James
67bb56c703
When the host doesn't have a usable GPU (CI containers, eval rigs without
GPU passthrough, dev VMs), Chrome's hardware-mode WebGL flags
(`--use-gl=egl/metal/d3d11`) silently leave WebGL unavailable —
`getContext("webgl")` returns null, three.js' WebGLRenderer dies, the
canvas stays black. Surfaced today by Abhay's c2v-eval failing on a
docker render of an hf bundle that uses three.js + a custom fragment
shader.
The fix that's been there: `--use-gl=angle --use-angle=swiftshader` (CPU
software WebGL, ~5-50× slower but pixel-identical). The engine already
exposed `browserGpuMode: "software"` for this. The gap was discovery —
users had to know to pass `--no-browser-gpu` on no-GPU hosts.
This change adds `browserGpuMode: "auto"` (now the CLI default for local
renders): on first launch in the process, probe Chrome with hardware
args, check `canvas.getContext("webgl") !== null`, cache the result.
~1-2 s on first render, free on every subsequent render in the same
worker. Hardware GPUs keep their fast path; no-GPU hosts get SwiftShader
without ceremony.
Behaviour matrix:
- No flag, no env, local → "auto" (NEW default)
- `--browser-gpu` → "hardware" (force; errors if no GPU)
- `--no-browser-gpu` → "software" (force SwiftShader)
- `PRODUCER_BROWSER_GPU_MODE` → "hardware" / "software" / "auto" / unset
- Docker mode → forced "software" (unchanged)
Engine-config default stays "software" (conservative for embedders); the
"auto" default lives in the CLI's `resolveBrowserGpuForCli` so producer
embedders aren't surprised by a probe-on-launch.
Also adds `--enable-unsafe-swiftshader` to the software flag set —
Chrome 120+ deprecated implicit SwiftShader fallback and emits a
deprecation warning unless the flag is set explicitly. Despite the
"unsafe" name this is exactly the pre-deprecation behaviour; the rename
is about Chrome's threat model on the open web, not about the rendering
itself.
Verification:
- Engine 535/535 + CLI 256/256 (incl. new probe tests + tri-state CLI test)
- Empirical: probe on this no-GPU devbox returns "software" in 240 ms,
cached 0 ms on subsequent calls
- Format / lint / typecheck clean across all packages
Refs the Abhay/Slack thread on c2v-eval rendering without a GPU node.
hyperframes
CLI for creating, previewing, and rendering HTML video compositions.
Install
npm install -g hyperframes
Or use directly with npx:
npx hyperframes <command>
Requirements: Node.js >= 22, FFmpeg
Commands
init
Scaffold a new Hyperframes project from a template:
npx hyperframes init my-video
cd my-video
preview
Start the live preview studio in your browser:
npx hyperframes preview
# Studio running at http://localhost:3002
npx hyperframes preview --port 4567
render
Render a composition to MP4:
npx hyperframes render ./my-composition.html -o output.mp4
lint
Validate your Hyperframes HTML:
npx hyperframes lint ./my-composition
npx hyperframes lint ./my-composition --json # JSON output for CI/tooling
npx hyperframes lint ./my-composition --verbose # Include info-level findings
By default only errors and warnings are shown. Use --verbose to also display informational findings (e.g., external script dependency notices). Use --json for machine-readable output with errorCount, warningCount, infoCount, and a findings array.
compositions
List compositions found in the current project:
npx hyperframes compositions
benchmark
Run rendering benchmarks:
npx hyperframes benchmark ./my-composition.html
doctor
Check your environment for required dependencies (Chrome, FFmpeg, Node.js):
npx hyperframes doctor
browser
Manage the bundled Chrome/Chromium installation:
npx hyperframes browser
info
Print version and environment info:
npx hyperframes info
docs
Open the documentation in your browser:
npx hyperframes docs
upgrade
Check for updates and show upgrade instructions:
npx hyperframes upgrade
npx hyperframes upgrade --check --json # machine-readable for agents
Documentation
Full documentation: hyperframes.heygen.com/packages/cli
Related packages
@hyperframes/core— types, parsers, frame adapters@hyperframes/engine— rendering engine@hyperframes/producer— render pipeline@hyperframes/studio— composition editor UI