crosire/reshade
Reshade
ReShade is a post-processing shader injector that hooks into DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan rendering pipelines to apply custom shaders in real time. It operates by injecting a DLL into the target process, intercepting graphics API calls, and inserting a configurable pipeline of user-selected shader effects that read color and depth buffers to alter the final output.
The project distinguishes itself through depth buffer auto-detection, which automatically identifies the depth-stencil attachment in the rendering pipeline, enabling per-pixel depth effects such as ambient occlusion and depth-of-field. It also includes an embedded shader compiler that compiles HLSL- and GLSL-like shader source files at runtime, removing the need for external compilation tools. A stable add-on plugin API allows third-party modules to extend both the host application and the target software, turning ReShade into an extensible framework rather than a fixed set of effects.
Beyond the core injection pipeline, ReShade can load third-party add-ons that leverage its defined API, and its embedded compiler can be used as a standalone library within other projects. The overall system is designed for real-time visual enhancement in games and video software, supporting a wide range of custom shader effects through a compile-time ordered pipeline.
Features
- Shader-Based Enhancements - Applies custom shaders to games or video software to alter colors, lighting, and depth-based effects in real time.
- Graphics API Hooking Add-ons - Provides a stable C++ API for third-party modules to extend both the host and target application.
- DLL Injection Hooks - Injects a DLL into the target process to hook graphics API functions and execute custom shaders.
- Graphics API Hooking Add-ons - Loads third-party add-ons that use a defined API to extend both the host and target application's functionality.
- Graphics API Hooking Add-ons - Loads third-party DLL add-ons that extend both the host application and target software through a defined API.
- Auto-Detection Mechanisms - Automatically identifies the depth-stencil buffer to enable per-pixel depth effects like ambient occlusion.
- Shader Injection Pipelines - Injects custom shaders into games and video software to alter visuals using custom shaders in real time.
- Post-Processing Pipelines - Arranges user-selected shader effects into a compile-time ordered pipeline that reads color and depth buffers.
- Post-Processing Injectors - Injects custom shaders into games and video software to apply real-time post-processing effects using frame data.
- API Interception Hooks - Intercepts DirectX, OpenGL, and Vulkan API calls to capture frame data and insert post-processing passes.
- Runtime Shader Compilers - Compiles HLSL/GLSL-like shader source files at runtime using a built-in compiler for GPU execution.
- Graphics API Hooking Add-ons - Loads third-party add-ons through a defined API to extend the functionality of both the host and target application.
- Development Libraries - Post-processing injector for intercepting graphics API calls.
Star history
How this analysis was created: This summary and feature list were written by an AI model that read the project's README and public documentation pages. Each feature links to the documentation it came from; stars, license and language come straight from the GitHub API. The model does not read the source code, and the analysis is refreshed when the project is re-analysed. Learn more on our About page.
