diff --git a/src/core/lib/colorParser.test.ts b/src/core/lib/colorParser.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..977ceb9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/lib/colorParser.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest';
+import { parseColor } from './colorParser.js';
+
+describe('parseColor', () => {
+  it('returns the white singleton for opaque white', () => {
+    const first = parseColor(0xffffffff);
+    const second = parseColor(0xffffffff);
+
+    expect(first).toBe(second);
+    expect(first.isWhite).toBe(true);
+    expect(first.a).toBe(1);
+    expect(first.r).toBe(0xff);
+    expect(first.g).toBe(0xff);
+    expect(first.b).toBe(0xff);
+  });
+
+  it('extracts abgr components', () => {
+    const color = parseColor(0x80102030);
+
+    expect(color.isWhite).toBe(false);
+    expect(color.a).toBe(0x80 / 255);
+    expect(color.b).toBe(0x10);
+    expect(color.g).toBe(0x20);
+    expect(color.r).toBe(0x30);
+  });
+
+  it('reuses one scratch object across calls', () => {
+    const first = parseColor(0x80102030);
+    const second = parseColor(0xff405060);
+
+    expect(second).toBe(first);
+    expect(second.a).toBe(1);
+    expect(second.b).toBe(0x40);
+    expect(second.g).toBe(0x50);
+    expect(second.r).toBe(0x60);
+  });
+
+  it('never returns the white singleton as the scratch object', () => {
+    const white = parseColor(0xffffffff);
+    const tinted = parseColor(0x80102030);
+
+    expect(tinted).not.toBe(white);
+    expect(white.isWhite).toBe(true);
+    expect(white.r).toBe(0xff);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/core/lib/colorParser.ts b/src/core/lib/colorParser.ts
index 71e8a66..bacd08a 100644
--- a/src/core/lib/colorParser.ts
+++ b/src/core/lib/colorParser.ts
@@ -14,18 +14,29 @@ const WHITE: IParsedColor = {
   b: 0xff,
 };
 
+const SCRATCH: IParsedColor = {
+  isWhite: false,
+  a: 1,
+  r: 0,
+  g: 0,
+  b: 0,
+};
+
 /**
- * Extract color components
+ * Extract color components.
+ *
+ * Returns a shared scratch object to avoid a per-call allocation in the
+ * canvas frame loop — consume it synchronously, never retain it.
  */
 export function parseColor(abgr: number): IParsedColor {
   if (abgr === 0xffffffff) {
     return WHITE;
   }
-  const a = ((abgr >>> 24) & 0xff) / 255;
-  const b = (abgr >>> 16) & 0xff & 0xff;
-  const g = (abgr >>> 8) & 0xff & 0xff;
-  const r = abgr & 0xff & 0xff;
-  return { isWhite: false, a, r, g, b };
+  SCRATCH.a = ((abgr >>> 24) & 0xff) / 255;
+  SCRATCH.b = (abgr >>> 16) & 0xff;
+  SCRATCH.g = (abgr >>> 8) & 0xff;
+  SCRATCH.r = abgr & 0xff;
+  return SCRATCH;
 }
 
 export function parseToAbgrString(abgr: number): string {
diff --git a/src/core/renderers/canvas/CanvasRenderer.test.ts b/src/core/renderers/canvas/CanvasRenderer.test.ts
index 60aa382..fff9696 100644
--- a/src/core/renderers/canvas/CanvasRenderer.test.ts
+++ b/src/core/renderers/canvas/CanvasRenderer.test.ts
@@ -109,6 +109,160 @@ describe('CanvasRenderer.addQuad transform detection', () => {
   });
 });
 
