PixPipeline is a node-based compositor built specifically for pixel art. Instead of painting directly on a canvas like an image editor, you connect processing blocks called "nodes" and build the recipe that produces your artwork.
Why build with nodes:
- Adjust anything, anytime — change a color, a size, or a noise seed and the finished asset rebuilds itself automatically
- Mass-produce variations — one graph can batch-generate palette swaps and size variants
- Let an AI build it — graphs are text files (.ppl), so you can hand asset production to an AI agent (→ 12 AI Integration)
The interface
| Area | Role |
|---|---|
| Node editor (center) | The graph canvas where you place and connect nodes. Right-click to open the node palette |
| Inspector (right) | Edit the selected node's parameters. Preview, presets, and variants also live here |
| Header (top) | New tab / Open / Save / User settings / Definition manager / Run history / Project backups / Help (F1) |
| Tab bar | Switch between open projects. Unsaved tabs show a ● mark |
| Canvas size bar | Output canvas dimensions and background display settings |
| Left toolbar | Zoom, fit view, type-color legend, and panel toggles (variables, shared palette, minimap) |
| Bottom status bar | Console, diagnostics (evaluation time), and compatibility warnings |
Press F1 anytime to open the interactive help for the main screen.
Your first five minutes
Every new tab starts with a minimal template graph already wired up: "Solid Color → Brightness → Preview". Use it to get a feel for the tool.
- Click the
Solid Colornode and change its color in the inspector — the downstream preview updates instantly - Select
Brightnessand drag its slider — this is what inserting a processing step feels like - Right-click an empty spot to open the node palette, search for any node, and drop it in (→ 02 Basic Operations)
That "tweak → see it immediately" loop is the core rhythm of PixPipeline. If you break something, just open a fresh tab and start over — experiments are free.
How to read this manual
- Tool-wide operations → the chapters in this guide
- Specs and usage of individual nodes → the node reference (every node is covered)
- Producing assets with an AI agent → 12 AI Integration
and
ai/README_en.txtin the distribution