VEXiL

Public beta · coming soon

Pipeline-aware project management built for Houdini.

VEXiL is a SideFX Houdini-first project management environment for freelancers, indie studios, and TDs - with pipeline depth for sequences, frame ranges, and dependency graphs. Other DCC integrations (Maya, Nuke, Blender) may follow later.

Join the Waitlist View Source

Python & Go · MIT · Shift-Left security

Why VEXiL?

The name is a direct homage to Vector Expression Language (VEX) - the high-performance language at the heart of SideFX Houdini. Generic project-management tools treat VFX work as disconnected file creations. VEXiL starts inside Houdini, with pipeline-aware depth for sequences, frame ranges, and dependency graphs. Other DCCs (Maya, Nuke, Blender) may follow later.

Core Capabilities

Deep Houdini Integration

Houdini first

A single Houdini package install wires VEXiL into your scenes. VEXiL-UI (PySide6) sits beside HOM with a Python bridge - scene structure, versions, and pipeline depth no general-purpose PM tool can reach.

Web Interface & Node Networks

Architect folder structures, manage external assets, and configure defaults from a browser portal. Includes a custom node-network editor for visual workflows and reusable node-graph exchange.

Community Reusable Node-Graphs

Projects stay private and encrypted by default. Opt in to contribute or pull shared community node-graphs to accelerate your Houdini pipeline.

Secure Client Collaboration

Share for review via branded project windows with restricted access - or keep it local with watermarked PDF packages. Encrypted metadata and Shift-Left security are built into the protocol.

Flexible Deployment. Open Source Core.

The primary VEXiL codebase is distributed under the MIT License.

Local (Docker)

For solo artists on a single machine - run everything locally with Docker and manage projects without paying for extra services.

Self-Hosted (Studio)

For a local team on a LAN: host the API on a small machine - even a Raspberry Pi - so every seat stays in sync from one place.

Managed Cloud

We host VEXiL for our own pipelines. For a small fee, we can run the infrastructure for you - install the plugin and start working, with no technical setup.

For developers

Technical Stack & Orchestration

For developers and anyone interested in contributing - a quick bird's-eye view of how this project is set up.

Repository Layout anhedonix/vexil 
vexil/
├── apps/
│   ├── vexil-website/              - website (Astro 7 · Tailwind v4)
│   ├── vexil-frontend/               - product web UI (Astro 7)
│   ├── vexil-server/                - core API (Go · RestAPI)
│   ├── vexil-dev-tools/
│   │   └── env-init/              - environment setup using specific tools for developers
│   └── vexil-package-src/           - Houdini plugin (uv · Python 3.13)
apps/vexil-website
Built

Website-VEXiL

Built with Astro - the public site for product introduction today; documentation will live here as the project matures. Deployable to Vercel, Netlify, or Cloudflare Pages.

Astro
apps/vexil-server
Scaffold

Core API

Go's speed and build velocity power a full RestAPI on Gin - robust, easy to manage, and dedicated to system I/O. VEXiL inside Houdini talks to this listener for file and OS work. One binary compiles for Linux (our primary target), macOS, and Windows, so the same Houdini package runs across platforms.

Go Gin RestAPI
apps/vexil-package-src
Scaffold

Houdini Plugin

The Houdini package is mainly Python 3.13 and targets Houdini 22+ only. Scene work goes through Python talking directly to the hou module (HOM).

Python 3.13 Houdini 22+ hou
apps/vexil-dev-tools/env-init
Scaffold

Developer UI

Custom TUIs and GUIs help developers set up the environment and get productive quickly. Documentation will follow as time allows.

TUI GUI
root
Built

Orchestration

This repo is a monorepo. After trying a few tools, Turborepo fit the workflow, with Bun for package management. Neither is part of the Houdini package - they orchestrate the frontend and JS workspaces only - so the choice stays independent of the plugin.

Monorepo Turborepo Bun
apps/vexil-frontend
Scaffold

Product Web UI

Authenticated portal - folders, assets, node-network editor. Skeleton committed; feature work open.

Contribute

Issues, RFCs, and PRs welcome - especially Houdini integration, the Go backend, and VEXiL-UI.

GitHub repo Open issues Security policy

Cybersecurity Protocol

Shift-Left Strategy

Pre-commit security from day one.

Encrypted Metadata

Org-keyed encryption for project data.

Hython Validation

Validates in native Houdini Python (Hython).

Strategic Roadmap

Targeting public launch in 6-8 months.

I

Phase I

In Progress
Foundation

Core engineering & Alpha plugin release.

II

Phase II

Planned
Growth

Repo publication & community contributions.

III

Phase III

Planned
Stabilization

Debugging and feature planning.