+describe('CanvasRenderer.reset', () => {
+  const makeRenderer = (clearColorAlpha: number) => {
+    const renderer = Object.create(CanvasRenderer.prototype) as CanvasRenderer;
+    const context = {
+      setTransform: vi.fn(),
+      clearRect: vi.fn(),
+      fillRect: vi.fn(),
+      scale: vi.fn(),
+      fillStyle: '',
+    };
+    let widthWrites = 0;
+    const canvas = {
+      height: 100,
+      get width() {
+        return 200;
+      },
+      set width(_v: number) {
+        widthWrites++;
+      },
+    };
+    (renderer as any).context = context;
+    (renderer as any).canvas = canvas;
+    (renderer as any).pixelRatio = 2;
+    (renderer as any).clearColor = 'rgba(0,0,0,0)';
+    (renderer as any).clearColorAlpha = clearColorAlpha;
+    return { renderer, context, getWidthWrites: () => widthWrites };
+  };
+
+  it('clears via setTransform + clearRect without reallocating the canvas', () => {
+    const { renderer, context, getWidthWrites } = makeRenderer(0);
+
+    renderer.reset();
+
+    expect(getWidthWrites()).toBe(0);
+    expect(context.setTransform).toHaveBeenCalledWith(1, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0);
+    expect(context.clearRect).toHaveBeenCalledWith(0, 0, 200, 100);
+    expect(context.scale).toHaveBeenCalledWith(2, 2);
+  });
+
+  it('skips the clear-color fill when the clear color is fully transparent', () => {
+    const { renderer, context } = makeRenderer(0);
+
+    renderer.reset();
+
+    expect(context.fillRect).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it('fills with the clear color when its alpha is non-zero', () => {
+    const { renderer, context } = makeRenderer(0xff);
+    (renderer as any).clearColor = 'rgba(16,32,48,1)';
+
+    renderer.reset();
+
+    expect(context.fillRect).toHaveBeenCalledWith(0, 0, 200, 100);
+    expect(context.fillStyle).toBe('rgba(16,32,48,1)');
+  });
+
+  it('updateClearColor keeps the alpha skip in sync', () => {
+    const { renderer, context } = makeRenderer(0xff);
+
+    renderer.updateClearColor(0x00000000);
+    renderer.reset();
+
+    expect(context.fillRect).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});
+
+describe('CanvasRenderer.addQuad allocation-free paths', () => {
+  const makeRenderer = () => {
+    const renderer = Object.create(CanvasRenderer.prototype) as CanvasRenderer;
+    const context = {
+      save: vi.fn(),
+      restore: vi.fn(),
+      setTransform: vi.fn(),
+      scale: vi.fn(),
+      translate: vi.fn(),
+      fillRect: vi.fn(),
+      beginPath: vi.fn(),
+      rect: vi.fn(),
+      clip: vi.fn(),
+      fillStyle: '',
+      globalAlpha: 1,
+    };
+    (renderer as any).context = context;
+    (renderer as any).pixelRatio = 1;
+    (renderer as any).stage = { defaultTexture: null };
+    return { renderer, context };
+  };
+
+  const makeColorNode = (shader: unknown = null) =>
+    ({
+      globalTransform: { tx: 5, ty: 10, ta: 1, tb: 0, tc: 0, td: 1 },
+      clippingRect: { valid: true, x: 0, y: 0, w: 300, h: 200 },
+      placeholderActive: false,
+      premultipliedColorTl: 0xff0000ff,
+      premultipliedColorTr: 0xff0000ff,
+      premultipliedColorBr: 0xff0000ff,
+      worldAlpha: 1,
+      props: {
+        texture: { type: TextureType.color },
+        shader,
+        w: 100,
+        h: 50,
+      },
+    } as any);
+
+  it('clips with beginPath/rect/clip instead of a Path2D', () => {
+    const { renderer, context } = makeRenderer();
+
+    renderer.addQuad(makeColorNode());
+
+    expect(context.beginPath).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(context.rect).toHaveBeenCalledWith(0, 0, 300, 200);
+    expect(context.clip).toHaveBeenCalledWith();
+    expect(context.fillRect).toHaveBeenCalledWith(5, 10, 100, 50);
+  });
+
+  it('passes the same preallocated renderContext callback to every shader', () => {
+    // Real construction (not Object.create) so class-field initializers run —
+    // the preallocated callback is a field arrow function.
+    const context = {
+      save: vi.fn(),
+      restore: vi.fn(),
+      fillRect: vi.fn(),
+      beginPath: vi.fn(),
+      rect: vi.fn(),
+      clip: vi.fn(),
+      fillStyle: '',
+      globalAlpha: 1,
+    };
+    const renderer = new CanvasRenderer({
+      stage: { pixelRatio: 1, clearColor: 0x00000000, defaultTexture: null },
+      canvas: { getContext: () => context },
+    } as any);
+    const seen: Array<() => void> = [];
+    const shader = {
+      applySNR: false,
+      render: vi.fn((_ctx: unknown, _node: unknown, rc: () => void) => {
+        seen.push(rc);
+        rc();
+      }),
+    };
+
+    renderer.addQuad(makeColorNode(shader));
+    renderer.addQuad(makeColorNode(shader));
+
+    expect(seen.length).toBe(2);
+    expect(seen[0]).toBe(seen[1]);
+    // The callback drew each node's content when invoked
+    expect(context.fillRect).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    expect(context.fillRect).toHaveBeenCalledWith(5, 10, 100, 50);
+  });
+});
+
 describe('CanvasRenderer.getCapabilities', () => {
   it('reports the canvas backend with no WebGL or VAO support', () => {
     const renderer = Object.create(CanvasRenderer.prototype) as CanvasRenderer;
diff --git a/src/core/renderers/canvas/CanvasRenderer.ts b/src/core/renderers/canvas/CanvasRenderer.ts
index 099c644..02cbd62 100644
--- a/src/core/renderers/canvas/CanvasRenderer.ts
+++ b/src/core/renderers/canvas/CanvasRenderer.ts
@@ -17,8 +17,16 @@ export class CanvasRenderer extends CoreRenderer {
   private canvas: HTMLCanvasElement;
   private pixelRatio: number;
   private clearColor: string;
+  private clearColorAlpha: number;
   public renderToTextureActive = false;
   activeRttNode: CoreNode | null = null;
+  // Scratch state for the preallocated shader renderContext callback below —
+  // valid only for the duration of the shader render() call in addQuad.
+  private shaderContextNode: CoreNode | null = null;
+  private shaderContextTexture: Texture | null = null;
+  private shaderRenderContext = () => {
+    this.renderContext(this.shaderContextNode!, this.shaderContextTexture!);
+  };
 
