diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 9c77fa5..655ca82 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -1607,6 +1607,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "image",
  "image-compare",
  "librashader",
+ "librashader-common",
  "librashader-runtime",
  "objc2 0.5.2",
  "objc2-metal",
@@ -1645,6 +1646,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "base64 0.22.1",
  "image",
+ "librashader-common",
  "librashader-preprocess",
  "librashader-presets",
  "rayon",
diff --git a/librashader-cli/Cargo.toml b/librashader-cli/Cargo.toml
index 7ca016c..630f9e0 100644
--- a/librashader-cli/Cargo.toml
+++ b/librashader-cli/Cargo.toml
@@ -19,9 +19,14 @@ name = "librashader-cli"
 path = "src/cli/main.rs"
 
 [dependencies]
-librashader = { version = "0.5.1", path = "../librashader", features = ["presets", "preprocess", "serde"], default-features = false }
-librashader-runtime = { version = "0.5.1", path = "../librashader-runtime"}
-wgpu = { version = "22", default-features = false, optional = true  }
+librashader = { version = "0.5.1", path = "../librashader", features = [
+    "presets",
+    "preprocess",
+    "serde",
+], default-features = false }
+librashader-runtime = { version = "0.5.1", path = "../librashader-runtime" }
+librashader-common = { version = "0.5.1", path = "../librashader-common" }
+wgpu = { version = "22", default-features = false, optional = true }
 wgpu-types = { version = "22", optional = true }
 anyhow = "1.0.86"
 image = { workspace = true }
@@ -33,7 +38,7 @@ image-compare = "0.4.1"
 gpu-allocator = "0.27.0"
 bitvec = "1.0.1"
 d3d12-descriptor-heap = { version = "0.2", optional = true }
-glow = {  workspace = true, optional = true }
+glow = { workspace = true, optional = true }
 glfw = { workspace = true, optional = true }
 ash = { workspace = true, optional = true }
 
@@ -53,7 +58,11 @@ opengl = ["librashader/runtime-gl", "dep:glow", "dep:glfw"]
 wgpu = ["librashader/runtime-wgpu", "dep:wgpu", "dep:wgpu-types"]
 
 d3d11 = ["librashader/runtime-d3d11", "dep:windows"]
-d3d12 = ["librashader/runtime-d3d12", "dep:windows", "dep:d3d12-descriptor-heap"]
+d3d12 = [
+    "librashader/runtime-d3d12",
+    "dep:windows",
+    "dep:d3d12-descriptor-heap",
+]
 d3d9 = ["librashader/runtime-d3d9", "dep:windows"]
 
 metal = ["librashader/runtime-metal", "dep:objc2", "dep:objc2-metal"]
@@ -78,5 +87,5 @@ features = [
 ]
 
 [target.'cfg(target_vendor="apple")'.dependencies]
-objc2-metal = { version = "0.2.0" , features = [ "all" ], optional = true }
+objc2-metal = { version = "0.2.0", features = ["all"], optional = true }
 objc2 = { version = "0.5.0", features = ["apple"], optional = true }
diff --git a/librashader-cli/src/cli/main.rs b/librashader-cli/src/cli/main.rs
index 09682db..5c68da2 100644
--- a/librashader-cli/src/cli/main.rs
+++ b/librashader-cli/src/cli/main.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ use librashader::reflect::semantics::ShaderSemantics;
 use librashader::reflect::{CompileShader, FromCompilation, ReflectShader, SpirvCompilation};
 use librashader::runtime::Size;
 use librashader::{FastHashMap, ShortString};
+use librashader_common::StorageType;
 use librashader_runtime::parameters::RuntimeParameters;
 use librashader_test::render::{CommonFrameOptions, RenderTest};
 use std::fs::File;
@@ -410,7 +411,7 @@ pub fn main() -> Result<(), anyhow::Error> {
             print!("{out:}");
         }
         Commands::Preprocess { shader, output } => {
-            let source = librashader::preprocess::ShaderSource::load(shader.as_path())?;
+            let source = librashader::preprocess::ShaderSource::load(&StorageType::Path(shader))?;
             match output {
                 PreprocessOutput::Fragment => print!("{}", source.fragment),
                 PreprocessOutput::Vertex => print!("{}", source.vertex),
@@ -427,7 +428,7 @@ pub fn main() -> Result<(), anyhow::Error> {
             format,
             version,
         } => {
-            let source = librashader::preprocess::ShaderSource::load(shader.as_path())?;
+            let source = librashader::preprocess::ShaderSource::load(&StorageType::Path(shader))?;
             let compilation = SpirvCompilation::try_from(&source)?;
             let output = match format {
                 TranspileFormat::GLSL => {
@@ -528,7 +529,7 @@ pub fn main() -> Result<(), anyhow::Error> {
                 return Err(anyhow!("Invalid pass index for the preset"));
             };
 
