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@@ -2,51 +2,26 @@ [](https://ci.appveyor.com/project/shader-slang/slang/branch/master) [](https://travis-ci.org/shader-slang/slang) -Slang is a library and a stand-alone compiler for working with real-time shader code. -It can be used with existing HLSL or GLSL code, but also supports a new HLSL-like shading language, also called Slang. -The library provides a variety of services that support applications in putting together their own shader compilation workflows. +Slang is a shading language that extends HLSL with new capabilities for building modular, extensible, and high-performance real-time shading systems. +This repository provides a command-line compiler and a plain C API for loading, compiling, and reflecting shader code in Slang or plain HLSL. Using Slang you can: -* Take ordinary HLSL or GLSL code that neglects to include all those tedious `register` and `layout` bindings, and transform it into code that includes explicit bindings on every shader parameter. This frees you to write simple and clean code, while still getting completely deterministic binding locations. +* Compile your HLSL or Slang code to DX bytecode, SPIR-V, or plain source code in HLSL or GLSL (DXIL support is planned). -* Get full reflection information about the parameters of your shader code, with a consistent API interface across GLSL, HLSL, and Slang code. Slang doesn't silently drop unused or "dead" shader parameters from the reflection data, so you can always see the full picture. +* Get full reflection information about the parameters of your shader code, with a consistent interface no matter the target graphics API. Slang doesn't silently drop unused or "dead" shader parameters from the reflection data, so you can always see the full picture. -* Cross-compile shader code written in the HLSL-like Slang shading language to HLSL, GLSL, DX bytecode, or SPIR-V. You can even write ordinary HLSL or GLSL by hand that makes use of libraries of code written in Slang. +* Take ordinary HLSL code that neglects to include all those tedious `register` and `layout` bindings, and transform it into code that includes explicit bindings on every shader parameter. This frees you to write simple and clean code, while still getting completely deterministic binding locations. -## Getting Started - -There are several ways that you can get started using Slang, depending on how complex your application's needs are. - -Right now Slang only supports Windows builds (32- and 64-bit). - -### Binary releases - -Pre-built binary packages for the stand-alone Slang compiler and a DLL of the Slang library are available through GitHub [releases](https://github.com/shader-slang/slang/releases). - -### Building from source - -If you would like to build Slang from source, then clone [this](https://github.com/shader-slang/slang) repository, and then run: +* Write shading code that uses first-class support for modules, interfaces, and generics to build clean and reusable shader libraries. - git submodule update --init - -Next, open `slang.sln` and build your desired platform/configuration. - -### Integrating the source into your build - -If you want to statically link Slang into your application, instead of having to deal with a dynamic library, then the easiset option is to just integrate Slang into your build. - -First, clone the Slang repostiory (or download a source [release](https://github.com/shader-slang/slang/releases)) and add the root folder of the slang repository/release to your include path. -Then in one `.cpp` file in your project, write: - -```c++ -#define SLANG_INCLUDE_IMPLEMENTATION -#include <slang.h> -``` +## Getting Started -This causes the `slang.h` header to `#include` all the source files that make up the Slang compiler implementation. +The fastest way to get started with Slang is to use a pre-built binary package, available through GitHub [releases](https://github.com/shader-slang/slang/releases). +There are packages built for 32- and 64-bit Windows, as well as 64-bit Ubuntu. +A binary release includes the command-line `slangc` compiler, a shared library for the compiler, and the `slang.h` header. -Note that this option does *not* currently include support for generating SPIR-V output, unless you build the `slang-glslang` dynamic library separately. +If you would like to build Slang from source, please consult the instructions [here](docs/building.md). ## Documentation @@ -71,7 +46,7 @@ Major limitations to be aware of (beyond everything files in the issue tracker): * Slang-to-GLSL cross-compilation only supports vertex, fragment, and compute shaders. Geometry and tessellation shader cross-compilation is not yet implemented. -* The Slang front-end does best-effort checking of HLSL input, and only supports very minimal checking of GLSL. When using these languages, the `-no-checking` option can be used to allow Slang to work with these files even when it gets confused by constructs it doesn't support. +* The Slang front-end does best-effort checking of HLSL input, but it is challenging to achieve 100% compatibility. Bug reports and pull requests related to HLSL feature support are welcome. * Translations from Slang/HLSL constructs to GLSL equivalents has been done on as as-needed basis, so it is likely that new users will run into unimplemented cases. @@ -92,7 +67,6 @@ The Slang code itself is under the MIT license (see [LICSENSE](LICENSE)). The Slang projet can be compiled to use the [`glslang`](https://github.com/KhronosGroup/glslang) project as a submodule (under `external/glslang`), and `glslang` is under a BSD licesnse. The Slang tests (which are not distributed with source/binary releases) include example shaders extracted from: -* A [repository](https://github.com/SaschaWillems/Vulkan) of Vulkan GLSL shaders by Sascha Willems, which are under the MIT license * Sample HLSL shaders from the Microsoft DirectX SDK, which has its own licesnse -Some of the Slang examples and tests use the `stb_imgae` and `stb_image_write` libraries (under `external/stb`) which have been placed in the public domain by their author(s). +Some of the Slang examples and tests use the `stb_image` and `stb_image_write` libraries (under `external/stb`) which have been placed in the public domain by their author(s). |