gleditor 🎨✨

The Shader Editor That Actually Works™

A standalone OpenGL ES shader editor that doesn't make you want to flip your desk.
Create, test, and debug GLSL shaders with real-time preview and syntax highlighting.
Because life's too short to edit shaders in Notepad.

🤔 Why gleditor?

Let's be real: editing shaders shouldn't feel like debugging assembly code in the dark. We created gleditor because:

✅ Vim + shader crashes in the background = masochism (we're eliminating that)
✅ Copying from Shadertoy and praying it works = not a workflow
✅ Recompiling every 5 seconds to see if your vec3 is actually pink = inefficient
✅ We needed a catchy name and "OpenGL_ES_Shader_Editor_v2_final_FINAL_actually_final.exe" was taken

gleditor gives you a proper IDE for GLSL shaders with live preview, syntax highlighting, autocomplete, and a tab system that won't ghost you when you have 47 shaders open.

✨ Features That'll Make You Go "Finally!"

🎨 Live Preview

See your shader running in real-time. Watch your beautiful plasma effect... or your accidental white square of shame. Either way, instant feedback.

📝 GLSL Syntax Highlighting

Because reading plain text GLSL is like reading the Matrix. We colorize your vec3s, uniforms, and mainImage() so your eyes don't bleed.

🔧 OpenGL ES 2.0 / 3.0 / 3.1 / 3.2 Support

We support all the versions. Yes, even ES 3.2 with geometry shaders. Yes, we tested it. No, our GPU didn't explode (much).

🎯 Shadertoy Compatible

Copy shaders from Shadertoy and they just work*. Full support for:

iTime, iResolution, iMouse
mainImage() entry point
Automatic uniform injection
(*99% of the time. That 1% is on you for using triple-nested raymarching.)

🗂️ Multi-Tab Workflow

Open multiple shaders at once. Switch between them with ease. Close tabs without losing work. Revolutionary, we know.

💾 Save/Load Shaders

Ctrl+S to save
Ctrl+Shift+S for Save As
Ctrl+O to load
Your work actually persists! What a concept!

🚀 Auto-Compile Mode

Enable auto-compile and watch your shader update as you type. It's like autocomplete but more judgy about your syntax errors.

📦 Template Library

Start with professionally crafted templates:

🌌 Cosmic Tunnel - Trippy wormhole effects
🌊 Plasma - Smooth animated gradients
🎱 Raymarching Sphere - 3D rendering starter
🔢 Mandelbrot Set - Infinite zoom fractals
💧 Water Ripples - Interactive wave simulation
✨ Starfield - Parallax space background
🎨 Gradient - Simple color transitions
📄 Blank - For the bold and the brave

⌨️ 170+ Autocomplete Items

Type mainI → press Tab → get full Shadertoy template. We have keywords, functions, snippets, and all the GLSL built-ins you keep forgetting.

🎮 Interactive Mouse Tracking

Your shader gets iMouse uniform. Move your cursor, control the shader. Make interactive effects. Pretend you're a wizard.

🟢 FPS Counter in Matrix Green

Real-time performance monitoring at #00FF41. Because everything looks more professional in hacker green.

🐛 Error Panel with Line Numbers

Shader won't compile? We'll tell you exactly where you messed up (line 42, probably that missing semicolon).

🎨 Customizable Everything

12+ color themes (Solarized, Monokai, Dracula, you name it)
Font size and family
Tab width (2 or 4 spaces? We don't judge... much)
Line numbers, bracket matching, smart home/end
Split view orientation (horizontal or vertical)

💾 Session Persistence

Enable "Remember Open Tabs" and all your shaders will be there next time you open the app. Even unsaved ones. Magic.

🖼️ Three View Modes

Both: Editor + Preview side-by-side
Editor Only: Fullscreen code editing (preview paused to save GPU)
Preview Only: Fullscreen shader preview (perfect for demos)

Tab bar always visible for instant shader switching. No more hunting through menus.

📸 Screenshots

Live shader editing with real-time preview, syntax highlighting, and multiple tabs. Retro vibes included.

🚀 Installation

Quick Install (Linux/macOS)

git clone https://github.com/yourusername/gleditor.git
cd gleditor
./install.sh

The automated installer will:

✅ Detect your OS and package manager
✅ Install all required dependencies
✅ Build the application
✅ Install system-wide
✅ Set up desktop integration

Quick Build (No Install)

Just want to build and run without installing?

