BWSL
For graphics code that has outgrown a single shader file.
Declare the pipeline once. Express permutations as typed variants. Compile to SPIR-V, GLSL, HLSL, or Metal — clean, specialized, no preprocessor sprawl.
One pipeline. Specialized at compile time.
Declare the variant space once. Branch on it like normal code. The compiler emits the exact shader paths the GPU will see — sphere, vortex, helix — with the dead code stripped out.
And it scales the way shipping renderers need. A handful of declarations describes a whole shader family — Morphing Shapes turns seven lines of variant syntax into 80 legal shaders, each compiled on demand. Nothing precompiled, nothing wasted.
Built for the way shader code actually grows.
Six things you stop hand-rolling the moment passes, resources, and variants become first-class language constructs.
Tame Variant Sprawl
Declare axes once, branch normally, and let the compiler generate the exact shader paths.
Pipeline-First Design
Passes, targets, and render state live beside the shader code that uses them.
Type-Safe Bindings
Validate uniforms, structs, and resource layouts at compile time, not runtime.
Cross-Platform Output
Target SPIR-V, GLSL, HLSL, and Metal Shading Language from a single codebase.
Modern Ergonomics
Use modules, imports, and compile-time evaluation without sacrificing GPU-level control.
Rich Standard Library
Drop-in helpers for math, color, noise, PBR, and post-processing.
Five concepts. One language.
Start with variants, then layer in modules, layouts, pipelines, and compile-time eval — each one earns its keep.
pipeline Particles {
enum ParticleShape {
Sphere
Vortex
Helix
}
variants {
shape: ParticleShape = ParticleShape::Sphere;
}
pass "MainPass" {
vertex {
float3 particlePos = spherePos;
if (variants.shape == ParticleShape::Vortex) {
particlePos = vortexPosition(...);
} else if (variants.shape == ParticleShape::Helix) {
particlePos = helixPosition(...);
}
}
}
}Built in the open. Licensed for production.
Why BWSL Exists
BWSL started as a fix for one specific pain: managing shader variants. The first plan was modest — Metal with a little extra metadata to keep permutations sane. But solving variants properly meant a real type system, compile-time specialization, and rules the compiler could check. One thing led to another, and it grew into a language of its own.
That origin is why pipelines, resources, and variants are native concepts rather than bolted-on conventions — and why the compiler ships as a fast native CLI for Windows, macOS, and Linux, alongside the WASM build that powers this playground.
Permissive License
Use BWSL anywhere: personal experiments, open-source engines, or commercial AAA titles. The Apache 2.0 license gives you the freedom and legal protection to build with confidence.
The compiler, standard library, and playground are entirely open source and available on GitHub.
- Commercial and private use
- Modification and distribution
- Express patent grant from contributors
- License and copyright notice required
- Changes must be documented
Stop juggling shader strings.
Write the pipeline.
The language guide takes 10 minutes. The playground takes zero install.