This web content discusses the challenges and issues surrounding Microsoft’s DirectX shader compiler and its impact on game developers. The author describes their experience in building an experimental graphics API called sysgpu using Zig and the struggles they faced in compiling shader programs into something that Direct3D 12 can consume. They explain the history of DirectX shader compilers, the introduction of DXC with Direct3D 12, and the shortcomings of the deprecated FXC compiler. The author highlights the lack of documentation and the complexity of the compiler’s codebase. They also discuss the challenges faced by graphics abstraction layers like WebGPU and the choice between using the old, slow FXC compiler or the new, faster DXC compiler. The author also touches on the proprietary code-signing requirements and the limited platform support for offline shader compilation. They conclude by stating that they have managed to build prebuilt, static binaries of the dxcompiler library, including support for macOS and Linux platforms.
https://devlog.hexops.com/2024/building-the-directx-shader-compiler-better-than-microsoft/