Unity pipelines: URP vs. HDRP vs. standard Unity pipeline

Key Takeaways:

• Unity has three rendering pipelines: URP, HDRP, and standard.

• URP: Optimized for mobile/web with good quality and performance.

• HDRP: Best for high-end graphics and AAA gamesAAA games are high-budget, high-quality video games developed by large studios for mass-market appeal., but more complex.

• Standard: Versatile, good for beginners, but less customizable.

• Choose based on your project: URP for performance, HDRP for visuals, and standard for simplicity.

Unity offers a diverse range of rendering pipelines, each designed to cater to specific project needs in terms of performance, graphics capabilities, and customization. Unity features three main rendering pipelines:

• Standard Unity pipeline (Built-in render pipeline)

• Universal render pipeline (URP)

• High-definition render pipeline (HDRP)

Here’s a detailed breakdown of URP, HDRP, and the standard pipeline, covering their functions, usage, code, and differences.

Functions

Let’s delve into the different features that all pipelines provide us with out of the box:

1. URP (Universal render pipeline):

• High-quality visuals with good performance: Focuses on balancing graphics and performance for mobile, web, and low-end platforms.

• Lightweight and modular: Offers a streamlined workflow with built-in shaders and scriptable rendering features.

• Customization options: Allows for adjusting global lighting, shadows, and post-processing effects.

2. HDRP (High definition render pipeline):

• Cutting-edge visuals: It offers the most advanced features, such as real-time ray tracing, global illumination, and volumetric lighting, for high-end graphics.

• Demanding workflow: Requires more technical expertise and resources due to its complexity.

• Highly customizable: Provides granular control over every rendering aspect for creating unique visuals.

3. Standard pipeline (Built-in):

• Mature and versatile: The original pipeline offers a familiar workflow for many developers.

• Good balance: Provides decent visuals and performance for various platforms.

• Limited customization: Offers less flexibility compared to URP and HDRP.

Pipeline usage and code

The different pipelines utilize the shader code and provide use cases for different cases. These are summarized in the table below:

Quiz

A quick quiz to test your understanding of Unity pipelines.

Conclusion

Here is a tabular form of differences of all three pipelines:

In conclusion, the best pipeline depends on your specific project and its needs. Experiment and choose the one that helps you achieve your desired vision!