BNDL Lite - Free Material Node Tree Manager

Version 1.4.0 | 100% Free Forever | Upgrade to Pro ($29)

Export and replay Blender Material node trees as human-readable .bndltext files. Perfect for building your material/shader library, version control, and learning the BNDL workflow risk-free.

🎁 Why BNDL Lite?

Completely Free. No Catch.

• ✅ No trial period - Free forever
• ✅ No watermarks - Professional output
• ✅ No limitations - Unlimited materials
• ✅ No account required - Download and use
• ✅ Commercial use - Use in paid projects

What You Get (Free!)

• Material export/replay - Full shader node support
• Multi-project browser - Organize by client/project
• Favorites system - Star your best materials
• Live search - Find materials instantly
• Recent files - Quick access to last 10 materials
• Human-readable format - Edit .bndl files in any text editor
• Git-friendly - See exactly what changed

Perfect For

• Students - Learn procedural workflows
• Hobbyists - Build your material library
• Freelancers - Organize client materials
• Testing BNDL - Try before upgrading to Pro

What BNDL Lite Does

Export Materials

Turn any Blender material into a portable .bndltext file:

[HEADER]

bndl_version = 1.4

tree_type = ShaderNodeTree

tree_name = GoldMetal_PBR

[NODES]

node_0|ShaderNodeBsdfPrincipled|Principled BSDF

inputs.Base Color|(0.8, 0.6, 0.2, 1.0)

inputs.Metallic|1.0

inputs.Roughness|0.15

Why this matters:

• Edit in text editor - Change colors without opening Blender
• Version control - Git shows meaningful diffs
• Share easily - Send .bndl files to collaborators
• Reuse anywhere - Apply to any .blend file

Replay Materials

Apply saved materials to any object with one click:

1. Select object(s)
2. Find material in library
3. Click "Apply to Selection"
4. Done!

Smart features:

• Proxy handling - Creates placeholders for missing textures
• Name management - "Create as New" prevents overwrites
• Batch apply - Apply to multiple objects at once

Library Browser

Organize materials across multiple projects:

my_materials/
├── metals/

│ ├── S-Gold_PBR.bndl

│ ├── S-Steel_Brushed.bndl

│ └── S-Copper_Oxidized.bndl

└── fabrics/

├── S-Linen_Natural.bndl

└── S-Velvet_Red.bndl

client_A/

├── S-BrandColor_Primary.bndl

└── S-Logo_Material.bndl

Features:

• Multiple projects - Switch between folders
• Live search - Filter by name
• Favorites - Star frequently-used materials
• Recent files - Last 10 materials used

Quick Start (5 Minutes)

1. Download & Install

1. Download BNDL_Lite_v1.4.0.zip (free!)
2. Install in Blender:
   • Edit > Preferences > Add-ons > Install...
   • Select the ZIP file
   • Enable "BNDL Lite (Materials Only)"
3. Set up your library:
   • Open addon preferences
   • Click [+] to add project folder
   • Name it and choose a directory

That's it! No license key, no account, no activation.

2. Export Your First Material

1. Open Shader Editor with a material
2. Press N to open N-Panel
3. Find BNDL tab
4. Click Material button
5. Material saved as S-MaterialName.bndl

Try it now! It takes 30 seconds.

3. Replay a Material

1. Select an object (or multiple)
2. In BNDL N-Panel, find your material BNDL in the project's file list
3. Click Apply to Selection
4. The Material is applied instantly to your selected object(s)!

You're now using BNDL!

Use Cases

Use Case 1: Personal Material Library

"I'm building a collection of shaders for my portfolio projects"

Workflow:

1. Create materials as you learn
2. Export to organized folders
3. Reuse across different projects
4. Build library over time

Benefits:

• Never recreate the same shader twice
• Organize by category (metals, fabrics, etc.)
• Easy to find materials later
• Portfolio-ready organization

Time Saved: 2-3 hours/week

Use Case 2: Client Project Organization

"I freelance for multiple clients and need to stay organized"

Workflow:

1. One project folder per client
2. Export client-specific materials
3. Easy to find materials for each client
4. Archive when project completes

Benefits:

• Professional organization
• Quick client material access
• Easy project handoff
• Clean archives

Professional Edge: Clients appreciate organized deliverables

Use Case 3: Learning & Experimentation

"I'm learning procedural shading and want to track my progress"

Workflow:

1. Export shader experiments
2. Add notes in .bndl header
3. Compare versions in text editor
4. Learn from past work

Benefits:

• Track learning progress
• Understand what changed
• Build reference library
• Share with study groups

Learning Accelerator: See your improvement over time

Git Integration (Game Changer!)

Why Git + BNDL is awesome.

