remotion-dev/remotion · critical · Error

Failed to create WebGL program

Error message

Failed to create WebGL program

What it means

During starburst effect `setup`, after both shaders compile successfully, `gl.createProgram()` returned `null`. This means the WebGL2 context could not allocate a program object, typically due to context loss or GPU resource exhaustion. The error fires before any shaders are attached.

Source

Thrown at packages/effects/src/starburst.ts:259

	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(`Starburst 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);
	if (!gl.getProgramParameter(program, gl.LINK_STATUS)) {
		const log = gl.getProgramInfoLog(program);
		gl.deleteProgram(program);
		throw new Error(`Starburst program link failed: ${log ?? '(no log)'}`);
	}

	return program;
};

export const starburst = createEffect<StarburstEffectParams, StarburstGlState>({
	type: 'remotion/starburst',
	label: 'starburst()',
	documentationLink: 'https://www.remotion.dev/docs/effects/starburst',

View on GitHub (pinned to 78fe4bb3fd)

Solutions

1. Reduce the number of concurrent webgl2 effects in the render pipeline.
2. Restart the session/render to get a fresh context.
3. Ensure headless Chrome is launched with working WebGL2 (`--use-gl=angle`).
4. Listen for `webglcontextlost` and tear down / recreate effect state proactively.

// Probe program creation ability on a throwaway context.
const canCreateProgram = (): boolean => {
  try {
    const gl = document.createElement('canvas').getContext('webgl2');
    return !!gl?.createProgram();
  } catch {
    return false;
  }
};

try {
  starburst({...params});
} catch (e) {
  if (/Failed to create WebGL program/.test((e as Error).message)) {
    renderFallbackFrame();
  } else throw e;
}

When it happens

Trigger: The WebGL2 context was lost between shader compilation and program creation; the driver exhausted its program object budget; the context is in a degraded/destroyed state.

Common situations: Many simultaneous webgl2 effect setups; long-running sessions after a GPU driver reset; headless environments with restrictive WebGL2 resource limits.

Related errors

• Failed to create WebGL shader
• Failed to create WebGL vertex array
• Failed to create WebGL buffer
• Failed to create WebGL palette texture
• Failed to create WebGL shader

AI-assisted analysis of remotion-dev/remotion@78fe4bb3fd (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/aea10e5d435d4f10. Report an issue: GitHub.