Unity Shader Skills

Unity Shader Skills

Work with .shader HLSL/​ShaderLab files (create from templates, read source, list, find, get keywords/​properties/​variants, check errors, delete, toggle global keywords). For node-based ShaderGraph use the shadergraph module.

Operating Mode

• Query skills (shader_read, shader_list, shader_find, shader_get_properties, shader_check_errors, shader_get_keywords, shader_get_variant_count) are SkillMode.SemiAuto — they run in all three modes without grant.
• Mutating skills (shader_create, shader_create_urp, shader_set_global_keyword) are SkillMode.FullAuto — under Approval they need user grant (grant triggers one server-side execute returning the result); under Auto / Bypass they execute directly.
• shader_delete carries SkillOperation.Delete and is auto-forbidden in Approval / Auto modes (NeverInSemi). Only Bypass or the user-managed Allowlist can run it.

Guardrails

DO NOT (common hallucinations):

• shader_set_property does not exist → use material_set_float/material_set_color/​etc. on the material, not the shader
• shader_apply / shader_assign do not exist → use material_set_shader to change a material's shader
• shader_get_properties returns shader property definitions (name/​type/​range), not current values → for material instance values use material_get_properties
• Shader names are case-sensitive and path-like: "Standard", "Universal Render Pipeline/​Lit", not "standard" or "URP Lit"

Routing:

• For material property changes → use material module
• For shader keyword control → material_set_keyword (material module)
• For global shader keywords → shader_set_global_keyword (this module)

Skills Overview

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Skills

shader_create

Create a shader file. The template parameter is raw shader source code that gets written verbatim into the .shader file — it is not a preset name. If you pass template="Standard" the literal string Standard will be written to disk and the shader will fail to compile.

For a URP Unlit / Lit preset, use shader_create_urp (type: "Unlit" | "Lit") instead — it actually selects a template by name.

shader_read

Read shader source code.

Returns: {path, lines, content}

shader_list

List all shaders in project.

Returns: {count, shaders: [{path, name, propertyCount}]}

shader_find

Find a shader by name.

Returns: {found, name, path}

shader_delete

Delete a shader file.

shader_get_properties

Get all properties defined in a shader.

Returns: {success, properties: [{name, type, description}]}

shader_check_errors

Check shader for compilation errors.

Returns: { shaderName, hasErrors, messageCount }

shader_get_keywords

Get shader keyword list.

Returns: { shaderName, keywordCount, keywords: [{ name, type }] }

shader_get_variant_count

Get shader variant count for performance analysis.

Returns: { shaderName, subshaderCount, totalPasses }

shader_create_urp

Create a URP shader from template (type: Unlit or Lit).

Returns: { success, shaderName, path, type }

shader_set_global_keyword

Enable or disable a global shader keyword.

Returns: { success, keyword, enabled }

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Example Usage

import unity_skills

# Create an unlit shader
unity_skills.call_skill("shader_create",
    shaderName="Custom/​MyUnlit",
    savePath="Assets/​Shaders/​MyUnlit.shader",
    template="Unlit"
)

# Create a surface shader
unity_skills.call_skill("shader_create",
    shaderName="Custom/​MyPBR",
    savePath="Assets/​Shaders/​MyPBR.shader",
    template="Standard"
)

# Read shader source
source = unity_skills.call_skill("shader_read",
    shaderPath="Assets/​Shaders/​MyUnlit.shader"
)
print(source['content'])

# List all custom shaders
shaders = unity_skills.call_skill("shader_list", filter="Custom")
for shader in shaders['shaders']:
    print(f"{shader['name']}: {shader['path']}")

Best Practices

1. Use consistent shader naming (Category/​Name)
2. Organize shaders in dedicated folder
3. Start with templates, modify as needed
4. Test shaders in different lighting conditions
5. Consider mobile compatibility for builds

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Exact Signatures

Exact names, parameters, defaults, and returns are defined by GET /​skills/​schema or unity_skills.get_skill_schema(), not by this file.