Jump flood based outline effect for Unity https://medium.com/@bgolus/the-quest-for-very-wide-outlines-ba82ed442cd9

HiddenJumpFloodOutline.shader

Shader "Hidden/JumpFloodOutline"
{
    Properties
    {
        _MainTex ("Texture", 2D) = "white" {}
    }
    SubShader
    {
        Tags { "PreviewType" = "Plane" }
        Cull Off ZWrite Off ZTest Always

        CGINCLUDE
        // just inside the precision of a R16G16_SNorm to keep encoded range 1.0 >= and > -1.0
        #define SNORM16_MAX_FLOAT_MINUS_EPSILON ((float)(32768-2) / (float)(32768-1))
        #define FLOOD_ENCODE_OFFSET float2(1.0, SNORM16_MAX_FLOAT_MINUS_EPSILON)
        #define FLOOD_ENCODE_SCALE float2(2.0, 1.0 + SNORM16_MAX_FLOAT_MINUS_EPSILON)

        #define FLOOD_NULL_POS -1.0
        #define FLOOD_NULL_POS_FLOAT2 float2(FLOOD_NULL_POS, FLOOD_NULL_POS)
        ENDCG
        
        Pass // 0
        {
            Name "INNERSTENCIL"

            Stencil {
                Ref 1
                ReadMask 1
                WriteMask 1
                Comp NotEqual
                Pass Replace
            }

            ColorMask 0
            Blend Zero One

            CGPROGRAM
            #pragma vertex vert
            #pragma fragment frag

            #include "UnityCG.cginc"

            #pragma target 4.5

            float4 vert (float4 vertex : POSITION) : SV_POSITION
            {
                return UnityObjectToClipPos(vertex);
            }

            // null frag
            void frag () {}
            ENDCG
        }

        Pass // 1
        {
            Name "BUFFERFILL"

            CGPROGRAM
            #pragma vertex vert
            #pragma fragment frag

            #include "UnityCG.cginc"

            #pragma target 4.5

            struct appdata
            {
                float4 vertex : POSITION;
            };

            float4 vert (appdata v) : SV_POSITION
            {
                float4 pos = UnityObjectToClipPos(v.vertex);

                // flip the rendering "upside down" in non OpenGL to make things easier later
                // you'll notice none of the later passes need to pass UVs
                #ifdef UNITY_UV_STARTS_AT_TOP
                pos.y = -pos.y;
                #endif

                return pos;
            }

            half frag () : SV_Target
            {
                return 1.0;
            }
            ENDCG
        }

        Pass // 2
        {
            Name "JUMPFLOODINIT"

            CGPROGRAM
            #pragma vertex vert
            #pragma fragment frag

            #include "UnityCG.cginc"

            #pragma target 4.5

            struct appdata
            {
                float4 vertex : POSITION;
                float2 uv : TEXCOORD0;
            };

            struct v2f
            {
                float4 pos : SV_POSITION;
            };

            Texture2D _MainTex;
            float4 _MainTex_TexelSize;

            v2f vert (appdata v)
            {
                v2f o;
                o.pos = UnityObjectToClipPos(v.vertex);
                return o;
            }

            float2 frag (v2f i) : SV_Target {
                // integer pixel position
                int2 uvInt = i.pos.xy;

                // sample silhouette texture for sobel
                half3x3 values;
                UNITY_UNROLL
                for(int u=0; u<3; u++)
                {
                    UNITY_UNROLL
                    for(int v=0; v<3; v++)
                    {
                        uint2 sampleUV = clamp(uvInt + int2(u-1, v-1), int2(0,0), (int2)_MainTex_TexelSize.zw - 1);
                        values[u][v] = _MainTex.Load(int3(sampleUV, 0)).r;
                    }
                }

                // calculate output position for this pixel
                float2 outPos = i.pos.xy * abs(_MainTex_TexelSize.xy) * FLOOD_ENCODE_SCALE - FLOOD_ENCODE_OFFSET;

                // interior, return position
                if (values._m11 > 0.99)
                    return outPos;

                // exterior, return no position
                if (values._m11 < 0.01)
                    return FLOOD_NULL_POS_FLOAT2;

