diff --git a/examples/core-custom-entrypoint/Game.zig b/examples/core-custom-entrypoint/Game.zig
index 30b6a7b8..48ea9c81 100644
--- a/examples/core-custom-entrypoint/Game.zig
+++ b/examples/core-custom-entrypoint/Game.zig
@@ -35,7 +35,9 @@ fn init(game: *Mod) !void {
     });
 
     // Create our render pipeline that will ultimately get pixels onto the screen.
+    const label = @tagName(name) ++ ".init";
     const pipeline_descriptor = gpu.RenderPipeline.Descriptor{
+        .label = label,
         .fragment = &fragment,
         .vertex = gpu.VertexState{
             .module = shader_module,
@@ -75,7 +77,8 @@ fn tick(
     defer back_buffer_view.release();
 
     // Create a command encoder
-    const encoder = mach.core.device.createCommandEncoder(null);
+    const label = @tagName(name) ++ ".tick";
+    const encoder = mach.core.device.createCommandEncoder(&.{ .label = label });
     defer encoder.release();
 
     // Begin render pass
@@ -87,7 +90,7 @@ fn tick(
         .store_op = .store,
     }};
     const render_pass = encoder.beginRenderPass(&gpu.RenderPassDescriptor.init(.{
-        .label = "main render pass",
+        .label = label,
         .color_attachments = &color_attachments,
     }));
 
@@ -99,7 +102,7 @@ fn tick(
     render_pass.end();
 
     // Submit our commands to the queue
-    var command = encoder.finish(null);
+    var command = encoder.finish(&.{ .label = label });
     defer command.release();
     mach.core.queue.submit(&[_]*gpu.CommandBuffer{command});
 
diff --git a/examples/custom-renderer/Renderer.zig b/examples/custom-renderer/Renderer.zig
index f8d4734f..e4ab654d 100644
--- a/examples/custom-renderer/Renderer.zig
+++ b/examples/custom-renderer/Renderer.zig
@@ -58,7 +58,9 @@ fn init(
         .targets = &.{color_target},
     });
 
+    const label = @tagName(name) ++ ".init";
     const uniform_buffer = device.createBuffer(&.{
+        .label = label ++ " uniform buffer",
         .usage = .{ .copy_dst = true, .uniform = true },
         .size = @sizeOf(UniformBufferObject) * uniform_offset * num_bind_groups,
         .mapped_at_creation = .false,
@@ -66,6 +68,7 @@ fn init(
     const bind_group_layout_entry = gpu.BindGroupLayout.Entry.buffer(0, .{ .vertex = true }, .uniform, true, 0);
     const bind_group_layout = device.createBindGroupLayout(
         &gpu.BindGroupLayout.Descriptor.init(.{
+            .label = label,
             .entries = &.{bind_group_layout_entry},
         }),
     );
@@ -73,6 +76,7 @@ fn init(
     for (bind_groups, 0..) |_, i| {
         bind_groups[i] = device.createBindGroup(
             &gpu.BindGroup.Descriptor.init(.{
+                .label = label,
                 .layout = bind_group_layout,
                 .entries = &.{
                     gpu.BindGroup.Entry.buffer(0, uniform_buffer, uniform_offset * i, @sizeOf(UniformBufferObject)),
@@ -83,9 +87,11 @@ fn init(
 
     const bind_group_layouts = [_]*gpu.BindGroupLayout{bind_group_layout};
     const pipeline_layout = device.createPipelineLayout(&gpu.PipelineLayout.Descriptor.init(.{
+        .label = label,
         .bind_group_layouts = &bind_group_layouts,
     }));
     const pipeline_descriptor = gpu.RenderPipeline.Descriptor{
+        .label = label,
         .fragment = &fragment,
         .layout = pipeline_layout,
         .vertex = gpu.VertexState{
@@ -127,8 +133,10 @@ fn tick(
         .store_op = .store,
     };
 
