---
uid: urp-render-graph-view
---
# Analyze a render graph

There are several ways to analyse a render graph:

- [Use the Render Graph Viewer](#use-the-render-graph-viewer)
- [Use the Rendering Debugger](#use-the-rendering-debugger) 
- [Use the Frame Debugger](#use-the-frame-debugger)

## Use the Render Graph Viewer

To open the **Render Graph Viewer** window, go to **Window > Analysis > Render Graph Viewer**. 

The Render Graph Viewer window displays a render graph, which is the optimized sequence of render passes the Universal Render Pipeline (URP) steps through each frame. The Render Graph Viewer displays both built-in render passes and any [custom render passes](renderer-features/scriptable-render-passes.md) you create.

For more information about the **Render Graph Viewer** window, refer to [Render Graph Viewer window reference](render-graph-viewer-reference.md).

### View a render graph

The **Render Graph Viewer** window displays the render graph for the current scene by default. To select another render graph, use the dropdown in the toolbar.

#### Example: check how URP uses a resource

You can use the resource access blocks next to a resource name to check how the render passes use the resource.

![Render Graph Viewer example](Images/render-graph-viewer.png)

In the previous example, the `_MainLightShadowmapTexture_` texture goes through the following stages:

1. During the first five render passes between **InitFrame** and **SetupCameraProperties**, the texture doesn't exist.

2. The **Main Light Shadowmap** render pass creates the texture as a global texture, and has write-only access to it. For more information about global textures, refer to [Transfer textures between passes](render-graph-pass-textures-between-passes.md).
    
    The blue merge bar below **Main Light Shadowmap** means URP merged **Main Light Shadowmap**, **Additional Lights Shadowmap** and **SetupCameraProperties** into a single render pass. 

3. The next five render passes don't have access to the texture.

4. The first **Draw Objects** render pass has read-only access to the texture.

5. The next two render passes don't have access to the texture.

6. The second **Draw Objects** render pass has read-only access to the texture.

7. Unity destroys the texture, because it's no longer needed. 

### Check how URP optimized a render pass

To check the details of a render pass, for example to find out why it's not a native render pass or a merged pass, do either of the following:

- Select the render pass name to display the details in the Pass List.
- Below the render pass name, hover your cursor over the gray, blue, or flashing blue resource access overview block.

For more information about displaying details of a render pass, refer to [Render Graph Viewer window reference](render-graph-viewer-reference.md).

## Use the Rendering Debugger

You can use the Rendering Debugger to log the resources URP uses and how it uses them, in the **Console** window.

To enable logging, follow these steps:

1. Select **Window > Analysis > Rendering Debugger** to open the **Rendering Debugger** window.
2. In the left pane, select the **Render Graph** tab.
3. Enable **Enable Logging**.
4. Select either **Log Frame Information** to log how URP uses resources, or **Log Resources** to log details about the resources.
5. Select the new item in the **Console** window to display the full log.

For more information about the Rendering Debugger, refer to [Rendering Debugger](features/rendering-debugger.md).

## Use the Frame Debugger

Use the [Frame Debugger](https://docs.unity3d.com/2023.3/Documentation/Manual/frame-debugger-window.html) to check the render passes and draw calls in the rendering loop.

The Frame Debugger displays the following in the [Event Hierarchy panel](https://docs.unity3d.com/Manual/frame-debugger-window-event-hierarchy.html) when the render graph system is active:

- A parent rendering event called **ExecuteRenderGraph**.
- Child rendering events called **(RP &lt;render-pass&gt;:&lt;subpass&gt;)**, where `<render-pass>` is the render pass number and `<subpass>` is the subpass number.

The Frame Debugger shows only render passes that contain a draw call.

For more information about the Frame Debugger, refer to [Frame Debugger](https://docs.unity3d.com/2023.3/Documentation/Manual/frame-debugger-window.html).

## Additional resources

- [Render graph system](render-graph.md)
- [Rendering in the Universal Render Pipeline](rendering-in-universalrp.md)
- [Frame Debugger](https://docs.unity3d.com/2023.3/Documentation/Manual/frame-debugger-window.html)
- [Rendering Debugger](features/rendering-debugger.md)
- [Understand performance](understand-performance.md)