# Linux/macOS
./build.sh
./bin/gleditor

# Windows (Command Prompt)
build.bat
bin\gleditor.exe

# Or with options
./build.sh --debug --verbose
./build.sh --clean --cmake

Platform-Specific Installation

For detailed installation instructions including Windows, manual builds, and troubleshooting, see INSTALL.md.

Quick links:

Requirements

GTK+3 (>= 3.20)
GTKSourceView 4
OpenGL ES 2.0+ / OpenGL (platform-dependent)
C compiler (GCC, Clang, or MSVC)
CMake or Make

🎮 Usage

Basic Workflow

Launch gleditor
```
gleditor
```
Create a new shader
- Click New or press Ctrl+N
- Pick a template (or go blank if you're brave)
Write your shader
- Use the Shadertoy mainImage() format
- Access iTime, iResolution, iMouse uniforms
- Watch the live preview update as you type (with auto-compile on)
Save your work
- Ctrl+S to save
- Ctrl+Shift+S to save as
Install to NeoWall (if applicable)
- Click the Install button
- Select shader type
- Your wallpaper just got 10x cooler

Keyboard Shortcuts (Because We're Not Animals)

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl+N	New shader (template picker)
Ctrl+O	Open shader file
Ctrl+S	Save current shader
Ctrl+Shift+S	Save As
Ctrl+W	Close current tab
Ctrl+Q	Quit application
Ctrl+R	Recompile shader
Ctrl+Space	Trigger autocomplete
F5	Toggle Editor/Preview view
F6	Toggle split orientation (H/V)
Space	Pause/Resume animation
Tab	Indent selection
Shift+Tab	Un-indent selection

Shadertoy Compatibility

gleditor supports the standard Shadertoy uniforms:

uniform vec3 iResolution;     // Viewport resolution (in pixels)
uniform float iTime;          // Shader playback time (in seconds)
uniform vec4 iMouse;          // Mouse pixel coords (xy: current, zw: click)

Example Shadertoy shader:

void mainImage(out vec4 fragColor, in vec2 fragCoord) {
    // Normalize coordinates to [0, 1]
    vec2 uv = fragCoord / iResolution.xy;
    
    // Animated gradient
    vec3 col = 0.5 + 0.5 * cos(iTime + uv.xyx + vec3(0, 2, 4));
    
    fragColor = vec4(col, 1.0);
}

Copy this into gleditor, hit Compile (or enable auto-compile), and watch the rainbow magic happen.

⚙️ Settings

Access via Settings button or menu. Configure:

Appearance

Theme: 12+ color schemes (Solarized Light/Dark, Monokai, Dracula, etc.)
Font: Family and size
Line Numbers: Show/hide
Current Line Highlight: Enable/disable
Background Pattern: Subtle grid for code alignment

Behavior

Tab Width: 2, 4, or 8 spaces
Auto-Indent: Automatically indent new lines
Smart Home/End: Home key jumps to first non-whitespace
Bracket Matching: Highlight matching (), {}, []
Auto-Completion: Enable/disable GLSL autocomplete

Compilation

Auto-Compile: Compile shader as you type (slight delay)
Shader Speed: Time multiplier (1.0 = normal, 2.0 = 2x speed)

Session

Remember Open Tabs: Restore tabs on restart (saves to ~/.config/gleditor/tabs_session.ini)

All settings auto-save to ~/.config/gleditor/settings.conf.

🐛 Debugging

Shader Won't Compile?

Check the Error Panel (click the error icon in status bar)
- Line numbers provided
- Actual OpenGL error messages (not encrypted)
Common Issues:
- Missing semicolons (classic)
- Undeclared variables
- Type mismatches (float vs int)
- GLSL version issues (ES 2.0 vs 3.0 syntax)
Enable Verbose Output:
```
gleditor --verbose
```

Performance Issues?

Lower shader complexity (raymarching = GPU torture)
Check FPS counter (bottom right)
Disable auto-compile if typing is laggy
Pause preview when coding (saves GPU cycles)

Crashes?