-    const encoder = device.createCommandEncoder(null);
+    const label = @tagName(name) ++ ".tick";
+    const encoder = device.createCommandEncoder(&.{ .label = label });
     const render_pass_info = gpu.RenderPassDescriptor.init(.{
+        .label = label,
         .color_attachments = &.{color_attachment},
     });
 
@@ -162,7 +170,7 @@ fn tick(
     pass.end();
     pass.release();
 
-    var command = encoder.finish(null);
+    var command = encoder.finish(&.{ .label = label });
     encoder.release();
 
     renderer.state().queue.submit(&[_]*gpu.CommandBuffer{command});
diff --git a/examples/glyphs/Game.zig b/examples/glyphs/Game.zig
index 34595114..ce04b560 100644
--- a/examples/glyphs/Game.zig
+++ b/examples/glyphs/Game.zig
@@ -202,7 +202,8 @@ fn tick(
     sprite_pipeline.send(.pre_render, .{});
 
     // Create a command encoder for this frame
-    game.state().frame_encoder = mach.core.device.createCommandEncoder(null);
+    const label = @tagName(name) ++ ".tick";
+    game.state().frame_encoder = mach.core.device.createCommandEncoder(&.{ .label = label });
 
     // Grab the back buffer of the swapchain
     const back_buffer_view = mach.core.swap_chain.getCurrentTextureView().?;
@@ -216,9 +217,10 @@ fn tick(
         .load_op = .clear,
         .store_op = .store,
     }};
-    game.state().frame_encoder = mach.core.device.createCommandEncoder(null);
+    // TODO: can we eliminate this assignment
+    game.state().frame_encoder = mach.core.device.createCommandEncoder(&.{ .label = label });
     game.state().frame_render_pass = game.state().frame_encoder.beginRenderPass(&gpu.RenderPassDescriptor.init(.{
-        .label = "main render pass",
+        .label = label,
         .color_attachments = &color_attachments,
     }));
 
@@ -235,7 +237,8 @@ fn tick(
 fn endFrame(game: *Mod) !void {
     // Finish render pass
     game.state().frame_render_pass.end();
-    var command = game.state().frame_encoder.finish(null);
+    const label = @tagName(name) ++ ".endFrame";
+    var command = game.state().frame_encoder.finish(&.{ .label = label });
     game.state().frame_encoder.release();
     defer command.release();
     mach.core.queue.submit(&[_]*gpu.CommandBuffer{command});
diff --git a/examples/glyphs/Glyphs.zig b/examples/glyphs/Glyphs.zig
index 5f58c7d8..9e94d44d 100644
--- a/examples/glyphs/Glyphs.zig
+++ b/examples/glyphs/Glyphs.zig
@@ -48,7 +48,9 @@ fn init(
     const img_size = gpu.Extent3D{ .width = 1024, .height = 1024 };
 
     // Create a GPU texture
+    const label = @tagName(name) ++ ".init";
     const texture = device.createTexture(&.{
+        .label = label,
         .size = img_size,
         .format = .rgba8_unorm,
         .usage = .{
diff --git a/examples/sprite/Game.zig b/examples/sprite/Game.zig
index 7ab4d40c..4281deb4 100644
--- a/examples/sprite/Game.zig
+++ b/examples/sprite/Game.zig
@@ -183,7 +183,8 @@ fn tick(
     sprite_pipeline.send(.pre_render, .{});
 
     // Create a command encoder for this frame
-    game.state().frame_encoder = mach.core.device.createCommandEncoder(null);
+    const label = @tagName(name) ++ ".tick";
+    game.state().frame_encoder = mach.core.device.createCommandEncoder(&.{ .label = label });
 
