Add UI GhostNode (#15341)

# Objective

- Fixes #14826 
- For context, see #15238

## Solution
Add a `GhostNode` component to `bevy_ui` and update all the relevant
systems to use it to traverse for UI children.

- [x] `ghost_hierarchy` module
  - [x] Add `GhostNode`
- [x] Add `UiRootNodes` system param for iterating (ghost-aware) UI root
nodes
- [x] Add `UiChildren` system param for iterating (ghost-aware) UI
children
- [x] Update `layout::ui_layout_system`
  - [x] Use ghost-aware root nodes for camera updates
  - [x] Update and remove children in taffy
    - [x] Initial spawn
    - [x] Detect changes on nested UI children
- [x] Use ghost-aware children traversal in
`update_uinode_geometry_recursive`
- [x] Update the rest of the UI systems to use the ghost hierarchy
  - [x] `stack::ui_stack_system`
  - [x] `update::`
    - [x] `update_clipping_system`
    - [x] `update_target_camera_system`
  - [x] `accessibility::calc_name`

## Testing
- [x] Added a new example `ghost_nodes` that can be used as a testbed.
- [x] Added unit tests for _some_ of the traversal utilities in
`ghost_hierarchy`
- [x] Ensure this fulfills the needs for currently known use cases
  - [x] Reactivity libraries (test with `bevy_reactor`)
- [ ] Text spans (mentioned by koe [on
discord](https://discord.com/channels/691052431525675048/1285371432460881991/1285377442998915246))
  
---
## Performance
[See comment
below](https://github.com/bevyengine/bevy/pull/15341#issuecomment-2385456820)

## Migration guide
Any code that previously relied on `Parent`/`Children` to iterate UI
children may now want to use `bevy_ui::UiChildren` to ensure ghost nodes
are skipped, and their first descendant Nodes included.

UI root nodes may now be children of ghost nodes, which means
`Without<Parent>` might not query all root nodes. Use
`bevy_ui::UiRootNodes` where needed to iterate root nodes instead.

## Potential future work
- Benchmarking/optimizations of hierarchies containing lots of ghost
nodes
- Further exploration of UI hierarchies and markers for root nodes/leaf
nodes to create better ergonomics for things like `UiLayer` (world-space
ui)

---------

Co-authored-by: Alice Cecile <alice.i.cecile@gmail.com>
Co-authored-by: UkoeHB <37489173+UkoeHB@users.noreply.github.com>

Cargo.toml

@@ -2972,6 +2972,17 @@ description = "Demonstrates text wrapping"
 category = "UI (User Interface)"
 wasm = true
 
+[[example]]
+name = "ghost_nodes"
+path = "examples/ui/ghost_nodes.rs"
+doc-scrape-examples = true
+
+[package.metadata.example.ghost_nodes]
+name = "Ghost Nodes"
+description = "Demonstrates the use of Ghost Nodes to skip entities in the UI layout hierarchy"
+category = "UI (User Interface)"
+wasm = true
+
 [[example]]
 name = "grid"
 path = "examples/ui/grid.rs"

crates/bevy_ui/src/accessibility.rs

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use crate::{
     prelude::{Button, Label},
-    Node, UiImage,
+    Node, UiChildren, UiImage,
 };
 use bevy_a11y::{
     accesskit::{NodeBuilder, Rect, Role},
@@ -14,15 +14,14 @@ use bevy_ecs::{
     system::{Commands, Query},
     world::Ref,
 };
-use bevy_hierarchy::Children;
 use bevy_render::{camera::CameraUpdateSystem, prelude::Camera};
 use bevy_text::Text;
 use bevy_transform::prelude::GlobalTransform;
 
-fn calc_name(texts: &Query<&Text>, children: &Children) -> Option<Box<str>> {
+fn calc_name(texts: &Query<&Text>, children: impl Iterator<Item = Entity>) -> Option<Box<str>> {
     let mut name = None;
     for child in children {
-        if let Ok(text) = texts.get(*child) {
+        if let Ok(text) = texts.get(child) {
             let values = text
                 .sections
                 .iter()
@@ -59,11 +58,12 @@ fn calc_bounds(
 
 fn button_changed(
     mut commands: Commands,
-    mut query: Query<(Entity, &Children, Option<&mut AccessibilityNode>), Changed<Button>>,
+    mut query: Query<(Entity, Option<&mut AccessibilityNode>), Changed<Button>>,
+    ui_children: UiChildren,
     texts: Query<&Text>,
 ) {
-    for (entity, children, accessible) in &mut query {
+    for (entity, accessible) in &mut query {
-        let name = calc_name(&texts, children);
+        let name = calc_name(&texts, ui_children.iter_ui_children(entity));
         if let Some(mut accessible) = accessible {
             accessible.set_role(Role::Button);
             if let Some(name) = name {
@@ -85,14 +85,12 @@ fn button_changed(
 