-            let source = librashader::preprocess::ShaderSource::load(shader.path.as_path())?;
+            let source = librashader::preprocess::ShaderSource::load(&shader.storage)?;
             let compilation = SpirvCompilation::try_from(&source)?;
 
             let semantics =
diff --git a/librashader-common/src/lib.rs b/librashader-common/src/lib.rs
index 226c7f2..a60429d 100644
--- a/librashader-common/src/lib.rs
+++ b/librashader-common/src/lib.rs
@@ -43,6 +43,14 @@ use std::convert::Infallible;
 use std::ops::{Add, Sub};
 use std::str::FromStr;
 
+#[derive(Debug, Clone)]
+#[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize))]
+pub enum StorageType {
+    /// The fully qualified path to the resource, often a shader source file or a texture.
+    Path(std::path::PathBuf),
+    String(String),
+}
+
 #[repr(u32)]
 #[derive(Default, Copy, Clone, Debug, Eq, PartialEq, Hash)]
 #[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize))]
diff --git a/librashader-pack/Cargo.toml b/librashader-pack/Cargo.toml
index 7ad594c..4bb4fac 100644
--- a/librashader-pack/Cargo.toml
+++ b/librashader-pack/Cargo.toml
@@ -11,14 +11,21 @@ keywords = ["shader", "retroarch", "SPIR-V"]
 description = "RetroArch shaders for all."
 
 [dependencies]
-librashader-presets = { path = "../librashader-presets", version = "0.5.1", features = ["serde"] }
-librashader-preprocess = { path = "../librashader-preprocess", version = "0.5.1", features = ["serde"] }
+librashader-presets = { path = "../librashader-presets", version = "0.5.1", features = [
+	"serde",
+] }
+librashader-preprocess = { path = "../librashader-preprocess", version = "0.5.1", features = [
+	"serde",
+] }
+librashader-common = { path = "../librashader-common", version = "0.5.1", features = [
+	"serde",
+] }
 
 thiserror = "1.0.64"
 serde = { version = "1.0", features = ["derive"], optional = true }
 rayon = { workspace = true }
-image = {workspace = true}
-base64 = {  version = "0.22.1", optional = true }
+image = { workspace = true }
+base64 = { version = "0.22.1", optional = true }
 serde_bytes = { version = "0.11.15", optional = true }
 
 [features]
diff --git a/librashader-pack/src/lib.rs b/librashader-pack/src/lib.rs
index 38b90dc..604010f 100644
--- a/librashader-pack/src/lib.rs
+++ b/librashader-pack/src/lib.rs
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@
 //! Also defines abstractly the `.slangpack` shader format implemented via serde derives on [`ShaderPresetPack`].
 //!
 use image::{ImageError, RgbaImage};
+use librashader_common::StorageType;
 use librashader_preprocess::{PreprocessError, ShaderSource};
 use librashader_presets::{ParameterMeta, PassMeta, ShaderPreset, TextureMeta};
-use std::path::Path;
 