     // Grab the back buffer of the swapchain
     const back_buffer_view = mach.core.swap_chain.getCurrentTextureView().?;
@@ -197,9 +198,10 @@ fn tick(
         .load_op = .clear,
         .store_op = .store,
     }};
-    game.state().frame_encoder = mach.core.device.createCommandEncoder(null);
+    // TODO: can we eliminate this assignment
+    game.state().frame_encoder = mach.core.device.createCommandEncoder(&.{ .label = label });
     game.state().frame_render_pass = game.state().frame_encoder.beginRenderPass(&gpu.RenderPassDescriptor.init(.{
-        .label = "main render pass",
+        .label = label,
         .color_attachments = &color_attachments,
     }));
 
@@ -216,7 +218,8 @@ fn tick(
 fn endFrame(game: *Mod) !void {
     // Finish render pass
     game.state().frame_render_pass.end();
-    var command = game.state().frame_encoder.finish(null);
+    const label = @tagName(name) ++ ".endFrame";
+    var command = game.state().frame_encoder.finish(&.{ .label = label });
     game.state().frame_encoder.release();
     defer command.release();
     mach.core.queue.submit(&[_]*gpu.CommandBuffer{command});
@@ -244,7 +247,9 @@ fn loadTexture(core: *mach.Core.Mod, allocator: std.mem.Allocator) !*gpu.Texture
     const img_size = gpu.Extent3D{ .width = @as(u32, @intCast(img.width)), .height = @as(u32, @intCast(img.height)) };
 
     // Create a GPU texture
+    const label = @tagName(name) ++ ".loadTexture";
     const texture = device.createTexture(&.{
+        .label = label,
         .size = img_size,
         .format = .rgba8_unorm,
         .usage = .{
diff --git a/examples/text/Game.zig b/examples/text/Game.zig
index d90dc3f2..34ed97b2 100644
--- a/examples/text/Game.zig
+++ b/examples/text/Game.zig
@@ -227,7 +227,8 @@ fn tick(
     text_pipeline.send(.pre_render, .{});
 
     // Create a command encoder for this frame
-    game.state().frame_encoder = mach.core.device.createCommandEncoder(null);
+    const label = @tagName(name) ++ ".tick";
+    game.state().frame_encoder = mach.core.device.createCommandEncoder(&.{ .label = label });
 
     // Grab the back buffer of the swapchain
     const back_buffer_view = mach.core.swap_chain.getCurrentTextureView().?;
@@ -241,9 +242,9 @@ fn tick(
         .load_op = .clear,
         .store_op = .store,
     }};
-    game.state().frame_encoder = mach.core.device.createCommandEncoder(null);
+    game.state().frame_encoder = mach.core.device.createCommandEncoder(&.{ .label = label });
     game.state().frame_render_pass = game.state().frame_encoder.beginRenderPass(&gpu.RenderPassDescriptor.init(.{
-        .label = "main render pass",
+        .label = label,
         .color_attachments = &color_attachments,
     }));
 
@@ -260,7 +261,8 @@ fn tick(
 fn endFrame(game: *Mod, text: *gfx.Text.Mod) !void {
     // Finish render pass
     game.state().frame_render_pass.end();
-    var command = game.state().frame_encoder.finish(null);
+    const label = @tagName(name) ++ ".tick";
+    var command = game.state().frame_encoder.finish(&.{ .label = label });
     game.state().frame_encoder.release();
     defer command.release();
     mach.core.queue.submit(&[_]*gpu.CommandBuffer{command});
diff --git a/src/gfx/Sprite.zig b/src/gfx/Sprite.zig
index 707149a6..2ef67374 100644
--- a/src/gfx/Sprite.zig
+++ b/src/gfx/Sprite.zig
@@ -65,7 +65,8 @@ fn updatePipeline(
     built: *gfx.SpritePipeline.BuiltPipeline,
 ) !void {
     const device = core.state().device;
-    const encoder = device.createCommandEncoder(null);
+    const label = @tagName(name) ++ ".updatePipeline";
+    const encoder = device.createCommandEncoder(&.{ .label = label });
     defer encoder.release();
 