 fn image_changed(
     mut commands: Commands,
-    mut query: Query<
+    mut query: Query<(Entity, Option<&mut AccessibilityNode>), (Changed<UiImage>, Without<Button>)>,
-        (Entity, &Children, Option<&mut AccessibilityNode>),
+    ui_children: UiChildren,
-        (Changed<UiImage>, Without<Button>),
-    >,
     texts: Query<&Text>,
 ) {
-    for (entity, children, accessible) in &mut query {
+    for (entity, accessible) in &mut query {
-        let name = calc_name(&texts, children);
+        let name = calc_name(&texts, ui_children.iter_ui_children(entity));
         if let Some(mut accessible) = accessible {
             accessible.set_role(Role::Image);
             if let Some(name) = name {

crates/bevy_ui/src/ghost_hierarchy.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,205 @@
+//! This module contains [`GhostNode`] and utilities to flatten the UI hierarchy, traversing past ghost nodes.
+
+use bevy_ecs::{prelude::*, system::SystemParam};
+use bevy_hierarchy::{Children, HierarchyQueryExt, Parent};
+use bevy_reflect::prelude::*;
+use bevy_render::view::Visibility;
+use bevy_transform::prelude::Transform;
+use smallvec::SmallVec;
+
+use crate::Node;
+
+/// Marker component for entities that should be ignored within UI hierarchies.
+///
+/// The UI systems will traverse past these and treat their first non-ghost descendants as direct children of their first non-ghost ancestor.
+///
+/// Any components necessary for transform and visibility propagation will be added automatically.
+#[derive(Component, Default, Debug, Copy, Clone, Reflect)]
+#[reflect(Component, Debug)]
+#[require(Visibility, Transform)]
+pub struct GhostNode;
+
+/// System param that allows iteration of all UI root nodes.
+///
+/// A UI root node is either a [`Node`] without a [`Parent`], or with only [`GhostNode`] ancestors.
+#[derive(SystemParam)]
+pub struct UiRootNodes<'w, 's> {
+    root_node_query: Query<'w, 's, Entity, (With<Node>, Without<Parent>)>,
+    root_ghost_node_query: Query<'w, 's, Entity, (With<GhostNode>, Without<Parent>)>,
+    all_nodes_query: Query<'w, 's, Entity, With<Node>>,
+    ui_children: UiChildren<'w, 's>,
+}
+
+impl<'w, 's> UiRootNodes<'w, 's> {
+    pub fn iter(&'s self) -> impl Iterator<Item = Entity> + 's {
+        self.root_node_query
+            .iter()
+            .chain(self.root_ghost_node_query.iter().flat_map(|root_ghost| {
+                self.all_nodes_query
+                    .iter_many(self.ui_children.iter_ui_children(root_ghost))
+            }))
+    }
+}
+
+/// System param that gives access to UI children utilities, skipping over [`GhostNode`].
+#[derive(SystemParam)]
+pub struct UiChildren<'w, 's> {
+    ui_children_query: Query<'w, 's, (Option<&'static Children>, Option<&'static GhostNode>)>,
+    changed_children_query: Query<'w, 's, Entity, Changed<Children>>,
+    children_query: Query<'w, 's, &'static Children>,
+    ghost_nodes_query: Query<'w, 's, Entity, With<GhostNode>>,
+    parents_query: Query<'w, 's, &'static Parent>,
+}
+
+impl<'w, 's> UiChildren<'w, 's> {
+    /// Iterates the children of `entity`, skipping over [`GhostNode`].
+    ///
+    /// Traverses the hierarchy depth-first to ensure child order.
+    ///
+    /// # Performance
+    ///
+    /// This iterator allocates if the `entity` node has more than 8 children (including ghost nodes).
+    pub fn iter_ui_children(&'s self, entity: Entity) -> UiChildrenIter<'w, 's> {
+        UiChildrenIter {
+            stack: self
+                .ui_children_query
+                .get(entity)
+                .map_or(SmallVec::new(), |(children, _)| {
+                    children.into_iter().flatten().rev().copied().collect()
+                }),
+            query: &self.ui_children_query,
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Returns the UI parent of the provided entity, skipping over [`GhostNode`].
+    pub fn get_parent(&'s self, entity: Entity) -> Option<Entity> {
+        self.parents_query
+            .iter_ancestors(entity)
+            .find(|entity| !self.ghost_nodes_query.contains(*entity))
+    }
+
+    /// Iterates the [`GhostNode`]s between this entity and its UI children.
+    pub fn iter_ghost_nodes(&'s self, entity: Entity) -> Box<dyn Iterator<Item = Entity> + 's> {
+        Box::new(
