> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://plugin-everything.gitbook.io/textgrad/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://plugin-everything.gitbook.io/textgrad/textgrad-overview.md).

# TextGrad Overview

TextGrad creates procedural per-character gradients that update live with your text, just like magic ✨

<details>

<summary>Why?</summary>

There isn’t an easy way to make a gradient for each character / word on a text layer that both sticks to the layer ***and*** is customizable for each character.

You can use expressions to map the inbuilt Gradient Ramp effect to update to text layer bounds, but it’s one gradient for the whole layer.

Thus TextGrad was born 🐣

</details>

<details>

<summary>Features</summary>

* Linear, radial & conical / sweep gradient styles
* Offset & stagger parameter (gradient cycle, hue shift, etc) per character, word or line
* Powerful gradient UI, palette presets, seamless looping, hue shifting
* Inbuilt gamma correction, 3 colorspaces for perfect blending: RGB, HSL, Oklab
* Solo or combine individual stroke + fill modes
* Manipulate gradients independent of text paths and vise versa; stagger and offset with creative order modifiers
* Unify bounds alignment between ascenders & descenders
* Compatible with most native AE text animators

</details>

<details>

<summary>Limitations / What's not supported?</summary>

* 3D text layers
* See below for which native `Text Animators` are supported / not supported:

<div data-with-frame="true"><figure><img src="https://119061313-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FBcG8yKAppYgnYflu483X%2Fuploads%2FZuB7ox2Drls4uAZVjb0E%2Fanimator-support.jpg?alt=media&amp;token=e47ae70d-bc67-4567-9fca-8780615263d3" alt="" width="240"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

* Text that overlaps significantly may have difficulty separating cleanly:

<div data-with-frame="true"><figure><img src="https://119061313-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FBcG8yKAppYgnYflu483X%2Fuploads%2FgoqvsDqyq51S4bZqF6OI%2Foverlap-warning.jpg?alt=media&amp;token=343e9f18-ccb0-4537-9bda-4a7202addbcb" alt="" width="375"><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div>

* 32bpc HDR values only available in `Linear` & `Radial` gradient modes, `Conical` gradients render at 8bpc precision

</details>

Watch the [Video Tutorials](/textgrad/video-tutorials.md) for a quickstart tour and practical examples covering text animators, compositing, transitions, and path consolidation.