 #[cfg(not(target_arch = "wasm32"))]
 use rayon::prelude::*;
@@ -63,15 +63,15 @@ pub trait LoadableResource {
     /// The error type when loading the resource.
     type Error;
     /// Load the resource from the path.
-    fn load(path: &Path) -> Result<Self::ResourceType, Self::Error>;
+    fn load(storage: &StorageType) -> Result<Self::ResourceType, Self::Error>;
 }
 
 impl LoadableResource for PassMeta {
     type ResourceType = ShaderSource;
     type Error = PreprocessError;
 
-    fn load(path: &Path) -> Result<Self::ResourceType, Self::Error> {
-        ShaderSource::load(path)
+    fn load(storage: &StorageType) -> Result<Self::ResourceType, Self::Error> {
+        ShaderSource::load(storage)
     }
 }
 
@@ -79,8 +79,12 @@ impl LoadableResource for TextureMeta {
     type ResourceType = TextureBuffer;
     type Error = ImageError;
 
-    fn load(path: &Path) -> Result<Self::ResourceType, Self::Error> {
-        image::open(path).map(|img| TextureBuffer::from(img.to_rgba8()))
+    fn load(storage: &StorageType) -> Result<Self::ResourceType, Self::Error> {
+        let image = match storage {
+            StorageType::Path(path_buf) => image::open(path_buf),
+            StorageType::String(_) => todo!(),
+        };
+        image.map(|img| TextureBuffer::from(img.to_rgba8()))
     }
 }
 
@@ -140,7 +144,7 @@ impl ShaderPresetPack {
             passes: shaders_iter
                 .map(|v| {
                     Ok::<_, E>(PassResource {
-                        data: PassMeta::load(v.path.as_path())?,
+                        data: PassMeta::load(&v.storage)?,
                         meta: v.meta,
                     })
                 })
@@ -149,7 +153,7 @@ impl ShaderPresetPack {
                 .into_par_iter()
                 .map(|t| {
                     Ok::<_, E>(TextureResource {
-                        data: TextureMeta::load(t.path.as_path())?,
+                        data: TextureMeta::load(&t.storage)?,
                         meta: t.meta,
                     })
                 })
diff --git a/librashader-preprocess/src/lib.rs b/librashader-preprocess/src/lib.rs
index a969827..58a1c52 100644
--- a/librashader-preprocess/src/lib.rs
+++ b/librashader-preprocess/src/lib.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ mod stage;
 use crate::include::read_source;
 pub use error::*;
 use librashader_common::map::{FastHashMap, ShortString};
-use librashader_common::ImageFormat;
+use librashader_common::{ImageFormat, StorageType};
 use std::path::Path;
 
 /// The source file for a single shader pass.
@@ -60,8 +60,11 @@ pub struct ShaderParameter {
 impl ShaderSource {
     /// Load the source file at the given path, resolving includes relative to the location of the
     /// source file.
-    pub fn load(path: impl AsRef<Path>) -> Result<ShaderSource, PreprocessError> {
-        load_shader_source(path)
+    pub fn load(storage: &StorageType) -> Result<ShaderSource, PreprocessError> {
+        match storage {
+            StorageType::Path(path_buf) => load_shader_source(path_buf),
+            StorageType::String(source) => parse_shader_source(source.clone()),
+        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -82,6 +85,10 @@ impl SourceOutput for String {
 
 pub(crate) fn load_shader_source(path: impl AsRef<Path>) -> Result<ShaderSource, PreprocessError> {
     let source = read_source(path)?;
+    parse_shader_source(source)
+}
+
+pub(crate) fn parse_shader_source(source: String) -> Result<ShaderSource, PreprocessError> {
     let meta = pragma::parse_pragma_meta(&source)?;
 
     let text = stage::process_stages(&source)?;
diff --git a/librashader-presets/src/parse/preset.rs b/librashader-presets/src/parse/preset.rs
index fb43c6f..5d3c950 100644
--- a/librashader-presets/src/parse/preset.rs
+++ b/librashader-presets/src/parse/preset.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ pub fn resolve_values(mut values: Vec<Value>) -> ShaderPreset {
                 } = value
                 {
                     TextureConfig {
-                        path,
+                        storage: librashader_common::StorageType::Path(path),
                         meta: TextureMeta {
                             name,
                             wrap_mode,
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ pub fn resolve_values(mut values: Vec<Value>) -> ShaderPreset {
             }
 