+            self.children_query
+                .get(entity)
+                .into_iter()
+                .flat_map(|children| {
+                    self.ghost_nodes_query
+                        .iter_many(children)
+                        .flat_map(|entity| {
+                            core::iter::once(entity).chain(self.iter_ghost_nodes(entity))
+                        })
+                }),
+        )
+    }
+
+    /// Given an entity in the UI hierarchy, check if its set of children has changed, e.g if children has been added/removed or if the order has changed.
+    pub fn is_changed(&'s self, entity: Entity) -> bool {
+        self.changed_children_query.contains(entity)
+            || self
+                .iter_ghost_nodes(entity)
+                .any(|entity| self.changed_children_query.contains(entity))
+    }
+}
+
+pub struct UiChildrenIter<'w, 's> {
+    stack: SmallVec<[Entity; 8]>,
+    query: &'s Query<'w, 's, (Option<&'static Children>, Option<&'static GhostNode>)>,
+}
+
+impl<'w, 's> Iterator for UiChildrenIter<'w, 's> {
+    type Item = Entity;
+    fn next(&mut self) -> Option<Self::Item> {
+        loop {
+            let entity = self.stack.pop()?;
+            let (children, ghost_node) = self.query.get(entity).ok()?;
+            if ghost_node.is_none() {
+                return Some(entity);
+            }
+            if let Some(children) = children {
+                self.stack.extend(children.iter().rev().copied());
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use bevy_ecs::{
+        prelude::Component,
+        system::{Query, SystemState},
+        world::World,
+    };
+    use bevy_hierarchy::{BuildChildren, ChildBuild};
+
+    use super::{GhostNode, UiChildren, UiRootNodes};
+    use crate::prelude::NodeBundle;
+
+    #[derive(Component, PartialEq, Debug)]
+    struct A(usize);
+
+    #[test]
+    fn iterate_ui_root_nodes() {
+        let world = &mut World::new();
+
+        // Normal root
+        world
+            .spawn((A(1), NodeBundle::default()))
+            .with_children(|parent| {
+                parent.spawn((A(2), NodeBundle::default()));
+                parent
+                    .spawn((A(3), GhostNode))
+                    .with_child((A(4), NodeBundle::default()));
+            });
+
+        // Ghost root
+        world.spawn((A(5), GhostNode)).with_children(|parent| {
+            parent.spawn((A(6), NodeBundle::default()));
+            parent
+                .spawn((A(7), GhostNode))
+                .with_child((A(8), NodeBundle::default()))
+                .with_child(A(9));
+        });
+
+        let mut system_state = SystemState::<(UiRootNodes, Query<&A>)>::new(world);
+        let (ui_root_nodes, a_query) = system_state.get(world);
+
+        let result: Vec<_> = a_query.iter_many(ui_root_nodes.iter()).collect();
+
+        assert_eq!([&A(1), &A(6), &A(8)], result.as_slice());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn iterate_ui_children() {
+        let world = &mut World::new();
+
+        let n1 = world.spawn((A(1), NodeBundle::default())).id();
+        let n2 = world.spawn((A(2), GhostNode)).id();
+        let n3 = world.spawn((A(3), GhostNode)).id();
+        let n4 = world.spawn((A(4), NodeBundle::default())).id();
+        let n5 = world.spawn((A(5), NodeBundle::default())).id();
+
+        let n6 = world.spawn((A(6), GhostNode)).id();
+        let n7 = world.spawn((A(7), GhostNode)).id();
+        let n8 = world.spawn((A(8), NodeBundle::default())).id();
+        let n9 = world.spawn((A(9), GhostNode)).id();
+        let n10 = world.spawn((A(10), NodeBundle::default())).id();
+
+        world.entity_mut(n1).add_children(&[n2, n3, n4, n6]);
+        world.entity_mut(n2).add_children(&[n5]);
+
+        world.entity_mut(n6).add_children(&[n7, n9]);
+        world.entity_mut(n7).add_children(&[n8]);
+        world.entity_mut(n9).add_children(&[n10]);
+
+        let mut system_state = SystemState::<(UiChildren, Query<&A>)>::new(world);
+        let (ui_children, a_query) = system_state.get(world);
+
+        let result: Vec<_> = a_query
+            .iter_many(ui_children.iter_ui_children(n1))
+            .collect();
+
+        assert_eq!([&A(5), &A(4), &A(8), &A(10)], result.as_slice());
+    }
+}

