Get WebGPU as an alternate backend

[robertleeplummerjr]

What is wrong?

We need this in GPU.js, possibly as a sub-project: https://github.com/maierfelix/webgpu
Once it becomes stable, and well supported and tested, we could possibly make it the default fallback.

Where does it happen?

How do we replicate the issue?

How important is this (1-5)?

4

Expected behavior (i.e. solution)

Other Comments

[Awendel]

Agreed. Should be highest priority right now.

WebGPU API will land in Chrome Stable within the next 8 Weeks.

Once that is the case, it will quickly support > 50% devices.

Demand for stable computing library will be very high. Compute Shaders should outperform the old WebGL texture based approach by a magnitude of 2-3 at least.

I'm afraid there is the chance that if GPU.js doesn't offer a WebGPU backend soonish, another new library might take the place and quickly snatch up developers.

[formula1]

https://github.com/gpuweb/types

maybe its a good idea to just conform gpu.js to the webgpu standard. This way people can use gpu.js and it should work in gpu, canvas and webgpu.

[robertleeplummerjr]

We would welcome some assistance adding a webgpu backend! Anyone available to help get a POC working?

[robertleeplummerjr]

I'm trying to get a small team together to do a POC with this, fyi.

[Awendel]

Would love to join, unfortunately I am currently in the last weeks before launch, so just too constrained time wise.
Perhaps afterwards I might be able to help.
For now I can just point to a good resource for getting started with WebGPU compute shaders:

https://surma.dev/things/webgpu/

So far probably the best guide I found around the topic.

[Pr0gCat]

@robertleeplummerjr I saw Dawn from chromium are working on binding for node.
See https://dawn.googlesource.com/dawn/+/6f8ff744da8d0d4da5e5bbbafca98cf6b76cf99a/src/dawn/node/

[jacobbogers]

We would welcome some assistance adding a webgpu backend! Anyone available to help get a POC working?

Hiya Robertlee whats the status on this one?

[robertleeplummerjr]

It doesn't exist yet. I'm waiting for it to become stable and safe.

[jacobbogers]

It doesn't exist yet. I'm waiting for it to become stable and safe.

Tensorflow is using it as a backend for some time now, https://github.com/tensorflow/tfjs/tree/master/tfjs-backend-webgpu

[jacobbogers]

Also Deno does webgpu out of the box, (to bad node will be a while before its anything good)