     var archetypes_iter = sprite.entities.query(.{ .all = &.{
@@ -106,7 +107,7 @@ fn updatePipeline(
         encoder.writeBuffer(built.transforms, 0, gfx.SpritePipeline.cp_transforms[0..i]);
         encoder.writeBuffer(built.uv_transforms, 0, gfx.SpritePipeline.cp_uv_transforms[0..i]);
         encoder.writeBuffer(built.sizes, 0, gfx.SpritePipeline.cp_sizes[0..i]);
-        var command = encoder.finish(null);
+        var command = encoder.finish(&.{ .label = label });
         defer command.release();
         core.state().queue.submit(&[_]*gpu.CommandBuffer{command});
     }
diff --git a/src/gfx/SpritePipeline.zig b/src/gfx/SpritePipeline.zig
index 06c29d6e..81525408 100644
--- a/src/gfx/SpritePipeline.zig
+++ b/src/gfx/SpritePipeline.zig
@@ -186,35 +186,42 @@ fn buildPipeline(
     const opt_layout = sprite_pipeline.get(pipeline_id, .layout);
 
     const device = core.state().device;
+    const label = @tagName(name) ++ ".buildPipeline";
 
     // Storage buffers
     const transforms = device.createBuffer(&.{
+        .label = label ++ " transforms",
         .usage = .{ .storage = true, .copy_dst = true },
         .size = @sizeOf(math.Mat4x4) * sprite_buffer_cap,
         .mapped_at_creation = .false,
     });
     const uv_transforms = device.createBuffer(&.{
+        .label = label ++ " uv_transforms",
         .usage = .{ .storage = true, .copy_dst = true },
         .size = @sizeOf(math.Mat3x3) * sprite_buffer_cap,
         .mapped_at_creation = .false,
     });
     const sizes = device.createBuffer(&.{
+        .label = label ++ " sizes",
         .usage = .{ .storage = true, .copy_dst = true },
         .size = @sizeOf(math.Vec2) * sprite_buffer_cap,
         .mapped_at_creation = .false,
     });
 
     const texture_sampler = opt_texture_sampler orelse device.createSampler(&.{
+        .label = label ++ " sampler",
         .mag_filter = .nearest,
         .min_filter = .nearest,
     });
     const uniforms = device.createBuffer(&.{
+        .label = label ++ " uniforms",
         .usage = .{ .copy_dst = true, .uniform = true },
         .size = @sizeOf(Uniforms),
         .mapped_at_creation = .false,
     });
     const bind_group_layout = opt_bind_group_layout orelse device.createBindGroupLayout(
         &gpu.BindGroupLayout.Descriptor.init(.{
+            .label = label,
             .entries = &.{
                 gpu.BindGroupLayout.Entry.buffer(0, .{ .vertex = true }, .uniform, false, 0),
                 gpu.BindGroupLayout.Entry.buffer(1, .{ .vertex = true }, .read_only_storage, false, 0),
@@ -230,10 +237,10 @@ fn buildPipeline(
     );
     defer bind_group_layout.release();
 
-    const texture_view = texture.createView(&gpu.TextureView.Descriptor{});
-    const texture2_view = if (opt_texture2) |tex| tex.createView(&gpu.TextureView.Descriptor{}) else texture_view;
-    const texture3_view = if (opt_texture3) |tex| tex.createView(&gpu.TextureView.Descriptor{}) else texture_view;
-    const texture4_view = if (opt_texture4) |tex| tex.createView(&gpu.TextureView.Descriptor{}) else texture_view;
+    const texture_view = texture.createView(&gpu.TextureView.Descriptor{ .label = label });
+    const texture2_view = if (opt_texture2) |tex| tex.createView(&gpu.TextureView.Descriptor{ .label = label }) else texture_view;
+    const texture3_view = if (opt_texture3) |tex| tex.createView(&gpu.TextureView.Descriptor{ .label = label }) else texture_view;
+    const texture4_view = if (opt_texture4) |tex| tex.createView(&gpu.TextureView.Descriptor{ .label = label }) else texture_view;
     defer texture_view.release();
     defer texture2_view.release();
     defer texture3_view.release();
@@ -241,6 +248,7 @@ fn buildPipeline(
 
