nuke-blinkscript

nuke-blinkscript

Version: 1.3.1 Last Updated: 2026-03-26 Dependencies: Nuke 15.0+, BlinkScript node

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Overview

BlinkScript is Nuke's GPU-accelerated kernel programming system for creating custom image processing effects. Write C++-like code that runs in parallel on every pixel at real-time speeds (tested at 4K).

Critical Learning: This skill was developed from production-tested composition grids kernel with 7 grid types. All patterns are proven at 4K resolution with GPU acceleration.

When to Use BlinkScript:

• Custom composition overlays (grids, guides, markers)
• Procedural patterns and textures
• GPU-accelerated image processing
• Effects not available in standard Nuke nodes
• Performance-critical operations (init() optimization = 1000x+ speedup)

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Quick Start

Minimal BlinkScript Kernel

kernel SimpleOverlay : ImageComputationKernel<ePixelWise>
{
  // Input/output images
  Image<eRead, eAccessPoint, eEdgeClamped> src;
  Image<eWrite, eAccessPoint> dst;

  // User parameters
  param:
    float4 lineColor;  // CRITICAL: float4 creates color picker!
    float thickness;

    void define() {
      defineParam(lineColor, "Line Colour", float4(1.0f, 0.0f, 0.0f, 1.0f));
      defineParam(thickness, "Thickness", 2.0f);
    }

  // Precomputed values (runs once)
  local:
    int imgWidth;
    int imgHeight;
    float centerX;

    void init() {
      imgWidth = dst.bounds.width();
      imgHeight = dst.bounds.height();
      centerX = imgWidth * 0.5f;  // Division done ONCE
    }

  // Process each pixel (runs millions of times)
  void process(int2 pos) {
    float4 input = src();
    float4 output = input;

    // Check if on vertical center line
    if (fabs((float)pos.x - centerX) < thickness) {
      // Blend line color over input
      float alpha = lineColor.w;
      output.x = input.x * (1.0f - alpha) + lineColor.x * alpha;
      output.y = input.y * (1.0f - alpha) + lineColor.y * alpha;
      output.z = input.z * (1.0f - alpha) + lineColor.z * alpha;
    }

    dst() = output;
  }
};