diff --git a/src/ol/webgl/ShaderBuilder.js b/src/ol/webgl/ShaderBuilder.js
index e44e290b52..7699132a4a 100644
--- a/src/ol/webgl/ShaderBuilder.js
+++ b/src/ol/webgl/ShaderBuilder.js
@@ -141,3 +141,57 @@ void main(void) {
 
   return body;
 }
+
+/**
+ * Base type for values fed to operators; can be a number literal or the output of another operator
+ * @typedef {Array<*>|number} OperatorValue
+ */
+
+/**
+ * Parses the provided expressions and produces a GLSL-compatible assignment string, such as:
+ * `['add', ['*', ['get', 'size'], 0.001], 12] => '(a_size * (0.001)) + (12.0)'
+ *
+ * The following operators can be used:
+ * * `['get', 'attributeName']` fetches a feature attribute (it will be prefixed by `a_` in the shader)
+ * * `['*', value1, value1]` multiplies value1 by value2
+ * * `['+', value1, value1]` adds value1 and value2
+ * * `['clamp', value1, value2, value3]` clamps value1 between values2 and value3
+ * * `['stretch', value1, value2, value3, value4, value5]` maps value1 from [value2, value3] range to
+ *   [value4, value5] range, clamping values along the way
+ *
+ * Values can either be literals (numbers) or another operator, as they will be evaluated recursively.
+ *
+ * Also takes in an array where new attributes will be pushed, so that the user of the `parse` function
+ * knows which attributes are expected to be available at evaluation time.
+ *
+ * A prefix must be specified so that the attributes can either be written as `a_name` or `v_name` in
+ * the final assignment string.
+ *
+ * @param {OperatorValue} value Either literal or an operator.
+ * @param {Array<string>} attributes Array containing the attribute names prefixed with `a_`; it
+ * it passed along recursively
+ * @param {string} attributePrefix Prefix added to attribute names in the final output (typically `a_` or `v_`).
+ * @returns {string} Assignment string.
+ */
+export function parse(value, attributes, attributePrefix) {
+  const v = value;
+  function p(value) {
+    return parse(value, attributes, attributePrefix);
+  }
+  if (Array.isArray(v)) {
+    switch (v[0]) {
+      case 'get':
+        if (attributes.indexOf(v[1]) === -1) {
+          attributes.push(v[1]);
+        }
+        return attributePrefix + v[1];
+      case '*': return `(${p(v[1])} * ${p(v[2])})`;
+      case '+': return `(${p(v[1])} + ${p(v[2])})`;
+      case 'clamp': return `clamp(${p(v[1])}, ${p(v[2])}, ${p(v[3])})`;
+      case 'stretch': return `(clamp(${p(v[1])}, ${p(v[2])}, ${p(v[3])}) * ((${p(v[5])} - ${p(v[4])}) / (${p(v[3])} - ${p(v[2])})) + ${p(v[4])})`;
+      default: throw new Error('Unrecognized literal style expression: ' + JSON.stringify(value));
+    }
+  } else {
+    return formatNumber(value);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/test/spec/ol/webgl/shaderbuilder.test.js b/test/spec/ol/webgl/shaderbuilder.test.js
index 9c3a2cd9d8..a8bed4e62a 100644
--- a/test/spec/ol/webgl/shaderbuilder.test.js
+++ b/test/spec/ol/webgl/shaderbuilder.test.js
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import {
   getSymbolVertexShader,
   formatNumber,
   getSymbolFragmentShader,
-  formatColor, formatArray
+  formatColor, formatArray, parse
 } from '../../../../src/ol/webgl/ShaderBuilder.js';
 
 describe('ol.webgl.ShaderBuilder', function() {
@@ -196,4 +196,31 @@ void main(void) {
     });
   });
 
+  describe('parse', function() {
+    let attributes, prefix, parseFn;
+
+    beforeEach(function() {
+      attributes = [];
+      prefix = 'a_';
+      parseFn = function(value) {
+        return parse(value, attributes, prefix);
+      };
+    });
+
+    it('parses expressions & literal values', function() {
+      expect(parseFn(1)).to.eql('1.0');
+      expect(parseFn(['get', 'myAttr'])).to.eql('a_myAttr');
+      expect(parseFn(['+', ['*', ['get', 'size'], 0.001], 12])).to.eql('((a_size * 0.001) + 12.0)');
+      expect(parseFn(['clamp', ['get', 'attr2'], ['get', 'attr3'], 20])).to.eql('clamp(a_attr2, a_attr3, 20.0)');
+      expect(parseFn(['stretch', ['get', 'size'], 10, 100, 4, 8])).to.eql('(clamp(a_size, 10.0, 100.0) * ((8.0 - 4.0) / (100.0 - 10.0)) + 4.0)');
+      expect(attributes).to.eql(['myAttr', 'size', 'attr2', 'attr3']);
+    });
+
+    it('does not register an attribute several times', function() {
+      parseFn(['get', 'myAttr']);
+      parseFn(['clamp', ['get', 'attr2'], ['get', 'attr2'], ['get', 'myAttr']]);
+      expect(attributes).to.eql(['myAttr', 'attr2']);
+    });
+  });
+
 });