                // sobel to estimate edge direction
                float2 dir = -float2(
                    values[0][0] + values[0][1] * 2.0 + values[0][2] - values[2][0] - values[2][1] * 2.0 - values[2][2],
                    values[0][0] + values[1][0] * 2.0 + values[2][0] - values[0][2] - values[1][2] * 2.0 - values[2][2]
                    );

                // if dir length is small, this is either a sub pixel dot or line
                // no way to estimate sub pixel edge, so output position
                if (abs(dir.x) <= 0.005 && abs(dir.y) <= 0.005)
                    return outPos;

                // normalize direction
                dir = normalize(dir);

                // sub pixel offset
                float2 offset = dir * (1.0 - values._m11);

                // output encoded offset position
                return (i.pos.xy + offset) * abs(_MainTex_TexelSize.xy) * FLOOD_ENCODE_SCALE - FLOOD_ENCODE_OFFSET;
            }
            ENDCG
        }

        Pass // 3
        {
            Name "JUMPFLOOD"

            CGPROGRAM
            #pragma vertex vert
            #pragma fragment frag

            #include "UnityCG.cginc"

            #pragma target 4.5

            struct appdata
            {
                float4 vertex : POSITION;
            };

            struct v2f
            {
                float4 pos : SV_POSITION;
            };

            Texture2D _MainTex;
            float4 _MainTex_TexelSize;
            int _StepWidth;

            v2f vert (appdata v)
            {
                v2f o;
                o.pos = UnityObjectToClipPos(v.vertex);
                return o;
            }

            float2 frag (v2f i) : SV_Target {
                // integer pixel position
                int2 uvInt = int2(i.pos.xy);

                // initialize best distance at infinity
                float bestDist = 1.#INF;
                float2 bestCoord;

                // jump samples
                UNITY_UNROLL
                for(int u=-1; u<=1; u++)
                {
                    UNITY_UNROLL
                    for(int v=-1; v<=1; v++)
                    {
                        // calculate offset sample position
                        int2 offsetUV = uvInt + int2(u, v) * _StepWidth;

                        // .Load() acts funny when sampling outside of bounds, so don't
                        offsetUV = clamp(offsetUV, int2(0,0), (int2)_MainTex_TexelSize.zw - 1);

                        // decode position from buffer
                        float2 offsetPos = (_MainTex.Load(int3(offsetUV, 0)).rg + FLOOD_ENCODE_OFFSET) * _MainTex_TexelSize.zw / FLOOD_ENCODE_SCALE;

                        // the offset from current position
                        float2 disp = i.pos.xy - offsetPos;

                        // square distance
                        float dist = dot(disp, disp);

                        // if offset position isn't a null position or is closer than the best
                        // set as the new best and store the position
                        if (offsetPos.y != FLOOD_NULL_POS && dist < bestDist)
                        {
                            bestDist = dist;
                            bestCoord = offsetPos;
                        }
                    }
                }

                // if not valid best distance output null position, otherwise output encoded position
                return isinf(bestDist) ? FLOOD_NULL_POS_FLOAT2 : bestCoord * _MainTex_TexelSize.xy * FLOOD_ENCODE_SCALE - FLOOD_ENCODE_OFFSET;
            }
            ENDCG
        }

        Pass // 4
        {
            Name "JUMPFLOOD_SINGLEAXIS"

            CGPROGRAM
            #pragma vertex vert
            #pragma fragment frag

            #include "UnityCG.cginc"

            #pragma target 4.5

            struct appdata
            {
                float4 vertex : POSITION;
            };

            struct v2f
            {
                float4 pos : SV_POSITION;
            };

            Texture2D _MainTex;
            float4 _MainTex_TexelSize;
            int2 _AxisWidth;

            v2f vert (appdata v)
            {
                v2f o;
                o.pos = UnityObjectToClipPos(v.vertex);
                return o;
            }

            half2 frag (v2f i) : SV_Target {
                // integer pixel position
                int2 uvInt = int2(i.pos.xy);

                // initialize best distance at infinity
                float bestDist = 1.#INF;
                float2 bestCoord;

