Shader

A shader is a small program used in computer graphics to determine how light, color, and textures are displayed on objects in a scene. Think of it as a digital instruction set that tells a graphics card how to make surfaces look, whether it's creating realistic skin, shiny metals, or complex effects like shadows and reflections. Shaders run directly on the graphics hardware and help produce detailed, dynamic visuals in video games, movies, and visualizations, enhancing realism and visual effects through custom lighting and surface properties.