Shader Scope

Know what is wrong with a shader pack before you try to enable it.

Shader Scope is a lightweight, client-side Forge utility that performs a read-only structural audit of shader-pack ZIP files and directories. It helps players, pack authors, modpack maintainers, and support teams find common pack problems without extracting archives or executing shader code.

This is not a shader loader. Shader Scope inspects packs; it does not render, modify, install, or automatically enable them.

What it checks

• Missing shader includes
• Recursive includes and include cycles
• Excessive include depth
• Unsafe ZIP paths and duplicate archive entries
• Suspicious compression ratios and excessive archive sizes
• Oversized shader text files
• Malformed UTF-8 shader source
• Missing vertex/fragment stage partners
• Incomplete tessellation stage pairs
• Compute, geometry, and tessellation stages that may need extra support
• Incorrect root layout and accidental one-folder ZIP wrapping

Both normal folders and .zip shader packs are supported.

Fast and non-invasive

Scanning runs in the background instead of on the render thread. Shader Scope never extracts a ZIP and uses fixed safety limits for entries, file sizes, compression ratios, and include depth.

It uses no mixins, adds no renderer hooks, and has no required shader loader or optimization-mod dependency.

Clear results

Each pack receives one of three easy-to-read states:

• READY — no issue was found by the implemented checks
• REVIEW — the pack may work, but a warning deserves attention
• BLOCKED — a structural or safety error is likely to prevent a reliable load

Open Mods → Shader Scope → Config to scan your shaderpacks folder and view detailed findings.

Shareable support reports

Press Export Report to create shader-scope-report.md in your shaderpacks folder. The report is designed for bug reports and support chats and intentionally omits absolute filesystem paths and account names.

Compatibility

Shader Scope can inspect ShadersMod / OptiFine-style packs intended for Oculus, Iris, OptiFine, or another compatible loader. Those projects are not required.

A READY result is not a promise that a particular loader, Minecraft version, graphics API, GPU driver, or graphics card will render the pack. Shader Scope performs static checks and does not compile or execute GLSL.

Requirements

• Minecraft 26.2 with Forge 65.1.0, or
• Minecraft 1.21.11 with Forge 61.1.0

Install Shader Scope on the client only. Servers do not need it.

Independent project

Shader Scope is an original, MIT-licensed community project. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Mojang, Microsoft, Minecraft Forge, Iris Shaders, Oculus, OptiFine, or ShadersMod. Their names are used only to describe interoperability. No source code or artwork from those projects is bundled.