remotion-dev/remotion · error · Error

Failed to create WebGL program

Error message

Failed to create WebGL program

What it means

Thrown by `linkProgram()` in the light-leak effect when `gl.createProgram()` returns `null`. Both shaders compiled, but the program object could not be allocated — context loss or resource/object-slot exhaustion.

Source

Thrown at packages/effects/src/light-leak.ts:212

	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(`Light leak 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(`Light leak program link failed: ${log ?? '(no log)'}`);
	}

	return program;
};

export const lightLeak = createEffect<LightLeakEffectParams, LightLeakGlState>({
	type: 'remotion/light-leak',
	label: 'lightLeak()',
	documentationLink: 'https://www.remotion.dev/docs/effects/light-leak',

View on GitHub (pinned to 78fe4bb3fd)

Solutions

1. Lower concurrency and reduce the number of effects per frame.
2. Handle `webglcontextlost` and rebuild on restore.
3. Restart Chrome/GPU to flush leaked GL objects.
4. Free unrelated WebGL contexts in the same process.

try {
  lightLeak({...})(...);
} catch (err) {
  if (/Failed to create WebGL program/.test(String(err))) {
    console.warn('lightLeak() program unavailable', err);
  } else {
    throw err;
  }
}

When it happens

Trigger: Context lost between shader compile and program creation; excessive concurrent program objects; GPU memory pressure.

Common situations: Highly concurrent renders; long-running sessions leaking programs; memory-constrained CI/Lambda.

Related errors

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

AI-assisted analysis of remotion-dev/remotion@78fe4bb3fd (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/c3bc252da6ddc78d. Report an issue: GitHub.