{ "schemaVersion": "1.0", "description": "Key features and highlights introduced in each major TouchDesigner version", "releases": { "099": { "label": "TouchDesigner 099", "releaseYear": 2017, "theme": "Python 3 foundation and modern GPU pipeline", "highlights": [ "Python 3.5 integration — first modern Python in TouchDesigner", "GLSL shader operators: GLSL TOP, GLSL MAT, GLSL COMP", "Real-time PBR material pipeline (Phong MAT)", "GPU instancing for Geometry COMP", "MIDI, OSC, Serial, UDP, and TCP DAT operators", "Replicator COMP for dynamic operator creation", "Core CHOP library: Noise, Math, LFO, Timer, Lag, Speed, Filter", "Core SOP library: Box, Sphere, Grid, Line, Torus, Tube", "Panel COMP for UI development", "Web Server DAT for HTTP communication" ], "newOperators": ["GLSL TOP", "GLSL MAT", "GLSL COMP", "Web Server DAT"], "pythonHighlights": [ "Python 3.5 with full standard library", "op(), me, parent() globals available in all scripts", "Execute DAT for event-driven scripting", "Script CHOP/DAT/SOP/TOP for custom operators" ], "breakingChanges": [] }, "2019": { "label": "TouchDesigner 2019", "releaseYear": 2019, "theme": "Python 3.7, NDI networking, and extension system", "highlights": [ "Python upgraded to 3.7.4 — asyncio, dataclasses, f-strings", "NDI In TOP and NDI Out TOP for network video", "MQTT Client DAT for IoT messaging", "PBR MAT introduced for physically-based rendering", "Extension system for custom Python classes per component", "mod object for DAT-as-module imports", "ext object for accessing component extensions", "Improved Spout/Syphon interoperability" ], "newOperators": ["NDI In TOP", "NDI Out TOP", "MQTT Client DAT", "PBR MAT"], "pythonHighlights": [ "Python 3.7: asyncio for async/await coroutines", "Python 3.7: dataclasses decorator", "Python 3.7: f-string literals", "ext object for extension access", "mod object to import DATs as Python modules", "initializeExtensions() for dynamic extension reload" ], "breakingChanges": [ "Python 2 no longer supported (was never officially supported but community scripts may break)" ] }, "2020": { "label": "TouchDesigner 2020", "releaseYear": 2020, "theme": "GPU data access, Web Render, Engine COMP, and OpenColorIO", "highlights": [ "Engine COMP for isolated execution contexts and multi-threading", "Web Render TOP — embedded Chromium browser as a texture", "OpenColorIO TOP for professional color management", "Kinect Azure TOP and CHOP support", "NumPy array access for CHOP, TOP, and SOP data", "CUDA interop improvements for GPU programming", "Compute shader support in GLSL TOP", "H.265/HEVC video codec support in Movie File In TOP", "passive() function to read operators without cooking", "iop object for inherited extension access", "insertRow() and other DAT table improvements" ], "newOperators": ["Engine COMP", "Web Render TOP", "OpenColorIO TOP", "Kinect Azure TOP", "Kinect Azure CHOP"], "pythonHighlights": [ "CHOP.numpyArray() and CHOP.numpySamples() for fast array access", "TOP.numpyArray() for pixel data access", "SOP support for NumPy point arrays (2021)", "passive() to prevent operator cooks", "iop for inherited extension access", "Project.load() added", "App.launchTime for startup timing" ], "breakingChanges": [] }, "2021": { "label": "TouchDesigner 2021", "releaseYear": 2021, "theme": "Python 3.9, POP preview, WebRTC, and AI body tracking", "highlights": [ "Python upgraded to 3.9.5 — better type hints, dict merge operators, performance", "Point Operator (POP) system preview — GPU-accelerated point clouds", "WebRTC DAT for peer-to-peer video/data streaming", "RenderStream In TOP for Disguise d3 integration", "GLSL Advanced POP for custom GPU particle shaders", "Bullet physics improvements", "Engine COMP multi-threading improvements", "Timer CHOP segment-based timing", "TOP.cudaMemory() for CUDA GPU interop", "SOP.numpyArray() for point data access", "COMP.loadTox() async loading", "fetchAll() for searching stored values up the component hierarchy" ], "newOperators": ["WebRTC DAT", "RenderStream In TOP", "GLSL Advanced POP"], "pythonHighlights": [ "Python 3.9: dict union operators (| and |=)", "Python 3.9: built-in generics for type hints (list[int], dict[str, int])", "Python 3.9: removeprefix() / removesuffix() string methods", "fetchAll() for hierarchical store/fetch", "OP.evalExpression() to evaluate TD expressions", "TOP.saveByteArray() for async pixel export", "COMP.loadTox() async parameter", "App.osVersion and App.gpuMemoryUsed members" ], "breakingChanges": [ "Some POP operators are in preview state and APIs may change in 2022" ] }, "2022": { "label": "TouchDesigner 2022", "releaseYear": 2022, "theme": "Point Operators stable, USD, Widget COMP, and NVIDIA AI", "highlights": [ "Point Operator (POP) system stable release with 90+ operators", "USD COMP for Universal Scene Description workflow", "Widget COMP for advanced UI components", "NVIDIA AI tools: Background removal, Denoising, Upscaling (RTX required)", "Body Track CHOP for AI skeleton tracking", "ASIO audio driver support in Audio Device In CHOP", "NDI HX2 compressed streaming support", "MQTT 5.0 protocol in MQTT Client DAT", "TOP.numpyArray() writable parameter", "COMP.findChildren() pattern and exact parameters", "RenderStream protocol v2 support", "OpenColorIO v2 support in OpenColorIO TOP", "GLSL tessellation shader support in GLSL MAT" ], "newOperators": ["USD COMP", "Widget COMP", "Body Track CHOP", "Particle POP", "GLSL POP", "Force POP", "GLSL Advanced POP"], "pythonHighlights": [ "Python 3.9.9 stability improvements", "TOP.numpyArray(writable=True) for in-place pixel editing", "COMP.findChildren() exact and pattern search", "UI rollover members: ui.rolloverDAT, ui.rolloverPar", "OP.addScript() for attaching callback scripts" ], "breakingChanges": [ "USD COMP replaces experimental FBX COMP workflows in some use cases" ] }, "2023": { "label": "TouchDesigner 2023", "releaseYear": 2023, "theme": "Python 3.11 performance, NVIDIA AI acceleration, and Engine improvements", "highlights": [ "Python upgraded to 3.11.1 — 10-60% faster than Python 3.9", "NVIDIA Background TOP for AI-powered background removal", "NVIDIA Denoise TOP for real-time AI denoising", "NVIDIA Upscaler TOP (DLSS/NIS) for performance upscaling", "Body Track CHOP with improved skeleton accuracy", "Engine COMP replication for clustered render setups", "Chromium updated in Web Render TOP with better WebGPU support", "NDI In/Out improvements for reliability", "OpenColorIO improvements for HDR color spaces", "GPU-accelerated POP operators for large particle systems", "NVIDIA DLSS integration in Render TOP", "Improved USD hydra rendering pipeline" ], "newOperators": ["NVIDIA Background TOP", "NVIDIA Denoise TOP", "NVIDIA Upscaler TOP"], "pythonHighlights": [ "Python 3.11: 10-60% faster across most workloads", "Python 3.11: exception groups and except* syntax", "Python 3.11: tomllib standard library for TOML parsing", "Python 3.11: improved error messages with precise locations", "Python 3.11: typing improvements (Self type, LiteralString)", "App.pythonVersion now returns '3.11.1'" ], "breakingChanges": [ "Some Python 3.9 typing patterns replaced by 3.11 equivalents", "NVIDIA AI operators require RTX-class GPU (GTX series not supported)" ] }, "2024": { "label": "TouchDesigner 2024", "releaseYear": 2024, "theme": "Current stable — RenderStream, Widget COMP maturity, and POP enhancements", "highlights": [ "Python 3.11.7 — stable maintenance release of Python 3.11", "RenderStream improvements for Disguise d3 integration", "Widget COMP theme system and custom styling", "Widget COMP new types: Slider, Knob, XY Pad", "Enhanced POP system with improved collision detection", "USD pipeline improvements with better Hydra rendering", "Force POP turbulence and vortex force types", "Improved multi-screen and multi-GPU rendering", "Performance optimizations for large networks", "Enhanced debugging tools and error reporting" ], "newOperators": [], "pythonHighlights": [ "Python 3.11.7 security and stability fixes", "All Python 3.11 features from 2023 release remain available", "App.build returns 2024 series build numbers" ], "breakingChanges": [] } } }