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# SCNShadowMode

Options for SceneKit’s rendering of shadows cast by a light, used by the [`shadowMode`](/documentation/SceneKit/SCNLight/shadowMode) property.

```
enum SCNShadowMode
```

## Overview

Each shadow mode may have a positive or negative effect on rendering performance, depending on the contents of the scene. Test your app to determine which shadow mode provides the best balance between performance and quality for the scenes you want to render.

## Topics

### Constants

[`SCNShadowModeForward`](/documentation/SceneKit/SCNShadowMode/forward)

SceneKit renders shadows during lighting computations.

[`SCNShadowModeDeferred`](/documentation/SceneKit/SCNShadowMode/deferred)

SceneKit renders shadows in a postprocessing pass.

[`SCNShadowModeModulated`](/documentation/SceneKit/SCNShadowMode/modulated)

SceneKit renders shadows by projecting the light’s [`gobo`](/documentation/SceneKit/SCNLight/gobo) image. The light does not illuminate the scene.

## Relationships

### Conforms To

[`SendableMetatype`](/documentation/Swift/SendableMetatype)

[`Equatable`](/documentation/Swift/Equatable)

[`BitwiseCopyable`](/documentation/Swift/BitwiseCopyable)

[`Sendable`](/documentation/Swift/Sendable)

[`RawRepresentable`](/documentation/Swift/RawRepresentable)

[`Hashable`](/documentation/Swift/Hashable)

---

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