                // jump samples
                // only one loop
                UNITY_UNROLL
                for(int u=-1; u<=1; u++)
                {
                    // calculate offset sample position
                    int2 offsetUV = uvInt + _AxisWidth * u;

                    // .Load() acts funny when sampling outside of bounds, so don't
                    offsetUV = clamp(offsetUV, int2(0,0), (int2)_MainTex_TexelSize.zw - 1);

                    // decode position from buffer
                    float2 offsetPos = (_MainTex.Load(int3(offsetUV, 0)).rg + FLOOD_ENCODE_OFFSET) * _MainTex_TexelSize.zw / FLOOD_ENCODE_SCALE;

                    // the offset from current position
                    float2 disp = i.pos.xy - offsetPos;

                    // square distance
                    float dist = dot(disp, disp);

                    // if offset position isn't a null position or is closer than the best
                    // set as the new best and store the position
                    if (offsetPos.x != -1.0 && dist < bestDist)
                    {
                        bestDist = dist;
                        bestCoord = offsetPos;
                    }
                }

                // if not valid best distance output null position, otherwise output encoded position
                return isinf(bestDist) ? FLOOD_NULL_POS_FLOAT2 : bestCoord * _MainTex_TexelSize.xy * FLOOD_ENCODE_SCALE - FLOOD_ENCODE_OFFSET;
            }
            ENDCG
        }

        Pass // 5
        {
            Name "JUMPFLOODOUTLINE"

            Stencil {
                Ref 1
                ReadMask 1
                WriteMask 1
                Comp NotEqual
                Pass Zero
                Fail Zero
            }

            Blend SrcAlpha OneMinusSrcAlpha

            CGPROGRAM
            #pragma vertex vert
            #pragma fragment frag

            #include "UnityCG.cginc"

            #pragma target 4.5

            struct appdata
            {
                float4 vertex : POSITION;
            };

            struct v2f
            {
                float4 pos : SV_POSITION;
            };

            Texture2D _MainTex;

            half4 _OutlineColor;
            float _OutlineWidth;

            v2f vert (appdata v)
            {
                v2f o;
                o.pos = UnityObjectToClipPos(v.vertex);
                return o;
            }

            half4 frag (v2f i) : SV_Target {
                // integer pixel position
                int2 uvInt = int2(i.pos.xy);

                // load encoded position
                float2 encodedPos = _MainTex.Load(int3(uvInt, 0)).rg;

                // early out if null position
                if (encodedPos.y == -1)
                    return half4(0,0,0,0);

                // decode closest position
                float2 nearestPos = (encodedPos + FLOOD_ENCODE_OFFSET) * abs(_ScreenParams.xy) / FLOOD_ENCODE_SCALE;

                // current pixel position
                float2 currentPos = i.pos.xy;

                // distance in pixels to closest position
                half dist = length(nearestPos - currentPos);

                // calculate outline
                // + 1.0 is because encoded nearest position is half a pixel inset
                // not + 0.5 because we want the anti-aliased edge to be aligned between pixels
                // distance is already in pixels, so this is already perfectly anti-aliased!
                half outline = saturate(_OutlineWidth - dist + 1.0);

                // apply outline to alpha
                half4 col = _OutlineColor;
                col.a *= outline;

                // profit!
                return col;
            }
            ENDCG
        }
    }
}

JumpFloodOutlineRenderer.cs

using System;
using System.Collections;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using UnityEngine;
using UnityEngine.Rendering;
using UnityEngine.Experimental.Rendering;
#if UNITY_EDITOR
using UnityEditor;
#endif

[ExecuteInEditMode]
public class JumpFloodOutlineRenderer : MonoBehaviour
{
    [ColorUsageAttribute(true, true)] public Color outlineColor = Color.white;
    [Range(0.0f, 1000.0f)] public float outlinePixelWidth = 4f;

    // list of all renderer components you want to have outlined as a single silhouette
    public List<Renderer> renderers = new List<Renderer>();

    // hidden reference to ensure shader gets included with builds
    // gets auto-assigned with an OnValidate() function later
    [HideInInspector, SerializeField] private Shader outlineShader;

