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Houdini

Houdini

Category: CG Type: Software Installer Tags: houdini · sidefx · vfx · usd · animation · 3d · simulation · rendering · effects · modeling

Overview

SideFX Houdini is the industry-standard 3D procedural content creation tool used across film, television, games, and advertising. It is renowned for its node-based workflow and powerful procedural generation capabilities for VFX, simulations, lighting, and animation. The Houdini plugin downloads and installs a specified Houdini version directly from SideFX's servers to a shared persistent volume using your SideFX API credentials.

How It Works

Software Installer — When added to a project, Terra authenticates with SideFX's API using your credentials and downloads the specified Houdini build to the shared volume you choose. Once complete, Houdini is available at that path for every workstation in the project that mounts the volume.

Prerequisites

  • A valid SideFX account with API access (Client ID and Client Secret from sidefx.com)
  • A valid Houdini license (Commercial, Indie, or Education) accessible from the cluster's license server
  • A shared persistent volume provisioned in your project

Installation

  1. Open Terra and navigate to the Plugin Marketplace
  2. Search for "Houdini"
  3. Click Install
  4. Fill in the configuration fields below
  5. Click Confirm to deploy

Configuration

Install-Time Fields

Field Details
version string · Required · Default: 20.5.278
Houdini version to install (e.g. 20.5.278)
destination string · Required · Default: /houdini
Directory path within the volume for the installation
client_id string · Required
SideFX API Client ID for downloading the installer
client_secret string · Required
SideFX API Client Secret
install_volume shared-volume · Required
Shared persistent volume to install Houdini into

Notes

  • The client_id and client_secret are your SideFX API credentials — not your SideFX login password. Generate them at sidefx.com
  • Houdini requires a floating license server; ensure your studio's license server is network-accessible from workstation pods
  • The installer authenticates with the SideFX API to download a build-specific installer — outbound internet access from the cluster is required
  • The version string must exactly match a build available on your SideFX account
plugins/houdini/terra.yaml
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resource_id: houdini
name: Houdini
icon: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/juno-fx/Terra-Official-Plugins/refs/heads/main/plugins/houdini/scripts/assets/houdini.png
description: Install SideFx's Houdini to a target directory.
category: CG
tags:
  - houdini
  - sidefx
  - vfx
  - usd
  - animation
  - 3d
  - simulation
  - rendering
  - effects
  - modeling
fields:
  - name: version
    description: Version of Houdini to install. i.e. 20.5.278
    required: true
    default: 20.5.278
    type: string
  - name: destination
    description: Destination directory
    required: true
    default: /houdini
    type: string
  - name: client_id
    description: SideFX Client ID
    required: true
  - name: client_secret
    description: SideFX Client secret
    required: true
  - name: install_volume
    description: The name of the install volume
    required: true
    type: shared-volume