     const bind_group = opt_bind_group orelse device.createBindGroup(
         &gpu.BindGroup.Descriptor.init(.{
+            .label = label,
             .layout = bind_group_layout,
             .entries = &.{
                 gpu.BindGroup.Entry.buffer(0, uniforms, 0, @sizeOf(Uniforms)),
@@ -285,10 +293,12 @@ fn buildPipeline(
 
     const bind_group_layouts = [_]*gpu.BindGroupLayout{bind_group_layout};
     const pipeline_layout = opt_layout orelse device.createPipelineLayout(&gpu.PipelineLayout.Descriptor.init(.{
+        .label = label,
         .bind_group_layouts = &bind_group_layouts,
     }));
     defer pipeline_layout.release();
     const render_pipeline = device.createRenderPipeline(&gpu.RenderPipeline.Descriptor{
+        .label = label,
         .fragment = &fragment,
         .layout = pipeline_layout,
         .vertex = gpu.VertexState{
@@ -316,9 +326,8 @@ fn buildPipeline(
 }
 
 fn preRender(sprite_pipeline: *Mod) void {
-    const encoder = mach.core.device.createCommandEncoder(&gpu.CommandEncoder.Descriptor{
-        .label = "SpritePipeline.encoder",
-    });
+    const label = @tagName(name) ++ ".preRender";
+    const encoder = mach.core.device.createCommandEncoder(&.{ .label = label });
     defer encoder.release();
 
     var archetypes_iter = sprite_pipeline.entities.query(.{ .all = &.{
@@ -353,7 +362,7 @@ fn preRender(sprite_pipeline: *Mod) void {
         }
     }
 
-    var command = encoder.finish(null);
+    var command = encoder.finish(&.{ .label = label });
     defer command.release();
     mach.core.queue.submit(&[_]*gpu.CommandBuffer{command});
 }
diff --git a/src/gfx/Text.zig b/src/gfx/Text.zig
index 625debc2..36929a0f 100644
--- a/src/gfx/Text.zig
+++ b/src/gfx/Text.zig
@@ -81,7 +81,8 @@ fn updatePipeline(
     built: *gfx.TextPipeline.BuiltPipeline,
 ) !void {
     const device = core.state().device;
-    const encoder = device.createCommandEncoder(null);
+    const label = @tagName(name) ++ ".updatePipeline";
+    const encoder = device.createCommandEncoder(&.{ .label = label });
     defer encoder.release();
 
     const allocator = text_pipeline.state().allocator;
@@ -272,7 +273,7 @@ fn updatePipeline(
     }
 
     if (num_texts > 0 or glyphs.items.len > 0) {
-        var command = encoder.finish(null);
+        var command = encoder.finish(&.{ .label = label });
         defer command.release();
         core.state().queue.submit(&[_]*gpu.CommandBuffer{command});
     }
diff --git a/src/gfx/TextPipeline.zig b/src/gfx/TextPipeline.zig
index 2a0b71d3..24963ba9 100644
--- a/src/gfx/TextPipeline.zig
+++ b/src/gfx/TextPipeline.zig
@@ -208,8 +208,10 @@ fn buildPipeline(
     // Prepare texture for the font atlas.
     // TODO(text): dynamic texture re-allocation when not large enough
     // TODO(text): better default allocation size
+    const label = @tagName(name) ++ ".buildPipeline";
     const img_size = gpu.Extent3D{ .width = 1024, .height = 1024 };
     const texture = device.createTexture(&.{
+        .label = label,
         .size = img_size,
         .format = .rgba8_unorm,
         .usage = .{
@@ -226,32 +228,38 @@ fn buildPipeline(
 
