= Light shaders =

Instead of the [standard cone and point lights|/light] you can use a light [Icon:NETWORKS/shop][shader|/shade], basically a custom coded light. Houdini ships with several special lights, most of them coded in [VEX|/vex/].

== Using light shaders ==
# Create a light shader in the [network editor|/ref/panes/network] at the [Icon:NETWORKS/shop]Shader level using the [tab menu|/basics/tabmenu].

  [Shaders|/shade], including light shaders, are specific to the renderer you will use. Shaders whose names start with `VEX` will render in the Houdini's standard [Icon:ROP/mantra][mantra|Node:out/ifd] renderer. Other shaders work
  in other renderers ([Icon:ROP/rman][RenderMan|Node:out/rib] shaders start with `RMan`,
  [Icon:ROP/mental][mental ray|Node:out/mentalray] shaders start with `MI`).

# Create a [Icon:OBJ/light][Light Template|/nodes/obj/light] in the [network editor|/ref/panes/network] at the Object level using the [tab menu|/basics/tabmenu].

# In the [parameter editor|/ref/panes/parms] of the [light template|/nodes/obj/light], assign the light shader you just created as the __Light Shader__ on the __Shaders__ sub-tab of the __Render__ tab.