Publisher's Synopsis
The motivation for this book stems from the growing demand for real-time rendering and GPU-accelerated computations in interactive applications. With the advent of WebGPU, a powerful graphics API for the web, WGSL has emerged as a vital tool for developers seeking to harness the full potential of modern GPUs. As the language matures, it promises to bring cutting-edge graphics capabilities directly to the browser, democratizing access to high-performance visuals across platforms.
This book focuses on the extraordinary versatility of fragment shaders, exploring their ability to generate intricate visuals and dynamic effects entirely within the GPU pipeline. From simulating physical phenomena to producing stunning visual effects and procedural patterns, fragment shaders excel at operating at the pixel level. We explore how fragment shaders alone can create immersive environments, animations, and simulations - no 3D models, external textures, or traditional rendering pipelines required.