     // Storage buffers
     const transforms = device.createBuffer(&.{
+        .label = label ++ " transforms",
         .usage = .{ .storage = true, .copy_dst = true },
         .size = @sizeOf(math.Mat4x4) * texts_buffer_cap,
         .mapped_at_creation = .false,
     });
     const colors = device.createBuffer(&.{
+        .label = label ++ " colors",
         .usage = .{ .storage = true, .copy_dst = true },
         .size = @sizeOf(math.Vec4) * texts_buffer_cap,
         .mapped_at_creation = .false,
     });
     const glyphs = device.createBuffer(&.{
+        .label = label ++ " glyphs",
         .usage = .{ .storage = true, .copy_dst = true },
         .size = @sizeOf(Glyph) * texts_buffer_cap,
         .mapped_at_creation = .false,
     });
 
     const texture_sampler = opt_texture_sampler orelse device.createSampler(&.{
+        .label = label ++ " sampler",
         .mag_filter = .nearest,
         .min_filter = .nearest,
     });
     const uniforms = device.createBuffer(&.{
+        .label = label ++ " uniforms",
         .usage = .{ .copy_dst = true, .uniform = true },
         .size = @sizeOf(Uniforms),
         .mapped_at_creation = .false,
     });
     const bind_group_layout = opt_bind_group_layout orelse device.createBindGroupLayout(
         &gpu.BindGroupLayout.Descriptor.init(.{
+            .label = label,
             .entries = &.{
                 gpu.BindGroupLayout.Entry.buffer(0, .{ .vertex = true }, .uniform, false, 0),
                 gpu.BindGroupLayout.Entry.buffer(1, .{ .vertex = true }, .read_only_storage, false, 0),
@@ -264,11 +272,12 @@ fn buildPipeline(
     );
     defer bind_group_layout.release();
 
-    const texture_view = texture.createView(&gpu.TextureView.Descriptor{});
+    const texture_view = texture.createView(&gpu.TextureView.Descriptor{ .label = label });
     defer texture_view.release();
 
     const bind_group = opt_bind_group orelse device.createBindGroup(
         &gpu.BindGroup.Descriptor.init(.{
+            .label = label,
             .layout = bind_group_layout,
             .entries = &.{
                 gpu.BindGroup.Entry.buffer(0, uniforms, 0, @sizeOf(Uniforms)),
@@ -310,10 +319,12 @@ fn buildPipeline(
 
     const bind_group_layouts = [_]*gpu.BindGroupLayout{bind_group_layout};
     const pipeline_layout = opt_layout orelse device.createPipelineLayout(&gpu.PipelineLayout.Descriptor.init(.{
+        .label = label,
         .bind_group_layouts = &bind_group_layouts,
     }));
     defer pipeline_layout.release();
     const render_pipeline = device.createRenderPipeline(&gpu.RenderPipeline.Descriptor{
+        .label = label,
         .fragment = &fragment,
         .layout = pipeline_layout,
         .vertex = gpu.VertexState{
@@ -340,9 +351,8 @@ fn buildPipeline(
 }
 
 fn preRender(text_pipeline: *Mod) void {
-    const encoder = mach.core.device.createCommandEncoder(&gpu.CommandEncoder.Descriptor{
-        .label = "TextPipeline.encoder",
-    });
+    const label = @tagName(name) ++ ".preRender";
+    const encoder = mach.core.device.createCommandEncoder(&.{ .label = label });
     defer encoder.release();
 
     var archetypes_iter = text_pipeline.entities.query(.{ .all = &.{
@@ -377,7 +387,7 @@ fn preRender(text_pipeline: *Mod) void {
         }
     }
 
-    var command = encoder.finish(null);
+    var command = encoder.finish(&.{ .label = label });
     defer command.release();
     mach.core.queue.submit(&[_]*gpu.CommandBuffer{command});
 }