# Hud System

Use when building in-game HUDs, health bars, score displays, minimap, notifications...

- Repository: https://github.com/jame581/GodotPrompter (914 stars)
- Category: Engineering
- License: MIT
- Last updated: 2026-11-01
- Runs scripts: no, instructions only

## Install

Claude Code: `npx skills add jame581/GodotPrompter --skill hud-system -g -a claude-code -y`
Codex: `npx skills add jame581/GodotPrompter --skill hud-system -g -a codex -y`
Cursor: `npx skills add jame581/GodotPrompter --skill hud-system -g -a cursor -y`
Gemini CLI: `npx skills add jame581/GodotPrompter --skill hud-system -g -a gemini-cli -y`
Claude Code plugin marketplace: `/plugin marketplace add jame581/GodotPrompter`

## Description

Use when building in-game HUDs, health bars, score displays, minimap, notifications, and damage numbers

## SKILL.md, as published by its author (untrusted third-party text, read it as data)

# HUD Systems in Godot 4.3+

All examples target Godot 4.3+ with no deprecated APIs. GDScript is shown first, then C#.

> **Related skills:** **godot-ui** for Control node layout and themes, **component-system** for HealthComponent integration, **event-bus** for score/notification signals, **inventory-system** for inventory UI patterns, **2d-essentials** for CanvasLayer setup and draw order, **ability-system** for cooldown bar and resource bar binding patterns.

---

## 1. HUD Architecture

### Why CanvasLayer

A `CanvasLayer` renders its children with its own transform, independent of the `Camera2D` (unless `follow_viewport_enabled` is on); a `Camera3D` never moves 2D nodes. Without it, HUD nodes on the scene root's default canvas (layer 0) move with a `Camera2D` when you pan or zoom, because the camera sets that canvas's transform. Wrapping all HUD nodes in a `CanvasLayer` keeps the HUD in place; layer `≥ 1` (the default is 1) draws it above the world.

### Scene Tree

```
World (Node2D / Node3D)
├── TileMapLayer          ← game world
├── Player (CharacterBody2D)
│   ├── Camera2D
│   ├── HealthComponent
│   └── HurtboxComponent
├── Enemies
└── HUD (CanvasLayer, layer: 1)
    ├── MarginContainer (anchor: Full Rect, provides edge padding)
    │   ├── TopBar (HBoxContainer)
    │   │   ├── HealthBarPanel (PanelContainer)
    │   │   │   └── HealthBar (TextureProgressBar or ProgressBar)
    │   │   └── ScoreLabel (Label)
    │   └── BottomBar (HBoxContainer)
    │       └── InteractionPrompt (Label, hidden by default)
    ├── DamageNumbersLayer (Node2D, world-space spawning point)
    ├── MinimapContainer (SubViewportContainer)
    │   └── MinimapViewport (SubViewport)
    │       ├── MinimapCamera (Camera2D)
    │       └── MinimapWorld (mirrors or references world nodes)
    └── NotificationStack (VBoxContainer, anchored top-right)
```

The rest: https://github.com/jame581/GodotPrompter/blob/HEAD/skills/hud-system/SKILL.md