Houdini

Houdini is built from the ground up to be a procedural system that empowers artists to work freely, create multiple iterations, and rapidly share workflows with colleagues.

In Houdini, every action is stored in a node. These nodes are then “wired” into networks that define a “recipe” that can be tweaked to refine the outcome, then repeated to create similar yet unique results.



The ability for nodes to be saved and to pass information, in the form of attributes, down the chain is what gives the app its procedural nature.

It includes a wide variety of polygons, NURBS, and subdivision surface modeling tools. Procedural techniques can be used to maintain a robust construction history and to create complex models such as environments. The Cloud FX tools offer an artist-friendly way of building, sculpting, and rendering cloud formations.

This workflow utilizes sparse volume sculpting tools created as part of the OpenVDB open-source initiative.

It has an animator-friendly workflow which includes a channel editor, a dope sheet, and an interactive timeline. Set keyframes on any parameter or use the App’s Advanced Motion-editing tools for even more control.

The program’s node-based approach fits perfectly with the working methodology of a typical character rigging TD. Characters can then be wrapped up into a single Digital Asset node and delivered to the animation team.



App’s lighting workflow provides a flexible and powerful environment for managing lights, building shaders, and defining the look of a shot. Environment and GI lights work well with Mantra’s physically-based rendering.

With the software, you can rely on a robust built-in rendering solution called Mantra or create custom support for a wide variety of third-party renderers. Mantra is particularly good at rendering volumes such as smoke.

Features and Highlights

Artist Friendly Tools
While the nodes are what make it unique and give it power, there are lots of viewport and shelf tools that allow for artist-friendly viewport interactions. Behind the scenes, it builds up the nodes and networks for you. Houdini lets artists explore different creative paths because it is easy to branch off a new node to explore alternative solutions.

VFX & Simulation
Visual effects artists gravitate to the app because its procedural workflow is ideal for creating sophisticated particle and dynamic simulations. Effects are typically designed to react to actions taking place in a shot, and a procedural solution “automates” these reactions, providing studios with more creative control and more rapid turnaround.

Shots & Multiple Iterations
It lets you make creative decisions deep into production as changes made to program nodes cascade through the network to create a new and unique result. This detectability is retained throughout the creative process and can be used to make last-minute decisions that would be too costly in a traditional CG pipeline.

Pipeline in a Box
Whether you are setting up a shot or building a game level, the graphics app lets you create tools that can be reused many times during a project’s life cycle. Instead of simply reacting to issues and problems, you will be able to plan and visualize, and refine your pipeline.

Asset Creation Tools
A big benefit of the app’s node-based approach is the ability to encapsulate node networks into custom nodes that are shareable. Create these digital assets without writing any code, then share them with other artists. With the Engine, open assets in other applications such as Autodesk Maya, Autodesk 3ds Max, C4D, UE5, and Unity, with the asset’s procedural controls available for editing in the host app.

Film & TV
Create more shots under tight deadlines while achieving feature film quality results with the App’s procedural node-based workflow. Experience unprecedented levels of flexibility and control to enhance both your creativity and productivity.

Gamedev
Game developers face a growing demand to build huge immersive worlds populated with vast amounts of content. To achieve great gameplay while meeting deadlines, a procedural approach using It offers a smarter way to create quality games.

Motion Graphics
Designers, animators, and storytellers use motion graphics to create content that stimulates audiences using compelling visuals. Create a wide range of aesthetic and dynamic experiences using the app and its procedural node-based toolset.

VR
Virtual and Augmented Reality create a complete experience that takes the viewer to places they've never been before. It provides a powerful set of tools that makes it easier to create and manage the content used to populate these amazing digital worlds.



What’s new in Houdini 21

KineFX Animation & Rigging Enhancements

• New Motion Mixer for non-linear animation blending with an NLE-style interface.
• Animation Catalog lets you save and reuse poses and clips across characters.
• Autorig Builder with drag-and-drop rig components speeds up rig creation.
• Expanded rig components, including updated spine, limb, foot, and neck systems. 

Advanced Character Effects (CFX)

• Otis solver: a GPU-accelerated muscle and soft tissue simulator that provides high-quality organic deformation.
• Improved muscle workflow with automatic tension line generation and muscle transfer tools.
• New skin deformation tools supporting robust collision handling and realistic anatomical motion. 

Copernicus & VFX Tools

• Sparse GPU Pyro FX solver inside Copernicus for fast simulation of smoke/fire.
• Reaction-diffusion effects and interactive handles for rapid VFX creation.
• New Flow solver for procedural image-based motion effects. 

Rendering & Lookdev Upgrades

• Solaris Shot Builder tools for streamlined scene setup.
• Live rendering to the render gallery.
• Karma now supports Hydra 2 and Gaussian Splatting for high-quality render results.
• Vulkan support with real-time Ambient Occlusion and Geometry Lights; MoltenVK support for macOS. 

Machine Learning Integration

• Built-in ML-driven tools for style transfer, neural point surface (point cloud to mesh), pyro upres, and more.
• Support for training custom datasets directly within Houdini workflows. 

Modeling, Terrain & Baking

• Enhanced erosion nodes and terrain heightfield control.
• GPU-accelerated texture baking tools.
• Quad remesh and UV flatten tools improved for cleaner topology. 

Pipeline & Integration Improvements

• Better integration with Epic Metahuman via official plugin.
• Expanded API, Python workflow enhancements, and broader engine/plugin support. 

Core Solvers & Dynamics

• MPM and Pyro solver upgrades.
• Enhanced rigid body dynamics and fragmentation tools.
• Fluid foam/spray systems and adaptive containers for efficient simulation

Compare Products:

Houdini FX
It delivers a powerful and accessible 3D experience with its procedural node-based workflow while providing tools for simulating fluids, destruction fx, pyro FX, grains, cloth, and crowds.

