# The Superluminal render interface

> A render fails in the interface before it fails on a GPU. Superluminal shows files, versions, cost, frames, and logs before and while you pay for node time.

- Canonical HTML: https://superlumin.al/interface
- Markdown endpoint: https://superlumin.al/interface.md
- Structured page data: https://superlumin.al/interface.json
- Published: 2026-07-29
- Last updated: 2026-08-06
- Author: Superluminal Engineering

## Quick answer

A visual tour of Superluminal's Blender add-on, file checks, live job page, previews, and output downloads.

### Key benchmark facts

| Fact | Value | Context | Evidence |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Submission | Inside Blender | The open scene provides the frame range, engine, output, and render settings. |  |
| Dependency feedback | Before upload | The submission terminal names missing project inputs. |  |
| Live job state | Frames, nodes, cost, logs, and output | The job page keeps these details together. |  |
| Benchmark interface set | Nine recorded services | The comparison covers Blender add-ons, browsers, desktop clients, and remote workstations. |  |

## Data access

- [This page as structured JSON](https://superlumin.al/interface.json)

- Every screenshot below is embedded with its alt text, caption, and full-resolution URL.

## Related documentation

- [Blender add-on](https://superlumin.al/docs/blender-addon): Submit scenes, choose remote render settings, monitor jobs, and download completed output without leaving Blender.
- [Install and connect](https://superlumin.al/docs/blender-addon/install-and-connect): Install or update the Superluminal Blender add-on, then connect it to the correct account and organization.
- [Manage jobs and download output](https://superlumin.al/docs/blender-addon/manage-and-download): Refresh and inspect project jobs in Blender, open the web detail view, and reliably download completed frames.
- [Read the submission terminal](https://superlumin.al/docs/blender-addon/submission-terminal): Understand the terminal window that opens on submit: tracing, packing, uploading, the success screen, and how to share its diagnostics.
- [Render your first frame](https://superlumin.al/docs/getting-started): Go from a saved Blender scene to a verified Superluminal render and downloaded output.
- [Support](https://superlumin.al/docs/support): Get help through built-in chat, a founder meeting, Discord, or email and include a safe, complete diagnostic packet.
- [Web app](https://superlumin.al/docs/web-ui): Navigate Superluminal projects, render jobs, detailed frame review, billing, account settings, Market, and support.
- [Account and organization context](https://superlumin.al/docs/web-ui/account): Update profile and sign-in details while keeping organization-scoped projects, capacity, credits, and purchases in the correct context.
- [Previews, outputs, and retention](https://superlumin.al/docs/web-ui/outputs): Distinguish web previews from original render output, download safely through Blender, and plan around current retention.
- [Projects](https://superlumin.al/docs/web-ui/projects): Create, find, rename, share, and delete the project containers that organize render jobs and reusable uploads.
- [Browse and manage render jobs](https://superlumin.al/docs/web-ui/render-jobs): Search, filter, compare, duplicate, pause, resume, and delete jobs from a project's current job browser.

## Complete report

A render fails in the interface before it fails on a GPU. A wrong frame range, a missing texture, or an unnoticed queue wastes paid node time, so we treat the interface as part of the render workflow. It must show you each of those facts before and while you pay.

The whole workflow runs through the Blender add-on: configure, submit, and monitor without leaving the scene. The recorded [interface comparison](/compare/render-farm-interfaces) shows this workflow beside eight other services.

## Set up the job in Blender

![Superluminal Render panel in Blender with job and output controls](https://superlumin.al/docs/images/blender/addon-submit-panel.png)

*The Render panel contains project, scene, and output controls.*

With **Use Current Blender Version** enabled, Superluminal uses the same version when supported. Otherwise, it selects the closest supported earlier version.

To choose a version yourself, disable the option.

![Superluminal Render Node Settings with automatic and manual Blender version controls](https://superlumin.al/docs/images/blender/addon-render-node.png)

*The selected farm version is visible before submission.*

## Choose the upload method

ZIP sends the whole package with each submission. PROJECT sends only new or changed project files after the first upload.

![Superluminal Upload Settings with PROJECT mode and a visible project path error](https://superlumin.al/docs/images/blender/addon-upload-settings.png)

*The panel shows the upload mode and required project root.*

PROJECT requires one project root. A path outside that root blocks submission until you move the file or switch to ZIP. See [Blender project dependencies](/dependencies).

## Check add-ons and files

**Include Enabled Addons** lists non-default add-ons enabled in Blender. Select each add-on that changes the scene or rendered image.

![Superluminal Include Enabled Addons panel in Blender](https://superlumin.al/docs/images/blender/addon-include-addons.png)

*Selected add-ons can be included with the submitted job.*

Selected add-ons run on the farm, but you must provide any required license and confirm Linux support.

Before upload, the terminal shows each external file and whether Superluminal can read it.

![Superluminal file check with one missing texture named](https://superlumin.al/docs/images/terminal/terminal-trace.png)

*The terminal identifies the exact missing path before upload.*

A missing file causes a warning. An unreadable file or invalid PROJECT path stops submission. The [add-on guide](/addons) covers licenses and system requirements.

The file check cannot find a path that an add-on creates during rendering. Submit one representative frame before a full animation.

## Watch the running job

![Superluminal job workspace with frame grid, preview, details, and operation chart](https://superlumin.al/docs/images/web/job-overview.png)

*Frames, preview, status, and diagnostics stay on one page.*

Select a frame to show its details, preview, operation chart, machine, and log.

Costs appear in dollars. Time and cost estimates carry an `est` label.

![Superluminal job Summary card with live dollar cost and time estimates](https://superlumin.al/docs/images/web/job-details-panel.png)

*The Summary card reports the job state, time, and dollar charge.*

![Superluminal operations chart with download, render, and upload phases](https://superlumin.al/docs/images/web/job-charts.png)

*The operations chart keeps render, download, and upload phases distinct.*

Enable **Download as frames finish** before submission. The add-on copies each completed file while later frames render.

Use [Manage & Download](/docs/blender-addon/manage-and-download) to download all output files or resume a stopped download.

![Superluminal Manage and Download panel with a finished job, local path, and download button](https://superlumin.al/docs/images/blender/addon-manage-downloads.png)

*Choose a finished job and download its output to a local folder.*

The [Blender add-on docs](/docs/blender-addon) cover submission. The [web app docs](/docs/web-ui) cover job review.

The recorded comparison shows what each of the nine services displays. One row of that table has no gaps.

## Sources

| # | Source | Type | Checked | URL |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Superluminal Blender add-on documentation | Product documentation | 2026-08-05 | https://superlumin.al/docs/blender-addon |
| 2 | Superluminal web interface documentation | Product documentation | 2026-08-05 | https://superlumin.al/docs/web-ui |
| 3 | Render farm benchmark dataset, July to August 2026 | First-party benchmark evidence | 2026-08-05 | https://superlumin.al/seo/evidence/render-farm-benchmarks-2026-08.json |