    // some hidden settings
    const string shaderName = "Hidden/JumpFloodOutline";
    const CameraEvent cameraEvent = CameraEvent.AfterForwardAlpha;
    const bool useSeparableAxisMethod = true;

    // shader pass indices
    const int SHADER_PASS_INTERIOR_STENCIL = 0;
    const int SHADER_PASS_SILHOUETTE_BUFFER_FILL = 1;
    const int SHADER_PASS_JFA_INIT = 2;
    const int SHADER_PASS_JFA_FLOOD = 3;
    const int SHADER_PASS_JFA_FLOOD_SINGLE_AXIS = 4;
    const int SHADER_PASS_JFA_OUTLINE = 5;

    // render texture IDs
    private int silhouetteBufferID = Shader.PropertyToID("_SilhouetteBuffer");
    private int nearestPointID = Shader.PropertyToID("_NearestPoint");
    private int nearestPointPingPongID = Shader.PropertyToID("_NearestPointPingPong");

    // shader properties
    private int outlineColorID = Shader.PropertyToID("_OutlineColor");
    private int outlineWidthID = Shader.PropertyToID("_OutlineWidth");
    private int stepWidthID = Shader.PropertyToID("_StepWidth");
    private int axisWidthID = Shader.PropertyToID("_AxisWidth");

    // private variables
    private CommandBuffer cb;
    private Material outlineMat;
    private Camera bufferCam;

    private Mesh MeshFromRenderer(Renderer r)
    {
        if (r is SkinnedMeshRenderer)
            return (r as SkinnedMeshRenderer).sharedMesh;
        else if (r is MeshRenderer)
            return r.GetComponent<MeshFilter>().sharedMesh;

        return null;
    }

    private void CreateCommandBuffer(Camera cam)
    {
        if (renderers == null || renderers.Count == 0)
            return;

        if (cb == null)
        {
            cb = new CommandBuffer();
            cb.name = "JumpFloodOutlineRenderer: " + gameObject.name;
        }
        else
        {
            cb.Clear();
        }

        if (outlineMat == null)
        {
            outlineMat = new Material(outlineShader != null ? outlineShader : Shader.Find(shaderName));
        }

        // do nothing if no outline will be visible
        if (outlineColor.a <= (1f/255f) || outlinePixelWidth <= 0f)
        {
            cb.Clear();
            return;
        }

        // support meshes with sub meshes
        // can be from having multiple materials, complex skinning rigs, or a lot of vertices
        int renderersCount = renderers.Count;
        int[] subMeshCount = new int[renderersCount];

        for (int i=0; i<renderersCount; i++)
        {
            var mesh = MeshFromRenderer(renderers[i]);
            Debug.Assert(mesh != null, "JumpFloodOutlineRenderer's renderer [" + i + "] is missing a valid mesh.", gameObject);
            if (mesh != null)
            {
                // assume staticly batched meshes only have one sub mesh
                if (renderers[i].isPartOfStaticBatch)
                    subMeshCount[i] = 1; // hack hack hack
                else
                    subMeshCount[i] = mesh.subMeshCount;
            }
        }

        // render meshes to main buffer for the interior stencil mask
        cb.SetRenderTarget(BuiltinRenderTextureType.CameraTarget);
        for (int i=0; i<renderersCount; i++)
        {
            for (int m = 0; m < subMeshCount[i]; m++)
                cb.DrawRenderer(renderers[i], outlineMat, m, SHADER_PASS_INTERIOR_STENCIL);
        }

        // match current quality settings' MSAA settings
        // doesn't check if current camera has MSAA enabled
        // also could just always do MSAA if you so pleased
        int msaa = Mathf.Max(1,QualitySettings.antiAliasing);

        int width = cam.scaledPixelWidth;
        int height = cam.scaledPixelHeight;

        // setup descriptor for silhouette render texture
        RenderTextureDescriptor silhouetteRTD = new RenderTextureDescriptor() {
            dimension = TextureDimension.Tex2D,
            graphicsFormat = GraphicsFormat.R8_UNorm,

            width = width,
            height = height,

            msaaSamples = msaa,
            depthBufferBits = 0,

            sRGB = false,

            useMipMap = false,
            autoGenerateMips = false
        };