crates/bevy_ui/src/layout/mod.rs

@@ -1,17 +1,17 @@
 use crate::{
     BorderRadius, ContentSize, DefaultUiCamera, Display, Node, Outline, OverflowAxis,
-    ScrollPosition, Style, TargetCamera, UiScale,
+    ScrollPosition, Style, TargetCamera, UiChildren, UiRootNodes, UiScale,
 };
 use bevy_ecs::{
     change_detection::{DetectChanges, DetectChangesMut},
     entity::{Entity, EntityHashMap, EntityHashSet},
     event::EventReader,
-    query::{With, Without},
+    query::With,
     removal_detection::RemovedComponents,
     system::{Commands, Local, Query, Res, ResMut, SystemParam},
     world::Ref,
 };
-use bevy_hierarchy::{Children, Parent};
+use bevy_hierarchy::Children;
 use bevy_math::{UVec2, Vec2};
 use bevy_render::camera::{Camera, NormalizedRenderTarget};
 use bevy_sprite::BorderRect;
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ pub fn ui_layout_system(
     mut scale_factor_events: EventReader<WindowScaleFactorChanged>,
     mut resize_events: EventReader<bevy_window::WindowResized>,
     mut ui_surface: ResMut<UiSurface>,
-    root_node_query: Query<(Entity, Option<&TargetCamera>), (With<Node>, Without<Parent>)>,
+    root_nodes: UiRootNodes,
     mut style_query: Query<
         (
             Entity,
@@ -114,8 +114,8 @@ pub fn ui_layout_system(
         ),
         With<Node>,
     >,
-    children_query: Query<(Entity, Ref<Children>), With<Node>>,
+    node_query: Query<Entity, With<Node>>,
-    just_children_query: Query<&Children>,
+    ui_children: UiChildren,
     mut removed_components: UiLayoutSystemRemovedComponentParam,
     mut node_transform_query: Query<(
         &mut Node,
@@ -162,35 +162,39 @@ pub fn ui_layout_system(
 
     // Precalculate the layout info for each camera, so we have fast access to it for each node
     camera_layout_info.clear();
-    root_node_query.iter().for_each(|(entity,target_camera)|{
+
-        match camera_with_default(target_camera) {
+    style_query
-            Some(camera_entity) => {
+        .iter_many(root_nodes.iter())
-                let Ok((_, camera)) = cameras.get(camera_entity) else {
+        .for_each(|(entity, _, _, target_camera)| {
-                    warn!(
+            match camera_with_default(target_camera) {
-                        "TargetCamera (of root UI node {entity:?}) is pointing to a camera {:?} which doesn't exist",
+                Some(camera_entity) => {
-                        camera_entity
+                    let Ok((_, camera)) = cameras.get(camera_entity) else {
-                    );
+                        warn!(
-                    return;
+                            "TargetCamera (of root UI node {entity:?}) is pointing to a camera {:?} which doesn't exist",
-                };
+                            camera_entity
-                let layout_info = camera_layout_info
+                        );
-                    .entry(camera_entity)
+                        return;
-                    .or_insert_with(|| calculate_camera_layout_info(camera));
+                    };
-                layout_info.root_nodes.push(entity);
+                    let layout_info = camera_layout_info
-            }
+                        .entry(camera_entity)
-            None => {
+                        .or_insert_with(|| calculate_camera_layout_info(camera));
-                if cameras.is_empty() {
+                    layout_info.root_nodes.push(entity);
-                    warn!("No camera found to render UI to. To fix this, add at least one camera to the scene.");
+                }
-                } else {
+                None => {
-                    warn!(
+                    if cameras.is_empty() {
-                        "Multiple cameras found, causing UI target ambiguity. \
+                        warn!("No camera found to render UI to. To fix this, add at least one camera to the scene.");
-                        To fix this, add an explicit `TargetCamera` component to the root UI node {:?}",
+                    } else {
-                        entity
+                        warn!(
-                    );
+                            "Multiple cameras found, causing UI target ambiguity. \
+                            To fix this, add an explicit `TargetCamera` component to the root UI node {:?}",
+                            entity
+                        );
+                    }
                 }
             }
-        }
 
-    });
+        }
+    );
 
     // When a `ContentSize` component is removed from an entity, we need to remove the measure from the corresponding taffy node.
     for entity in removed_components.removed_content_sizes.read() {
@@ -244,9 +248,10 @@ pub fn ui_layout_system(
     for entity in removed_components.removed_children.read() {
         ui_surface.try_remove_children(entity);
     }
-    children_query.iter().for_each(|(entity, children)| {
+
-        if children.is_changed() {
+    node_query.iter().for_each(|entity| {
-            ui_surface.update_children(entity, &children);
+        if ui_children.is_changed(entity) {
+            ui_surface.update_children(entity, ui_children.iter_ui_children(entity));
         }
     });
 
@@ -256,9 +261,9 @@ pub fn ui_layout_system(
     ui_surface.remove_entities(removed_components.removed_nodes.read());
 
     // Re-sync changed children: avoid layout glitches caused by removed nodes that are still set as a child of another node
-    children_query.iter().for_each(|(entity, children)| {
+    node_query.iter().for_each(|entity| {
-        if children.is_changed() {
+        if ui_children.is_changed(entity) {
-            ui_surface.update_children(entity, &children);
+            ui_surface.update_children(entity, ui_children.iter_ui_children(entity));
         }
     });
 
@@ -281,7 +286,7 @@ pub fn ui_layout_system(
                 &ui_surface,
                 None,
                 &mut node_transform_query,
-                &just_children_query,
+                &ui_children,
                 inverse_target_scale_factor,
                 Vec2::ZERO,
                 Vec2::ZERO,
@@ -307,7 +312,7 @@ pub fn ui_layout_system(
             Option<&Outline>,
             Option<&ScrollPosition>,
         )>,
-        children_query: &Query<&Children>,
+        ui_children: &UiChildren,
         inverse_target_scale_factor: f32,
         parent_size: Vec2,
         parent_scroll_position: Vec2,
@@ -415,21 +420,19 @@ pub fn ui_layout_system(
                     .insert(ScrollPosition::from(&clamped_scroll_position));
             }
 
