighting.frag.spv.
  • Use EngineContext::getAssets()->shaderPath("<name>.spv") when registering pipelines.
  • Use sRGB formats for albedo textures and UNORM for PBR control textures (see docs/asset_manager.md).

• Adding a pipeline (graphics)

  • Fill GraphicsPipelineCreateInfo with shader paths, descriptor set layouts, optional push constants, and a configure(PipelineBuilder&) callback to set topology, raster, depth/blend, and attachment formats.
  • Register with PipelineManager::createGraphicsPipeline(name, info). Retrieve via getGraphics or getMaterialPipeline.