First, check if it's your shader or the editor:

Try a simple shader (gradient template)
If that works, your shader might be doing evil things (infinite loops, divide by zero, etc.)
If simple shaders crash, file a bug report with your GPU info

🔧 Development

Project Structure

gleditor/
├── src/
│   ├── main.c                  # Entry point
│   ├── shader_editor.h         # Main editor API
│   ├── editor/                 # Editor components
│   │   ├── editor_window.c     # Main window & layout
│   │   ├── editor_text.c       # Code editor (GTKSourceView)
│   │   ├── editor_preview.c    # OpenGL preview widget
│   │   ├── editor_toolbar.c    # Toolbar buttons
│   │   ├── editor_statusbar.c  # Status bar (FPS, errors, etc.)
│   │   ├── editor_settings.c   # Settings dialog & persistence
│   │   ├── editor_tabs.c       # Tab manager
│   │   ├── editor_templates.c  # Shader template library
│   │   ├── glsl_completion.c   # Autocomplete provider
│   │   └── ...
│   └── shader_lib/             # Shader runtime & API
│       ├── neowall_shader_api.c
│       └── shader_core.c
├── include/
│   └── platform_compat.h       # Cross-platform compatibility layer
├── data/
│   ├── gleditor.svg            # Logo
│   ├── icon.svg                # Application icon
│   ├── gleditor.desktop        # Linux desktop entry
│   └── screenshot.png          # Screenshot
├── CMakeLists.txt              # CMake build system (cross-platform)
├── Makefile                    # Make build system (Unix)
├── build.sh                    # Build script (Linux/macOS)
├── build.bat                   # Build script (Windows)
├── install.sh                  # Automated installer (Linux/macOS)
├── install.bat                 # Automated installer (Windows)
└── INSTALL.md                  # Detailed installation guide

Building from Source

gleditor supports two build systems - choose the one that fits your workflow:

Quick Build (Easiest)

# Linux/macOS
./build.sh              # Auto-selects best build system
./bin/gleditor          # Run without installing

# Windows
build.bat               # Builds with CMake/Make
bin\gleditor.exe        # Run without installing

# With options
./build.sh --debug      # Debug build
./build.sh --clean      # Clean build
./build.sh --verbose    # Verbose output
./build.sh --cmake      # Force CMake
./build.sh --make       # Force Make

Option 1: Make (Recommended for Linux)

make
sudo make install

Pros: Fast, simple, no CMake dependency
Best for: Quick Linux builds, traditional Unix workflow

Option 2: CMake (Recommended for macOS/Windows)

mkdir build && cd build
cmake -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release ..
cmake --build .
sudo cmake --install .

Pros: Cross-platform, IDE integration, modern standard
Best for: Windows, macOS, or if you need advanced features

Both produce identical binaries. See INSTALL.md for detailed instructions.

Contributing

PRs welcome! Please:

Keep code style consistent (see existing files)
Test on your platform before submitting
Add comments for non-obvious logic
Update README if adding features

Debugging Build Issues

# See full compilation commands
make V=1

# Check dependencies
pkg-config --modversion gtk+-3.0
pkg-config --modversion gtksourceview-4
pkg-config --modversion egl

# Check OpenGL ES support
ls /usr/include/GLES2/
ls /usr/include/GLES3/

📜 License

MIT License - See LICENSE file for details.

TL;DR: Use it, modify it, sell it, just don't sue us if your GPU catches fire.

🙏 Acknowledgments

GTK Project - For the GUI toolkit
GTKSourceView - For syntax highlighting magic
Shadertoy - For inspiring a generation of shader wizards
Our GPUs - For not dying during development (mostly)
Coffee - The real MVP

🆘 Support & Contact

Bug Reports: GitHub Issues
Feature Requests: Also GitHub Issues (tag as enhancement)
Questions: GitHub Discussions or open an issue

🎯 Roadmap

Future features we're considering (no promises):

💡 Tips & Tricks

Use Ctrl+Space liberally - 170+ autocomplete items await you
Enable auto-compile - Instant feedback = faster iteration
Start with templates - Don't reinvent the wheel (or the plasma effect)
Watch the FPS counter - If it drops below 30, your shader might be too ambitious
Split view vertically on ultrawide - More code visible at once
Use F5 to toggle views - Quick preview fullscreen
Save often - Ctrl+S is muscle memory for a reason
Read OpenGL errors carefully - They're cryptic but not malicious

Made with ❤️, ☕, and a questionable amount of vec3s

gleditor - Because your shaders deserve better than Notepad

Name		Name	Last commit message	Last commit date
Latest commit History 102 Commits
.github/workflows		.github/workflows
aur		aur
data		data
docs		docs
examples		examples
include		include
src		src
test_shaders		test_shaders
.gitignore		.gitignore
CMakeLists.txt		CMakeLists.txt
INSTALL.md		INSTALL.md
Makefile		Makefile
README.md		README.md
build.bat		build.bat
build.sh		build.sh
install.bat		install.bat
install.sh		install.sh

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