-            if let Ok(children) = children_query.get(entity) {
+            for child_uinode in ui_children.iter_ui_children(entity) {
-                for &child_uinode in children {
+                update_uinode_geometry_recursive(
-                    update_uinode_geometry_recursive(
+                    commands,
-                        commands,
+                    child_uinode,
-                        child_uinode,
+                    ui_surface,
-                        ui_surface,
+                    Some(viewport_size),
-                        Some(viewport_size),
+                    node_transform_query,
-                        node_transform_query,
+                    ui_children,
-                        children_query,
+                    inverse_target_scale_factor,
-                        inverse_target_scale_factor,
+                    rounded_size,
-                        rounded_size,
+                    clamped_scroll_position,
-                        clamped_scroll_position,
+                    absolute_location,
-                        absolute_location,
+                );
-                    );
-                }
             }
         }
     }

crates/bevy_ui/src/layout/ui_surface.rs

@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ use bevy_ecs::{
     entity::{Entity, EntityHashMap},
     prelude::Resource,
 };
-use bevy_hierarchy::Children;
 use bevy_math::UVec2;
 use bevy_utils::{default, tracing::warn};
 
@@ -28,6 +27,7 @@ pub struct UiSurface {
     pub(super) camera_entity_to_taffy: EntityHashMap<EntityHashMap<taffy::NodeId>>,
     pub(super) camera_roots: EntityHashMap<Vec<RootNodePair>>,
     pub(super) taffy: TaffyTree<NodeMeasure>,
+    taffy_children_scratch: Vec<taffy::NodeId>,
 }
 
 fn _assert_send_sync_ui_surface_impl_safe() {
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ impl Default for UiSurface {
             camera_entity_to_taffy: Default::default(),
             camera_roots: Default::default(),
             taffy,
+            taffy_children_scratch: Vec::new(),
         }
     }
 }
@@ -114,22 +115,24 @@ impl UiSurface {
     }
 
     /// Update the children of the taffy node corresponding to the given [`Entity`].
-    pub fn update_children(&mut self, entity: Entity, children: &Children) {
+    pub fn update_children(&mut self, entity: Entity, children: impl Iterator<Item = Entity>) {
-        let mut taffy_children = Vec::with_capacity(children.len());
+        self.taffy_children_scratch.clear();
+
         for child in children {
-            if let Some(taffy_node) = self.entity_to_taffy.get(child) {
+            if let Some(taffy_node) = self.entity_to_taffy.get(&child) {
-                taffy_children.push(*taffy_node);
+                self.taffy_children_scratch.push(*taffy_node);
             } else {
                 warn!(
                     "Unstyled child `{child}` in a UI entity hierarchy. You are using an entity \
-without UI components as a child of an entity with UI components, results may be unexpected."
+without UI components as a child of an entity with UI components, results may be unexpected. \
+If this is intentional, consider adding a GhostNode component to this entity."
                 );
             }
         }
 
         let taffy_node = self.entity_to_taffy.get(&entity).unwrap();
         self.taffy
-            .set_children(*taffy_node, &taffy_children)
+            .set_children(*taffy_node, &self.taffy_children_scratch)
             .unwrap();
     }
 
@@ -147,7 +150,7 @@ without UI components as a child of an entity with UI components, results may be
         }
     }
 
-    /// Set the ui node entities without a [`bevy_hierarchy::Parent`] as children to the root node in the taffy layout.
+    /// Sets the ui root node entities as children to the root node in the taffy layout.
     pub fn set_camera_children(
         &mut self,
         camera_id: Entity,

crates/bevy_ui/src/lib.rs

@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ use bevy_reflect::{std_traits::ReflectDefault, Reflect};
 mod accessibility;
 mod focus;
 mod geometry;
+mod ghost_hierarchy;
 mod layout;
 mod render;
 mod stack;
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ mod ui_node;
 
 pub use focus::*;
 pub use geometry::*;
+pub use ghost_hierarchy::*;
 pub use layout::*;
 pub use measurement::*;
 pub use render::*;

crates/bevy_ui/src/stack.rs

@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 //! This module contains the systems that update the stored UI nodes stack
 
 use bevy_ecs::prelude::*;
-use bevy_hierarchy::prelude::*;
+use bevy_utils::HashSet;
 
-use crate::{GlobalZIndex, Node, ZIndex};
+use crate::{GlobalZIndex, Node, UiChildren, UiRootNodes, ZIndex};
 
