Workbench

Workbench 0.3.0

Workbench is a native technical-art application for editing Slang, inspecting what the compiler understood, and seeing the result through Qt’s QRhi rendering layer. The documentation starts with visible tasks, then develops the mental model, then opens the implementation and extension boundaries.

Choose a path

Learn

Start Workbench without installing a development environment, edit a first shader, and learn the visible vocabulary. Begin with Learn Workbench.

Use

Follow short tasks for the workspace, Inspector, timeline, tools, and generated code. Go to Using Workbench.

Understand

Build mental models for documents and bindings, entry points, reflection, dependency identity, time, and tool sessions. Go to Concepts.

Extend

Author against the packaged Slang modules or add a tool through the native and Python exposure boundaries. Start at Workbench Slang or Extending Workbench.

Progressive depth

use the product -> learn the concepts -> study architecture -> extend -> reference

Learn

• Learn Workbench
  • What is Workbench?
  • Install and run
  • Your first shader session
  • Your first Slang module

Using Workbench

• Using Workbench
  • Use the workspace
  • Use the Inspector
  • Use the timeline
  • Use Render Toy
  • Use ShaderToy
  • Inspect generated code
  • Common how-tos

Concepts

• Concepts
  • Documents and bindings
  • Slang modules
  • Host Features and Slang Modules
  • Entry points are capabilities
  • Reflection-driven UI
  • Dependency identity
  • Evaluation and time
  • Tool sessions and contributions

Workbench Slang

• Workbench Slang
  • Modules and imports
  • UI metadata
  • Time contract
  • Viewport camera contract
  • Render Toy contract
  • ShaderToy contract
  • Entry points
  • Resources and generated code

Architecture

• Architecture
  • System overview
  • Ownership and lifetime
  • Workspace model
  • Compilation pipeline
  • Module resolution
  • Reflection pipeline
  • Dependency identity and invalidation
  • Time is evaluation, not a widget
  • Rendering pipeline
  • Backend policy
  • Tool contribution model
  • Python and Shiboken boundary
  • Native source layout

Extending Workbench

• Extending Workbench
  • Add a Slang module
  • Add a Workbench tool
  • Extend from Python
  • Extend native C++
  • Contributing and documentation

Reference

• Reference
  • Slang module reference
  • UI attribute reference
  • CLI and environment
  • CMake build options
  • Runtime backend reference
  • Portability and validation status

Research

• Research
  • ANARI research boundary
  • USD and MaterialX direction
  • WebAssembly experiments