             let shader = PassConfig {
-                path: name,
+                storage: librashader_common::StorageType::Path(name),
                 meta: PassMeta {
                     id,
                     alias: shader_values.iter().find_map(|f| match f {
diff --git a/librashader-presets/src/preset.rs b/librashader-presets/src/preset.rs
index 0524114..1b28fe5 100644
--- a/librashader-presets/src/preset.rs
+++ b/librashader-presets/src/preset.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ use crate::error::ParsePresetError;
 use librashader_common::map::ShortString;
 use librashader_common::{FilterMode, ImageFormat, WrapMode};
 use std::ops::Mul;
-use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::str::FromStr;
 
 /// The configuration for a single shader pass.
@@ -15,8 +14,7 @@ pub type TextureConfig = PathReference<TextureMeta>;
 #[derive(Debug, Clone)]
 #[cfg_attr(feature = "serde", derive(serde::Serialize, serde::Deserialize))]
 pub struct PathReference<M> {
-    /// The fully qualified path to the resource, often a shader source file or a texture.
-    pub path: PathBuf,
+    pub storage: librashader_common::StorageType,
     /// Meta information about the resource.
     pub meta: M,
 }
diff --git a/librashader-reflect/src/reflect/presets.rs b/librashader-reflect/src/reflect/presets.rs
index f1f57df..7116588 100644
--- a/librashader-reflect/src/reflect/presets.rs
+++ b/librashader-reflect/src/reflect/presets.rs
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ impl ShaderSemantics {
             .get(index)
             .ok_or_else(|| PreprocessError::InvalidStage)?;
 
-        let source = ShaderSource::load(&config.path)?;
+        let source = ShaderSource::load(&config.storage)?;
 
         for parameter in source.parameters.values() {
             uniform_semantics.insert(
diff --git a/librashader/src/lib.rs b/librashader/src/lib.rs
index ac89b21..806c7f5 100644
--- a/librashader/src/lib.rs
+++ b/librashader/src/lib.rs
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ pub mod presets {
             .passes
             .iter()
             .map(|s| {
-                ShaderSource::load(&s.path)
+                ShaderSource::load(&s.storage)
                     .map(|s| s.parameters.into_iter().map(|(_, v)| v).collect())
             })
             .collect();
diff --git a/librashader/tests/reflect.rs b/librashader/tests/reflect.rs
index b048273..165c2d4 100644
--- a/librashader/tests/reflect.rs
+++ b/librashader/tests/reflect.rs
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ fn collect_all_loadable_slang_presets() -> Vec<(PathBuf, ShaderPreset)> {
         !preset
             .passes
             .par_iter()
-            .any(|shader| ShaderSource::load(&shader.path).is_err())
+            .any(|shader| ShaderSource::load(&shader.storage).is_err())
     });
 
     presets
@@ -71,11 +71,11 @@ pub fn preprocess_all_slang_presets_parsed() {
 
     for (path, preset) in presets {
         preset.passes.into_par_iter().for_each(|shader| {
-            if let Err(e) = ShaderSource::load(&shader.path) {
+            if let Err(e) = ShaderSource::load(&shader.storage) {
                 #[cfg(not(feature = "github-ci"))]
                 eprintln!(
                     "[ERROR] Failed to preprocess shader {} from preset {}: {:?}",
-                    shader.path.display(),
+                    shader.storage.display(),
                     path.display(),
                     e
                 );
@@ -147,11 +147,11 @@ where
             .par_iter()
             .map(|p| {
                 (
-                    PassMeta::load(&p.path).map(|data| PassResource {
+                    PassMeta::load(&p.storage).map(|data| PassResource {
                         meta: p.meta.clone(),
                         data,
                     }),
-                    &p.path,
+                    &p.storage,
                 )
             })
             .map(|(e, path)| {