What is WebGPU?
WebGPU is the next-generation API that allows developers to harness the full power of modern GPUs directly in the browser. Unlike OpenGL or WebGL, WebGPU brings low-level access to GPU capabilities similar to Vulkan or Metal, enabling high-performance graphics and compute workloads.
Key Features
Execute GPU compute shaders for non-graphics tasks like machine learning and physics simulations.
Modern 3D rendering pipelines with full control over shaders and pipelines.
Built-in sandboxing and secure API design to prevent GPU resource exhaustion attacks.
Why WebGPU Matters?
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Replaces WebGL with modern GPU access while maintaining security
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Enables complex GPU computations like ML inference directly in browsers
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Future-proofs web applications for next-gen GPU features
Getting Started with WebGPU
// Basic WebGPU setup example
if (navigator.gpu) {
const adapter = await navigator.gpu.requestAdapter();
const device = await adapter.requestDevice();
const shaderModule = device.createShaderModule({
code: \`
[[stage(vertex)]] fn vertexMain() -> [[builtin(position)]] vec4 {
return vec4(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0);
}
[[stage(fragment)]] fn fragmentMain() -> [[location(0)]] vec4 {
return vec4(1.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0);
}
\`
});
const pipeline = device.createRenderPipeline({
vertex: {
module: shaderModule,
entryPoint: "vertexMain",
},
fragment: {
module: shaderModule,
entryPoint: "fragmentMain",
targets: [{ format: "bgra8unorm" }],
},
primitive: {
topology: "triangle-list",
}
});
}