        // create silhouette buffer and assign it as the current render target
        cb.GetTemporaryRT(silhouetteBufferID, silhouetteRTD, FilterMode.Point);
        cb.SetRenderTarget(silhouetteBufferID);
        cb.ClearRenderTarget(false, true, Color.clear);

        // render meshes to silhouette buffer
        for (int i=0; i<renderersCount; i++)
        {
            for (int m = 0; m < subMeshCount[i]; m++)
                cb.DrawRenderer(renderers[i], outlineMat, m, SHADER_PASS_SILHOUETTE_BUFFER_FILL);
        }

        // Humus3D wire trick, keep line 1 pixel wide and fade alpha instead of making line smaller
        // slightly nicer looking and no more expensive
        Color adjustedOutlineColor = outlineColor;
        adjustedOutlineColor.a *= Mathf.Clamp01(outlinePixelWidth);
        cb.SetGlobalColor(outlineColorID, adjustedOutlineColor.linear);
        cb.SetGlobalFloat(outlineWidthID, Mathf.Max(1f, outlinePixelWidth));

        // setup descriptor for jump flood render textures
        var jfaRTD = silhouetteRTD;
        jfaRTD.msaaSamples = 1;
        jfaRTD.graphicsFormat = GraphicsFormat.R16G16_SNorm;

        // create jump flood buffers to ping pong between
        cb.GetTemporaryRT(nearestPointID, jfaRTD, FilterMode.Point);
        cb.GetTemporaryRT(nearestPointPingPongID, jfaRTD, FilterMode.Point);

        // calculate the number of jump flood passes needed for the current outline width
        // + 1.0f to handle half pixel inset of the init pass and antialiasing
        int numMips = Mathf.CeilToInt(Mathf.Log(outlinePixelWidth + 1.0f, 2f));
        int jfaIter = numMips-1;

        // Alan Wolfe's separable axis JFA - https://www.shadertoy.com/view/Mdy3D3
        if (useSeparableAxisMethod)
        {

            // jfa init
            cb.Blit(silhouetteBufferID, nearestPointID, outlineMat, SHADER_PASS_JFA_INIT);

            // jfa flood passes
            for (int i=jfaIter; i>=0; i--)
            {
                // calculate appropriate jump width for each iteration
                // + 0.5 is just me being cautious to avoid any floating point math rounding errors
                float stepWidth = Mathf.Pow(2, i) + 0.5f;

                // the two separable passes, one axis at a time
                cb.SetGlobalVector(axisWidthID, new Vector2(stepWidth, 0f));
                cb.Blit(nearestPointID, nearestPointPingPongID, outlineMat, SHADER_PASS_JFA_FLOOD_SINGLE_AXIS);
                cb.SetGlobalVector(axisWidthID, new Vector2(0f, stepWidth));
                cb.Blit(nearestPointPingPongID, nearestPointID, outlineMat, SHADER_PASS_JFA_FLOOD_SINGLE_AXIS);
            }
        }

        // traditional JFA
        else
        {
            // choose a starting buffer so we always finish on the same buffer
            int startBufferID = (jfaIter % 2 == 0) ? nearestPointPingPongID : nearestPointID;

            // jfa init
            cb.Blit(silhouetteBufferID, startBufferID, outlineMat, SHADER_PASS_JFA_INIT);

            // jfa flood passes
            for (int i=jfaIter; i>=0; i--)
            {
                // calculate appropriate jump width for each iteration
                // + 0.5 is just me being cautious to avoid any floating point math rounding errors
                cb.SetGlobalFloat(stepWidthID, Mathf.Pow(2, i) + 0.5f);

                // ping pong between buffers
                if (i % 2 == 1)
                    cb.Blit(nearestPointID, nearestPointPingPongID, outlineMat, SHADER_PASS_JFA_FLOOD);
                else
                    cb.Blit(nearestPointPingPongID, nearestPointID, outlineMat, SHADER_PASS_JFA_FLOOD);
            }
        }

