A .VSH file is widely treated as a vertex shader program that runs on the GPU, converting 3D model vertices into proper screen positions via MVP-style matrices and sending attributes such as UVs, normals, or vertex colors to the next rendering stage, although the `.vsh` extension can also serve as a custom or binary format depending on the project using it.
The most direct way to verify the nature of your .VSH file is to inspect the context surrounding it, starting with opening it in a text editor to spot GLSL markers like `uniform` or `gl_Position`, or HLSL patterns such as `cbuffer` with semantics including `SV_Position`, while also reviewing whether it appears in shader-centric folders—like `materials`—and checking for companion files or project references that explicitly load or compile it as part of a vertex/fragment shader pair.
If the file doesn’t resemble readable code and instead shows gibberish or blank squares when opened in a text editor, it may be a binary asset such as a compiled shader blob or an encrypted/compressed file that only the engine’s tools can interpret, so the best approach is to use the extension as a clue but confirm by checking the file’s raw content, the nearby folders and companion files, and any project references that load it, since those three checks usually reveal what a `.VSH` file actually is.
The “.vsh” extension acts mostly as a shorthand, not because any authoritative standard requires it, and its “v” for vertex plus “sh” for shader helps people instantly identify that it holds vertex-shader code, especially when matched with something like .fsh for a fragment shader to show how files pair up in the graphics pipeline.
Here’s more info about VSH document file stop by the web page. Another reason “.vsh” is used is tied to the way engines treat shaders because build systems and asset pipelines look for certain extensions to auto-compile shader files, and even though GLSL/HLSL are text, a dedicated extension ensures the correct processing stage applies; different communities standardized on suffixes like .vs/.ps, and “.vsh” emerged as a concise, clear naming convention that pairs neatly with its fragment counterparts.
Because it’s convention-driven, you’ll also see a lot of variation in how teams use shader extensions, with some choosing names based on shader stage, others following engine traditions, and some keeping older extensions for legacy or tooling reasons, which explains why two “.vsh” files from different projects may both be vertex shaders yet look entirely different—one GLSL-like, another HLSL-like, and another full of engine-specific macros—so in the end “.vsh” isn’t a universal rule but a practical naming choice that helps both humans and build tools organize and process graphics assets correctly.
