unity-shaders

name	unity-shaders
description	Unity Shaders

Unity Shaders

Use this skill when writing custom HLSL shaders, building Shader Graph materials, creating compute shaders, or implementing custom render features in Unity.

Shader Graph Overview

Visual node-based shader authoring available in URP and HDRP.

Creating a Shader Graph

Assets > Create > Shader Graph > URP:
  - Lit Shader Graph — standard PBR (most common)
  - Unlit Shader Graph — no lighting, flat output
  - Sprite Lit/Unlit — 2D sprite shaders
  - Decal Shader Graph — surface decals (URP 12+)

HDRP equivalents available under HDRP submenu.

Graph Structure

Properties (left panel):
  - Exposed parameters visible in Material Inspector
  - Types: Float, Color, Texture2D, Vector2/3/4, Boolean, Gradient

Vertex Stage:
  - Runs per vertex
  - Outputs: Position, Normal, Tangent
  - Use for: displacement, wind animation, vertex color

Fragment Stage:
  - Runs per pixel
  - Outputs: Base Color, Normal, Metallic, Smoothness, Emission, Alpha, AO
  - Use for: texturing, lighting calculations, effects

Node connections flow left → right.
Preview each node by clicking the preview icon.

Properties

// Exposed shader properties map to material API
material.SetFloat("_DissolveAmount", 0.5f);
material.SetColor("_FresnelColor", Color.cyan);
material.SetTexture("_MainTex", myTexture);

// Property reference names: set in Shader Graph property settings
// Use underscore prefix convention: _PropertyName

Sub-Graphs

Reusable shader modules shared across multiple Shader Graphs.

Creating

Assets > Create > Shader Graph > Sub Graph
  - Define inputs (properties) and outputs
  - Build node logic
  - Use in any Shader Graph via the Sub Graph node

Example Sub-Graphs

UV_ScrollAndRotate:
  Inputs: UV, ScrollSpeed (Vector2), RotationSpeed (Float)
  Output: Modified UV

FresnelWithPulse:
  Inputs: Power, PulseSpeed, MinIntensity, MaxIntensity
  Output: Pulsing fresnel value

HeightBlend:
  Inputs: Texture A, Texture B, Height A, Height B, Blend Factor
  Output: Height-aware blended color (prevents mushy transitions)

Shader Graph vs Custom HLSL — Decision Guide

Criteria	Shader Graph	Custom HLSL
Artist-friendly	Yes	No
Iteration speed	Fast (visual preview)	Slower (compile + test)
Custom lighting models	Limited (Custom Function)	Full control
Multi-pass shaders	No	Yes
Compute shaders	No	Yes
SRP Batcher	Automatic	Manual CBUFFER setup
Version control	Poor (binary .shadergraph)	Good (text .shader/.hlsl)
Performance ceiling	Slightly lower (generated code)	Highest

Recommendation: Start with Shader Graph. Move to custom HLSL when you hit Shader Graph limits (custom lighting, multi-pass, compute, extreme optimization).

Topic Pages

• Common Shader Graph Patterns
• Custom Function Nodes