        // jfa decode & outline render
        cb.Blit(nearestPointID, BuiltinRenderTextureType.CameraTarget, outlineMat, SHADER_PASS_JFA_OUTLINE);

        cb.ReleaseTemporaryRT(silhouetteBufferID);
        cb.ReleaseTemporaryRT(nearestPointID);
        cb.ReleaseTemporaryRT(nearestPointPingPongID);
    }

    void ApplyCommandBuffer(Camera cam)
    {
        #if UNITY_EDITOR
        // hack to avoid rendering in the inspector preview window
        if (cam.gameObject.name == "Preview Scene Camera")
            return;
        #endif

        if (bufferCam != null)
        {
            if(bufferCam == cam)
                return;
            else
                RemoveCommandBuffer(cam);
        }

        Plane[] planes = GeometryUtility.CalculateFrustumPlanes(cam);

        // skip rendering if none of the renderers are in view
        bool visible = false;
        for (int i=0; i<renderers.Count; i++)
        {
            if (GeometryUtility.TestPlanesAABB(planes, renderers[i].bounds))
            {
                visible = true;
                break;
            }
        }

        if (!visible)
            return;

        CreateCommandBuffer(cam);
        if (cb == null)
            return;

        bufferCam = cam;
        bufferCam.AddCommandBuffer(cameraEvent, cb);
    }

    void RemoveCommandBuffer(Camera cam)
    {
        if (bufferCam != null && cb != null)
        {
            bufferCam.RemoveCommandBuffer(cameraEvent, cb);
            bufferCam = null;
        }
    }

    void OnEnable()
    {
        Camera.onPreRender += ApplyCommandBuffer;
        Camera.onPostRender += RemoveCommandBuffer;
    }

    void OnDisable()
    {
        Camera.onPreRender -= ApplyCommandBuffer;
        Camera.onPostRender -= RemoveCommandBuffer;
    }

#if UNITY_EDITOR
    void OnValidate()
    {
        if (renderers != null)
        {
            for (int i=renderers.Count-1; i>-1; i--)
            {
                if (renderers[i] == null || (!(renderers[i] is SkinnedMeshRenderer) && !(renderers[i] is MeshRenderer)))
                    renderers.RemoveAt(i);
                else
                {
                    bool foundDuplicate = false;
                    for (int k=0; k<i; k++)
                    {
                        if (renderers[i] == renderers[k])
                        {
                            foundDuplicate = true;
                            break;
                        }
                    }

                    if (foundDuplicate)
                        renderers.RemoveAt(i);
                }
            }
        }

        if (outlineShader == null)
            outlineShader = Shader.Find(shaderName);
    }

    public void FindActiveMeshes()
    {
        Undo.RecordObject(this, "Filling with all active Renderer components");
        GameObject parent = this.gameObject;
        if (renderers != null)
        {
            foreach (var renderer in renderers)
            {
                if (renderer)
                {
                    parent = renderer.transform.parent.gameObject;
                    break;
                }
            }
        }

        if (parent != null)
        {
            var skinnedMeshes = parent.GetComponentsInChildren<SkinnedMeshRenderer>(true);
            var meshes = parent.GetComponentsInChildren<MeshRenderer>(true);
            if (skinnedMeshes.Length > 0 || meshes.Length > 0)
            {
                foreach (var sk in skinnedMeshes)
                {
                    if (sk.gameObject.activeSelf)
                        renderers.Add(sk);
                }
                foreach (var mesh in meshes)
                {
                    if (mesh.gameObject.activeSelf)
                        renderers.Add(mesh);
                }
                OnValidate();
            }
            else
                Debug.LogError("No Active Meshes Found");
        }
    }
#endif
}

#if UNITY_EDITOR
[CustomEditor(typeof(JumpFloodOutlineRenderer))]
public class JumpFloodOutlineRendererEditor : Editor
{
    public override void OnInspectorGUI()
    {
        base.OnInspectorGUI();

        if (GUILayout.Button("Get Active Children Renderers"))
        {
            UnityEngine.Object[] objs = serializedObject.targetObjects;

            foreach (var obj in objs)
            {
                var mh = (obj as JumpFloodOutlineRenderer);
                mh.FindActiveMeshes();
            }
        }
    }
}
#endif