 /// The current UI stack, which contains all UI nodes ordered by their depth (back-to-front).
 ///
@@ -39,31 +39,19 @@ impl ChildBufferCache {
 pub fn ui_stack_system(
     mut cache: Local<ChildBufferCache>,
     mut root_nodes: Local<Vec<(Entity, (i32, i32))>>,
+    mut visited_root_nodes: Local<HashSet<Entity>>,
     mut ui_stack: ResMut<UiStack>,
-    root_node_query: Query<
+    ui_root_nodes: UiRootNodes,
-        (Entity, Option<&GlobalZIndex>, Option<&ZIndex>),
+    root_node_query: Query<(Entity, Option<&GlobalZIndex>, Option<&ZIndex>)>,
-        (With<Node>, Without<Parent>),
+    zindex_global_node_query: Query<(Entity, &GlobalZIndex, Option<&ZIndex>), With<Node>>,
-    >,
+    ui_children: UiChildren,
-    zindex_global_node_query: Query<
-        (Entity, &GlobalZIndex, Option<&ZIndex>),
-        (With<Node>, With<Parent>),
-    >,
-    children_query: Query<&Children>,
     zindex_query: Query<Option<&ZIndex>, (With<Node>, Without<GlobalZIndex>)>,
     mut update_query: Query<&mut Node>,
 ) {
     ui_stack.uinodes.clear();
-    for (id, global_zindex, maybe_zindex) in zindex_global_node_query.iter() {
+    visited_root_nodes.clear();
-        root_nodes.push((
-            id,
-            (
-                global_zindex.0,
-                maybe_zindex.map(|zindex| zindex.0).unwrap_or(0),
-            ),
-        ));
-    }
 
-    for (id, maybe_global_zindex, maybe_zindex) in root_node_query.iter() {
+    for (id, maybe_global_zindex, maybe_zindex) in root_node_query.iter_many(ui_root_nodes.iter()) {
         root_nodes.push((
             id,
             (
@@ -71,6 +59,21 @@ pub fn ui_stack_system(
                 maybe_zindex.map(|zindex| zindex.0).unwrap_or(0),
             ),
         ));
+        visited_root_nodes.insert_unique_unchecked(id);
+    }
+
+    for (id, global_zindex, maybe_zindex) in zindex_global_node_query.iter() {
+        if visited_root_nodes.contains(&id) {
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        root_nodes.push((
+            id,
+            (
+                global_zindex.0,
+                maybe_zindex.map(|zindex| zindex.0).unwrap_or(0),
+            ),
+        ));
     }
 
     root_nodes.sort_by_key(|(_, z)| *z);
@@ -79,7 +82,7 @@ pub fn ui_stack_system(
         update_uistack_recursive(
             &mut cache,
             root_entity,
-            &children_query,
+            &ui_children,
             &zindex_query,
             &mut ui_stack.uinodes,
         );
@@ -95,26 +98,28 @@ pub fn ui_stack_system(
 fn update_uistack_recursive(
     cache: &mut ChildBufferCache,
     node_entity: Entity,
-    children_query: &Query<&Children>,
+    ui_children: &UiChildren,
     zindex_query: &Query<Option<&ZIndex>, (With<Node>, Without<GlobalZIndex>)>,
     ui_stack: &mut Vec<Entity>,
 ) {
     ui_stack.push(node_entity);
 
-    if let Ok(children) = children_query.get(node_entity) {
+    let mut child_buffer = cache.pop();
-        let mut child_buffer = cache.pop();
+    child_buffer.extend(
-        child_buffer.extend(children.iter().filter_map(|child_entity| {
+        ui_children
-            zindex_query
+            .iter_ui_children(node_entity)
-                .get(*child_entity)
+            .filter_map(|child_entity| {
-                .ok()
+                zindex_query
-                .map(|zindex| (*child_entity, zindex.map(|zindex| zindex.0).unwrap_or(0)))
+                    .get(child_entity)
-        }));
+                    .ok()
-        child_buffer.sort_by_key(|k| k.1);
+                    .map(|zindex| (child_entity, zindex.map(|zindex| zindex.0).unwrap_or(0)))
-        for (child_entity, _) in child_buffer.drain(..) {
+            }),
-            update_uistack_recursive(cache, child_entity, children_query, zindex_query, ui_stack);
+    );
-        }
+    child_buffer.sort_by_key(|k| k.1);
-        cache.push(child_buffer);
+    for (child_entity, _) in child_buffer.drain(..) {
+        update_uistack_recursive(cache, child_entity, ui_children, zindex_query, ui_stack);
     }
+    cache.push(child_buffer);
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]

crates/bevy_ui/src/update.rs

@@ -1,14 +1,13 @@
 //! This module contains systems that update the UI when something changes
 
