Rhizomium Documentation

Rhizomium is a modular GPU node environment for real-time generative visuals, built on WebGPU and WGSL. Shaders are composed visually by connecting nodes; parameters can be driven by expressions, audio, MIDI or a keyframe timeline. It runs in the browser (Chrome or Edge 113+) with no installation, and as a desktop app.

The editor is at https://studio.tenderworld.org/studio. This index is the plain-text version of the documentation; the pages below are the markdown sources, which read without JavaScript.

Getting Started

• Quick Start: Get started with Rhizomium in just 5 minutes! This guide will help you create your first visual.
• Your First Graph: This guide will walk you through creating your first visual composition in Rhizomium. You'll learn the basics of the node editor and create a simple animated pattern.
• Interface Overview: Get familiar with the Rhizomium interface and learn how to navigate the editor efficiently.

Using the Editor

• Node System: Understanding the node-based architecture of Rhizomium.
• Working with Audio: Make your visuals react to music and sound! Rhizomium includes built-in audio analysis that works directly in your browser.
• Saving Your Work: Learn how to save, load, and manage your Rhizomium projects in the browser.
• Web Patch Viewer: A published patch, running live in a browser, with no editor around it — /viewer. It is where a link to your work leads: the graph is compiled and rendered on the visitor's own GPU
• Working with Textures: Load, use, and manipulate image textures in your node graphs. Create rich, detailed visuals by combining procedural generation with real images.
• Compute Nodes: Learn how to use GPU-accelerated compute shaders to create powerful visual effects and simulations.
• 3D Field Visualization: Visualize compute shader outputs as 3D objects! Convert 2D and 3D fields into point clouds, meshes, and volumetric visualizations.
• Multi-Screen Output: Drive several displays from one patch, each showing its own part of the composition — a projector panorama, a video wall, or a stage rig where every surface gets its own slice.

Animation & Control

• Parameter Expressions: Use mathematical expressions to create dynamic, animated parameters that respond to time, audio, and other inputs.
• Timeline & Keyframes: Create smooth, professional animations by setting keyframes for any parameter. Perfect for VJ performances, music videos, and animated visuals.
• MIDI Controller Integration: Control your visuals in real-time using MIDI controllers! Connect knobs, sliders, and pads to any parameter in your node graph.

Reference

• Complete Node Reference: This document provides a comprehensive reference for all available nodes in Rhizomium. Nodes are organized by the same categories you see in the editor's add-node menu, and include
• Keyboard Shortcuts: Every command in the menu bar has a key, and the menu prints it next to the command — you never have to come here to find one. Help → Shortcuts / Keymap (Ctrl+/) shows this same ta
• Frame Rate & Display Refresh: The status bar's fps readout counts presented frames — frames the browser actually handed to your display. It is the same thing a game's FPS counter reports, and it is the only rat
• FAQ: Frequently asked questions for Rhizomium web users at https://studio.tenderworld.org

Advanced Topics

• Shader Compilation: The generated WGSL is viewable at any time from View → Show Console:
• Performance Tips: Optimize your Rhizomium node graphs for smooth, real-time performance.
• Performance Profiler: Monitor your visual's performance in real-time! Track frame rate, GPU usage, and identify performance bottlenecks.
• Frame Rate & Display Refresh: The status bar's fps readout counts presented frames — frames the browser actually handed to your display. It is the same thing a game's FPS counter reports, and it is the only rat
• Frame Timing Monitoring: The Frame Timing Monitoring system provides comprehensive visibility into RAF (RequestAnimationFrame) performance, helping identify bottlenecks and frame drops in real-time.
• Camera Controls: This document describes the camera control system for the GLSL Node Editor's 3D viewport.

For Developers

• Local Installation: This guide covers everything you need to know to install and set up Rhizomium on your local machine.
• Deployment Guide: The "Open External Viewer" feature is designed for local development only and will NOT work when deployed to cloud platforms like:
• Vercel Deployment: Complete guide for deploying the GLSL Node Editor with Dual-Screen support to Vercel.
• External Viewer Setup: This guide explains how to set up and use the Rhizomium external viewer with IPC (shared memory) frame streaming.
• Dual Screen Setup: Complete guide to using the WebSocket-based Dual-Screen system in Rhizomium GLSL Node Editor.
• Audio Server Setup: IMPORTANT: Run from the project root, NOT from the audio directory!
• Audio Analysis Design: Reference for the Audio Analysis node's internals. If you are trying to use the node, start with Working with Audio — this page is for anyone changing the detector, and exists main
• Troubleshooting: Follow these steps:
• Windows Fixes: The editor uses a symbolic link editor/src -> ../src which doesn't work on Windows by default.