Traditional Blender:

git diff material.blend

# Binary file changed (meaningless)

With BNDL Lite:

git diff S-Metal_Gold.bndl

[NODES]node_0|ShaderNodeBsdfPrincipled|Principled BSDF
- inputs.Roughness|0.4
+ inputs.Roughness|0.35
inputs.Metallic|1.0

You can see EXACTLY what changed!

Simple Git Workflow

# Initialize repo

• cd my_materials
• git init
• # Export material in Blender
• git add S-Gold.bndl
• git commit -m "Add gold shader"
• # Modify and re-export
• git diff S-Gold.bndl # See changes!
• git commit -am "Reduce roughness"

Perfect for:

• Tracking experiments
• Collaborating with friends
• Learning version control
• Building portfolio on GitHub

Tips & Tricks

Batch Export

• Click Batch: Materials to export all materials at once
• Great for archiving entire project
• Respects naming prefixes/suffixes

Naming Conventions

• Use descriptive names: S-Metal_Gold_Brushed.bndl
• Add version suffixes: _v1, _v2, _final
• Prefix by category: Metal_, Fabric_, Organic_

Proxy Workflow

• Missing textures? BNDL creates placeholders
• Enable "Reuse proxies" for consistent naming
• Replace placeholders when textures available

Organization

• Create subfolders by category
• Use project filter to show relevant materials
• Star favorites for quick access
• Search by partial name

When to Upgrade to Pro

You Might Need Pro If...

✅ You use Geometry Nodes

• Export procedural geometry modifier systems as .bndl files
• Share scatter systems, modeling setups
• Version control your Geometry Nodes library

✅ You use the Compositor

• Export compositing node trees
• Reuse color grading setups
• Build post-processing library

✅ You need Asset Bundling

• Export textures with materials automatically and in an editable
• No broken texture paths
• Portable material packages

✅ You work in a team

• Studio preferences system
• Centralized team settings
• Priority support

What Pro Adds
Feature Lite (Free) Pro ($29)

Material export/replay ✅ ✅

Multi-project browser ✅ ✅

Favorites & search ✅ ✅

Geometry Nodes ❌ ✅

Compositor ❌ ✅

Asset bundling ❌ ✅

Studio preferences ❌ ✅

Priority support ❌ ✅

Upgrade is seamless - Just install Pro, your library transfers automatically!

What's Included

Instant Download

• BNDL_Lite_v1.4.0.zip - Ready to install
• No registration required
• No license key needed
• Works offline

Documentation

• Installation guide
• Quick start tutorial
• .bndl file format spec
• Troubleshooting guide

Support

• Community Discord access
• Video tutorials
• Example.bndl files
• Active community forum

Troubleshooting

"No .bndl files found"

Fix: Add at least one project folder in preferences

"Material not applying"

Fix: Make sure object has a material slot (BNDL will create one if needed)

"Textures are pink/missing"

Fix: Enable "Reuse proxies" or manually replace placeholder textures

"Export button grayed out"

Fix: Select an object with a material in Shader Editor

"Addon won't enable"

Fix: Upgrade to Blender 4.0 or newer

More help: Discord

Community

Get Involved

• 💬 Discord: https://discord.gg/v4gJRBnwfy
• BlenderArtists: Share your.bndl files
• YouTube: Tutorial videos
• GitHub: Report bugs, request features

Share Your Work

• Post .bndl files on Gumroad/BlenderMarket
• Share material libraries on GitHub
• Help other users in Discord
• Create tutorials

Contribute

• Report bugs
• Suggest features
• Share use cases
• Help improve documentation

FAQ

Is BNDL Lite really free?

Yes! 100% free forever. No trial, no watermarks, no limitations on materials.

Can I use it commercially?

Yes! Use in any commercial project. Sell assets you create. No royalties.

Do I need an account?

No! Just download and install. No registration required.

Will it always be free?

Yes! BNDL Lite will always be free. Pro features require upgrade, but Lite stays free. If you are rich AF, you can send a little cash my way and I'd love it. But if not---that's also cool; it's tough out here.

Can I upgrade later?

Yes! Upgrade to Pro anytime. Your library and settings transfer automatically.

What's the catch?

No catch! Lite is genuinely free. We offer it so you can try the workflow before deciding on Pro.

Does it work with Blender 3.x?

No. V3 and below use different systems and naming conventions internally. Blender 4.0+; 5 has worked so far and is likely to work fine. I'll update this page when thorough testing is complete.

Can I share .bndl files?

Yes! .bndlfiles are yours to share. Recipients don't need BNDL to use them (but they do to create them). Technically, BNDLs could be hand-written, but that would be...annoying.

License

BNDL Lite is free for personal and commercial use.

You CAN:

• ✅ Use in unlimited commercial projects
• ✅ Create and sell assets made with BNDL Lite
• ✅ Share.bndl files freely
• ✅ Install on multiple machines

You CANNOT:

• ❌ Redistribute the addon
• ❌ Remove license/attribution

Fair and simple!