remotion-dev/remotion · error · Error

Drop shadow shader compile failed: ${log ?? '(no log)'}

Error message

Drop shadow shader compile failed: ${log ?? '(no log)'}

What it means

Thrown by the drop-shadow runtime's compileShader helper after a failed COMPILE_STATUS, with the driver's info log embedded. Because the four drop-shadow shaders are bundled constants, a compile failure points to a non-conformant WebGL2 driver that rejects valid GLSL ES 3.00, or a driver bug.

Source

Thrown at packages/effects/src/drop-shadow/drop-shadow-runtime.ts:66

	cachedColorRgba: ParsedColorRgba;
};

const compileShader = (
	gl: WebGL2RenderingContext,
	type: number,
	source: string,
): WebGLShader => {
	const shader = gl.createShader(type);
	if (!shader) {
		throw new Error('Failed to create WebGL shader');
	}

	gl.shaderSource(shader, source);
	gl.compileShader(shader);
	if (!gl.getShaderParameter(shader, gl.COMPILE_STATUS)) {
		const log = gl.getShaderInfoLog(shader);
		gl.deleteShader(shader);
		throw new Error(`Drop shadow shader compile failed: ${log ?? '(no log)'}`);
	}

	return shader;
};

const linkProgram = (
	gl: WebGL2RenderingContext,
	vs: WebGLShader,
	fs: WebGLShader,
): WebGLProgram => {
	const program = gl.createProgram();
	if (!program) {
		throw new Error('Failed to create WebGL program');
	}

	gl.attachShader(program, vs);
	gl.attachShader(program, fs);
	gl.linkProgram(program);

View on GitHub (pinned to 78fe4bb3fd)

Solutions

1. Read the embedded info log to find the rejected GLSL line/feature.
2. Update GPU drivers and browser; retry on a different device or browser.
3. For headless/CI, switch to a SwiftShader software renderer with conformant GLSL ES 3.00.
4. If the log reveals a genuine shader bug, file a Remotion issue with the log and GPU/driver details.

try {
  state = setupDropShadow(canvas);
} catch (err) {
  if (err instanceof Error && /shader compile failed/i.test(err.message)) {
    console.error('Driver rejected drop-shadow GLSL:', err.message);
    // fall back to a CSS / SVG shadow
  } else {
    throw err;
  }
}

When it happens

Trigger: One of DROP_SHADOW_VS, DROP_SHADOW_EXTRACT_FS, DROP_SHADOW_BLUR_FS_HORIZONTAL, DROP_SHADOW_BLUR_FS_VERTICAL, or DROP_SHADOW_COMPOSITE_FS fails to compile on the user's GPU. Typical of outdated mobile GPUs, virtualized GL, or buggy driver versions.

Common situations: Older Android/Windows GPUs with stale drivers; VMs with passthrough GL; remote desktop; browsers that fell back to a limited software rasterizer.

Related errors

• Dot grid shader compile failed: ${log ?? '(no log)'}
• Shader compile failed: ${log ?? '(no log)'}
• Burlap shader compile failed: ${log ?? '(no log)'}
• Drop shadow program link failed: ${log ?? '(no log)'}
• Starburst shader compile failed: ${log ?? '(no log)'}

AI-assisted analysis of remotion-dev/remotion@78fe4bb3fd (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/60a452d77fe647f7. Report an issue: GitHub.