Houdini CORE
The app is designed for modelers, lighters, character riggers, animators, and game artists. Scenes and digital assets created in FX can be opened, manipulated, and rendered in Core.

Houdini Indie
It makes all of the tool FX’s animation and VFX tools available under an indie license to animators and game devs who want to use the app during the incubation stage of their business.

Houdini Apprentice
Apprentices, students, and hobbyists have access to virtually all of the features of the award-winning FX, which can be used to create personal non-commercial projects.



FAQs

What is Houdini, and what makes it different from other 3D software?
Houdini is a professional 3D computer graphics and visual effects software developed by SideFX, known for its procedural node-based workflow that lets artists create complex scenes and simulations with a non-destructive, flexible pipeline. This procedural approach allows changes to be made deep into the project without redoing work. 

What kinds of projects and industries use Houdini?
Houdini is widely used in film, television, game development, motion graphics, VR/AR, and visual effects, particularly when complex dynamic simulations (like fire, smoke, fluids, and destruction) or large procedural environments are required. 

What are the main capabilities of Houdini? Can it do modeling, animation, and rendering?
Yes, Houdini includes tools for procedural modeling, animation, and rigging (including tools like KineFX), particle and physics simulations, lighting, and rendering (with Mantra and support for third-party render engines), making it a full 3D content creation system. 

What does “procedural workflow” mean in Houdini?
In Houdini, every action is represented as a node in a network, so changes to parameters or structure propagate through the chain, which lets artists iterate and explore variations quickly without manually reworking models or effects like in traditional 3D tools. 

Is Houdini suitable for beginners or hobbyists?
Houdini is extremely powerful, but many users describe its learning curve as steep, especially because of its node-based system and breadth of tools - beginners often start with tutorials and simpler projects before tackling advanced simulations. 

Can Houdini tools integrate with other software and pipelines?
Yes, Houdini supports Houdini Engine and can export procedural assets (HDAs) into other 3D and game engines like Unreal Engine, Unity, Maya, and 3ds Max, helping it fit smoothly into larger production pipelines.

Pricing

You can purchase Houdini under a Commercial license (for artists and studios), an Indie license (for creators with under $100k in revenue), or an Education license (for students and schools).

Houdini Core - $1,415

Designed for modelers, lighters, riggers, animators, and game artists. It includes tools for compositing, motion editing, and full compatibility with scenes created in Houdini FX, making it an excellent option for lighting work.

• Includes 5 Karma tokens
• Limit of 5 workstation licenses per studio

Houdini FX - $3,369

A complete 3D solution with a procedural, node-based workflow. Houdini FX delivers advanced tools for simulations, VFX, modeling, animation, and rendering, allowing faster content creation and greater creative flexibility.

• Includes 5 Karma tokens
• Limit of 5 workstation licenses per studio
• Volume purchasing is available upon request

Karma Renderer - $195

A physically based renderer integrated with Solaris. Karma runs inside Houdini or as a Hydra delegate in USD-based applications. It is bundled free with Houdini Core, FX, Indie, Education, and Apprentice, with extra licenses available at the price above.

• Bundled Karma tokens remain available as long as the AUP is active
• Tokens become unavailable if the AUP expires

Houdini Engine - $525

Let's you load and use Houdini Digital Assets in Maya, Unreal Engine, Unity, and more. Also provides command-line access for batch rendering and distributed simulations.

• Limit of 5 workstation licenses per studio
• Volume discounts available

Houdini Engine for Unreal & Unity - Free

Allows commercial users to work with Houdini Digital Assets directly inside Unreal Engine and Unity for game development, XR, virtual production, and visualization.

System Requirements

• OS: Windows 11, Windows 10 (64-bit only)
• Memory: 16 GB required (32 GB or higher recommended and 64GB strongly recommended for fluid simulations)
• Processor: Intel or AMD x64 CPU with SSE 4.2 required. Houdini 20.5 will not run on a system with an instruction set lower than SSE 4.2.
• Disk Space: 5.0 GB required for installation
• Graphics Cards: 12GB VRAM or more is required.
• Input Devices: 3 Button mouse required / Scroll wheel used where present / Wacom tablet recommended for Houdini's brush-based tools

GPU Acceleration

• On certain graphics cards, Houdini can use the GPU to dramatically increase the performance and speed of your Vellum and Pyro FX simulations.
• To take advantage of this capability, you'll need a GPU capable of supporting OpenCL. Refer to the Supported Graphics Cards page.
• The amount of VRAM your GPU has access to will limit the size of the simulation that you can run on it. 16 GB+ + is ideal for larger simulations.
• GPU acceleration currently does NOT make use of multiple OpenCL devices (i.e., two or more graphics cards), but this may change at a future date. An exception to this is Karma XPU, which can make use of multiple NVIDIA GPUs.

Monitor

• Minimum resolution:  1920 x 1080 or higher is recommended.
• 12GB VRAM or higher required for dual displays or single displays greater than 1920x1200.
• Color depth of 32-bit (“true color”) required.

Remote Desktop with Houdini

Remote desktop solutions such as Teradici, VNC, TeamViewer, AnyDesk, and Windows Remote Desktop may be considered. Note that performance may vary, and only NVIDIA RTX and AMD Radeon Pro cards are known to work best with Microsoft's Remote Desktop.

PROS

• Unmatched Procedural Workflow
• Extensive VFX Toolset
• Non-Destructive Editing
• Customizable Node-Based System
• Seamless Integration with Pipelines

CONS

• Steep Learning Curve
• High System Requirements
• Expensive Licensing Options
• Limited Modeling Tools
• Challenging for Small-Scale Projects

Note: 30-day trial version.

Also Available: Download Houdini for Mac