   constructor(options: CoreRendererOptions) {
     super(options);
@@ -29,16 +37,23 @@ export class CanvasRenderer extends CoreRenderer {
     this.context = canvas.getContext('2d') as CanvasRenderingContext2D;
     this.pixelRatio = this.stage.pixelRatio;
     this.clearColor = normalizeCanvasColor(this.stage.clearColor);
+    this.clearColorAlpha = (this.stage.clearColor >>> 24) & 0xff;
   }
 
   reset(): void {
-    this.canvas.width = this.canvas.width; // quick reset canvas
-
     const ctx = this.context;
+    const w = this.canvas.width;
+    const h = this.canvas.height;
+
+    // The frame's save/restore pairs are balanced, so resetting the transform
+    // and clearing is equivalent to the `canvas.width = canvas.width` trick
+    // without tearing down the backing store every frame.
+    ctx.setTransform(1, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0);
+    ctx.clearRect(0, 0, w, h);
 
-    if (this.clearColor) {
+    if (this.clearColorAlpha !== 0) {
       ctx.fillStyle = this.clearColor;
-      ctx.fillRect(0, 0, this.canvas.width, this.canvas.height);
+      ctx.fillRect(0, 0, w, h);
     }
 
     ctx.scale(this.pixelRatio, this.pixelRatio);
@@ -99,10 +114,9 @@ export class CanvasRenderer extends CoreRenderer {
     }
 
     if (hasClipping === true) {
-      const path = new Path2D();
-      const { x, y, w, h } = clippingRect;
-      path.rect(x, y, w, h);
-      ctx.clip(path);
+      ctx.beginPath();
+      ctx.rect(clippingRect.x, clippingRect.y, clippingRect.w, clippingRect.h);
+      ctx.clip();
     }
 
     if (hasTransform === true) {
@@ -121,12 +135,11 @@ export class CanvasRenderer extends CoreRenderer {
     }
 
     if (hasShader === true) {
-      let renderContext: (() => void) | null = () => {
-        this.renderContext(node, texture);
-      };
-
-      (shader as CanvasShaderNode).render(ctx, node, renderContext);
-      renderContext = null;
+      this.shaderContextNode = node;
+      this.shaderContextTexture = texture;
+      (shader as CanvasShaderNode).render(ctx, node, this.shaderRenderContext);
+      this.shaderContextNode = null;
+      this.shaderContextTexture = null;
     } else {
       this.renderContext(node, texture);
     }
@@ -345,6 +358,7 @@ export class CanvasRenderer extends CoreRenderer {
    */
   updateClearColor(color: number) {
     this.clearColor = normalizeCanvasColor(color);
+    this.clearColorAlpha = (color >>> 24) & 0xff;
   }
 
   override getTextureCoords(
diff --git a/src/core/shaders/canvas/Rounded.ts b/src/core/shaders/canvas/Rounded.ts
index 04aa431..a1c42c8 100644
--- a/src/core/shaders/canvas/Rounded.ts
+++ b/src/core/shaders/canvas/Rounded.ts
@@ -22,16 +22,16 @@ export const Rounded: CanvasShaderType<RoundedProps, ComputedRoundedValues> = {
     );
   },
   render(ctx, node, renderContext) {
-    const path = new Path2D();
+    ctx.beginPath();
     roundRect(
-      path,
+      ctx,
       node.globalTransform!.tx,
       node.globalTransform!.ty,
       node.props.w,
       node.props.h,
       this.computed.radius!,
     );
-    ctx.clip(path);
+    ctx.clip();
 
     renderContext();
   },
diff --git a/src/core/shaders/canvas/RoundedWithShadow.ts b/src/core/shaders/canvas/RoundedWithShadow.ts
index a396344..8c3d9e5 100644
--- a/src/core/shaders/canvas/RoundedWithShadow.ts
+++ b/src/core/shaders/canvas/RoundedWithShadow.ts
@@ -49,9 +49,9 @@ export const RoundedWithShadow: CanvasShaderType<
       );
     }
 
-    const path = new Path2D();
-    render.roundRect(path, tx, ty, w, h, computed.radius);
-    ctx.clip(path);
+    ctx.beginPath();
+    render.roundRect(ctx, tx, ty, w, h, computed.radius);
+    ctx.clip();
     renderContext();
   },
 };
diff --git a/src/core/shaders/canvas/utils/render.ts b/src/core/shaders/canvas/utils/render.ts
index e3ddfa5..52dd96a 100644
--- a/src/core/shaders/canvas/utils/render.ts
+++ b/src/core/shaders/canvas/utils/render.ts
@@ -57,9 +57,9 @@ export function roundedRectWithBorder(
 
   //draw node content first
   ctx.save();
-  const path = new Path2D();
-  roundRect(path, x, y, width, height, radius);
-  ctx.clip(path);
+  ctx.beginPath();
+  roundRect(ctx, x, y, width, height, radius);
+  ctx.clip();
   renderContext();
   ctx.restore();