Makio MeshLine

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GPU Circle Example ​

Demonstrates GPU-based position calculation using Three.js TSL (Three Shading Language) nodes, enabling complex animations with minimal CPU overhead.

Open the full GPU Circle demo

Key Concepts ​

Instead of providing vertex positions as a buffer, you define a TSL function that computes positions based on:

  • progress - Normalized position along the line (0 to 1)
  • time - Global time uniform for animations
  • Any custom uniforms you define

Benefits ​

  1. Performance - Calculations happen in parallel on GPU
  2. Memory Efficient - No need to store position arrays
  3. Dynamic - Easy to create complex, animated shapes
  4. Parametric - Change shape by modifying shader parameters

Use Cases ​

  • Animated visualizations
  • Parametric curves and surfaces
  • Music visualizers
  • Data-driven graphics
  • Procedural line generation

Code Implementation ​

javascript
import { MeshLine } from 'makio-meshline'
import { Fn, vec3, cos, sin, time, mix } from 'three/tsl'

// TSL function for circle positions
const circlePosition = Fn( ( [progress] ) => {
  const angle = progress.add( time.negate() ).mul( Math.PI * 2 )
  return vec3( cos( angle ), sin( angle ), 0 )
} )

// TSL function for wave positions  
const wavePosition = Fn( ( [progress] ) => {
  const y = sin( progress.mul( Math.PI * 4 ).add( time.negate().mul( 4 ) ) )
  return vec3( progress.oneMinus().mul( 2 ).sub( 1 ), y.mul( 0.5 ), 0 )
} )

// Create line with GPU position node
const line = new MeshLine()
  .segments( 128 )
  .closed( true )
  .gpuPositionNode( circlePosition )
  .lineWidth( 0.1 )
  .gradientColor( 0x0000ff )
  .color( 0xffffff )
  .build()