Maya includes plug-ins that you can use to create hardware shaders.
To see hardware shaders, you must have a supported video card. Check the Autodesk website (www.autodesk.com/hardware) for the most accurate information about qualified hardware.
To create and render GLSL shaders, you must run Maya in OpenGL core profile mode in Viewport 2.0. Select Windows > Settings/Preferences > Preferences to open the Preferences window, and from the Display category, select OpenGL Core Profile as your Rendering engine.
The CgFx and GLSL shader plug-ins must be loaded in order for you to create your hardware shaders. If the Cgfx Shader and/or GLSL Shader nodes do not appear in the Create Shading Node window, select Window > Settings/Preferences > Plug-in Manager and enable Auto load for the cgfxShader.mll and glslShader.mll shader plug-ins respectively.
You cannot use CgFX shaders that contain certain effects in Maya:
Shaders that deform geometry are not supported.