-use crate::{CalculatedClip, Display, OverflowAxis, Style, TargetCamera};
+use crate::{CalculatedClip, Display, OverflowAxis, Style, TargetCamera, UiChildren, UiRootNodes};
 
 use super::Node;
 use bevy_ecs::{
     entity::Entity,
-    query::{Changed, With, Without},
+    query::{Changed, With},
     system::{Commands, Query},
 };
-use bevy_hierarchy::{Children, Parent};
 use bevy_math::Rect;
 use bevy_transform::components::GlobalTransform;
 use bevy_utils::HashSet;
@@ -16,14 +15,14 @@ use bevy_utils::HashSet;
 /// Updates clipping for all nodes
 pub fn update_clipping_system(
     mut commands: Commands,
-    root_node_query: Query<Entity, (With<Node>, Without<Parent>)>,
+    root_nodes: UiRootNodes,
     mut node_query: Query<(&Node, &GlobalTransform, &Style, Option<&mut CalculatedClip>)>,
-    children_query: Query<&Children>,
+    ui_children: UiChildren,
 ) {
-    for root_node in &root_node_query {
+    for root_node in root_nodes.iter() {
         update_clipping(
             &mut commands,
-            &children_query,
+            &ui_children,
             &mut node_query,
             root_node,
             None,
@@ -33,7 +32,7 @@ pub fn update_clipping_system(
 
 fn update_clipping(
     commands: &mut Commands,
-    children_query: &Query<&Children>,
+    ui_children: &UiChildren,
     node_query: &mut Query<(&Node, &GlobalTransform, &Style, Option<&mut CalculatedClip>)>,
     entity: Entity,
     mut maybe_inherited_clip: Option<Rect>,
@@ -93,10 +92,8 @@ fn update_clipping(
         Some(maybe_inherited_clip.map_or(node_rect, |c| c.intersect(node_rect)))
     };
 
-    if let Ok(children) = children_query.get(entity) {
+    for child in ui_children.iter_ui_children(entity) {
-        for &child in children {
+        update_clipping(commands, ui_children, node_query, child, children_clip);
-            update_clipping(commands, children_query, node_query, child, children_clip);
-        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -104,11 +101,11 @@ pub fn update_target_camera_system(
     mut commands: Commands,
     changed_root_nodes_query: Query<
         (Entity, Option<&TargetCamera>),
-        (With<Node>, Without<Parent>, Changed<TargetCamera>),
+        (With<Node>, Changed<TargetCamera>),
     >,
-    changed_children_query: Query<(Entity, Option<&TargetCamera>), (With<Node>, Changed<Children>)>,
+    node_query: Query<(Entity, Option<&TargetCamera>), With<Node>>,
-    children_query: Query<&Children, With<Node>>,
+    ui_root_nodes: UiRootNodes,
-    node_query: Query<Option<&TargetCamera>, With<Node>>,
+    ui_children: UiChildren,
 ) {
     // Track updated entities to prevent redundant updates, as `Commands` changes are deferred,
     // and updates done for changed_children_query can overlap with itself or with root_node_query
@@ -116,12 +113,12 @@ pub fn update_target_camera_system(
 
     // Assuming that TargetCamera is manually set on the root node only,
     // update root nodes first, since it implies the biggest change
-    for (root_node, target_camera) in &changed_root_nodes_query {
+    for (root_node, target_camera) in changed_root_nodes_query.iter_many(ui_root_nodes.iter()) {
         update_children_target_camera(
             root_node,
             target_camera,
             &node_query,
-            &children_query,
+            &ui_children,
             &mut commands,
             &mut updated_entities,
         );
@@ -130,12 +127,16 @@ pub fn update_target_camera_system(
     // If the root node TargetCamera was changed, then every child is updated
     // by this point, and iteration will be skipped.
     // Otherwise, update changed children
-    for (parent, target_camera) in &changed_children_query {
+    for (parent, target_camera) in &node_query {
+        if !ui_children.is_changed(parent) {
+            continue;
+        }
+
         update_children_target_camera(
             parent,
             target_camera,
             &node_query,
-            &children_query,
+            &ui_children,
             &mut commands,
             &mut updated_entities,
         );
@@ -145,19 +146,15 @@ pub fn update_target_camera_system(
 fn update_children_target_camera(
     entity: Entity,
     camera_to_set: Option<&TargetCamera>,
-    node_query: &Query<Option<&TargetCamera>, With<Node>>,
+    node_query: &Query<(Entity, Option<&TargetCamera>), With<Node>>,
-    children_query: &Query<&Children, With<Node>>,
+    ui_children: &UiChildren,
     commands: &mut Commands,
     updated_entities: &mut HashSet<Entity>,
 ) {
-    let Ok(children) = children_query.get(entity) else {
+    for child in ui_children.iter_ui_children(entity) {
-        return;
-    };
-
-    for &child in children {
         // Skip if the child has already been updated or update is not needed
         if updated_entities.contains(&child)
-            || camera_to_set == node_query.get(child).ok().flatten()
+            || camera_to_set == node_query.get(child).ok().and_then(|(_, camera)| camera)
         {
             continue;
         }
@@ -176,7 +173,7 @@ fn update_children_target_camera(
             child,
             camera_to_set,
             node_query,
-            children_query,
+            ui_children,
             commands,
             updated_entities,
         );

