pixlu

Pixlu is a fictional open-source image-processing framework and domain-specific language designed to illustrate concepts in pixel-level computation. It provides a modular, node-based approach for building image-processing pipelines and a compact runtime capable of executing operations on both GPUs and CPUs. The system emphasizes non-destructive editing, reproducible results, and portable pipelines across platforms.

In Pixlu, pipelines are graphs where each node performs an operation such as color space conversion, filtering, resampling, or tone mapping. Data flows through input and output ports, allowing complex effects to be composed visually or scripted. The runtime includes a shader compiler for GPU execution, a bytecode interpreter for CPU execution, and APIs in Python with optional Lua bindings for automation and prototyping.

Origin and name: Pixlu is described in speculative-design and teaching materials as emerging in academic circles in the 2020s. The name fuses "pix" from pixels and "lu" as an allusion to linear algebra, though there is no formal standard.

Usage and reception: In educational contexts, Pixlu is used to illustrate modular image-processing concepts and pipeline design. It is also employed in demonstrations of cross-platform portability and GPU-accelerated workflows within fictional case studies.

Related topics include image processing, node-based editors, and shader pipelines.