examples/README.md

@@ -496,6 +496,7 @@ Example | Description
 [Display and Visibility](../examples/ui/display_and_visibility.rs) | Demonstrates how Display and Visibility work in the UI.
 [Flex Layout](../examples/ui/flex_layout.rs) | Demonstrates how the AlignItems and JustifyContent properties can be composed to layout nodes and position text
 [Font Atlas Debug](../examples/ui/font_atlas_debug.rs) | Illustrates how FontAtlases are populated (used to optimize text rendering internally)
+[Ghost Nodes](../examples/ui/ghost_nodes.rs) | Demonstrates the use of Ghost Nodes to skip entities in the UI layout hierarchy
 [Overflow](../examples/ui/overflow.rs) | Simple example demonstrating overflow behavior
 [Overflow and Clipping Debug](../examples/ui/overflow_debug.rs) | An example to debug overflow and clipping behavior
 [Relative Cursor Position](../examples/ui/relative_cursor_position.rs) | Showcases the RelativeCursorPosition component

examples/ui/ghost_nodes.rs

@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+//! This example demonstrates the use of Ghost Nodes.
+//!
+//! UI layout will ignore ghost nodes, and treat their children as if they were direct descendants of the first non-ghost ancestor.
+
+use bevy::{prelude::*, ui::GhostNode, winit::WinitSettings};
+
+fn main() {
+    App::new()
+        .add_plugins(DefaultPlugins)
+        .insert_resource(WinitSettings::desktop_app())
+        .add_systems(Startup, setup)
+        .add_systems(Update, button_system)
+        .run();
+}
+
+#[derive(Component)]
+struct Counter(i32);
+
+fn setup(mut commands: Commands, asset_server: Res<AssetServer>) {
+    let font_handle = asset_server.load("fonts/FiraSans-Bold.ttf");
+
+    commands.spawn(Camera2dBundle::default());
+
+    // Ghost UI root
+    commands.spawn(GhostNode).with_children(|ghost_root| {
+        ghost_root
+            .spawn(NodeBundle::default())
+            .with_child(create_label(
+                "This text node is rendered under a ghost root",
+                font_handle.clone(),
+            ));
+    });
+
+    // Normal UI root
+    commands
+        .spawn(NodeBundle {
+            style: Style {
+                width: Val::Percent(100.0),
+                height: Val::Percent(100.0),
+                align_items: AlignItems::Center,
+                justify_content: JustifyContent::Center,
+                ..default()
+            },
+            ..default()
+        })
+        .with_children(|parent| {
+            parent
+                .spawn((NodeBundle::default(), Counter(0)))
+                .with_children(|layout_parent| {
+                    layout_parent
+                        .spawn((GhostNode, Counter(0)))
+                        .with_children(|ghost_parent| {
+                            // Ghost children using a separate counter state
+                            // These buttons are being treated as children of layout_parent in the context of UI
+                            ghost_parent
+                                .spawn(create_button())
+                                .with_child(create_label("0", font_handle.clone()));
+                            ghost_parent
+                                .spawn(create_button())
+                                .with_child(create_label("0", font_handle.clone()));
+                        });
+
+                    // A normal child using the layout parent counter
+                    layout_parent
+                        .spawn(create_button())
+                        .with_child(create_label("0", font_handle.clone()));
+                });
+        });
+}
+
+fn create_button() -> ButtonBundle {
+    ButtonBundle {
+        style: Style {
+            width: Val::Px(150.0),
+            height: Val::Px(65.0),
+            border: UiRect::all(Val::Px(5.0)),
+            // horizontally center child text
+            justify_content: JustifyContent::Center,
+            // vertically center child text
+            align_items: AlignItems::Center,
+            ..default()
+        },
+        border_color: BorderColor(Color::BLACK),
+        border_radius: BorderRadius::MAX,
+        background_color: Color::srgb(0.15, 0.15, 0.15).into(),
+        ..default()
+    }
+}
+
+fn create_label(text: &str, font: Handle<Font>) -> TextBundle {
+    TextBundle::from_section(
+        text,
+        TextStyle {
+            font,
+            font_size: 33.0,
+            color: Color::srgb(0.9, 0.9, 0.9),
+        },
+    )
+}
+
+fn button_system(
+    mut interaction_query: Query<(&Interaction, &Parent), (Changed<Interaction>, With<Button>)>,
+    labels_query: Query<(&Children, &Parent), With<Button>>,
+    mut text_query: Query<&mut Text>,
+    mut counter_query: Query<&mut Counter>,
+) {
+    // Update parent counter on click
+    for (interaction, parent) in &mut interaction_query {
+        if matches!(interaction, Interaction::Pressed) {
+            let mut counter = counter_query.get_mut(parent.get()).unwrap();
+            counter.0 += 1;
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Update button labels to match their parent counter
+    for (children, parent) in &labels_query {
+        let counter = counter_query.get(parent.get()).unwrap();
+        let mut text = text_query.get_mut(children[0]).unwrap();
+
+        text.sections[0].value = counter.0.to_string();
+    }
+}