Category: Vulkan®

LunarG is at the Vulkan, Forging Ahead session at the Khronos BoF during SIGGRAPH 2024!

Afterward, have live 1:1 conversations with key LunarG senior software engineers at the Khronos Networking Event!

(NEW) Watch the Videos –

• The Vulkan SDK – Where we started – Where we are going, Karen Ghavam, CEO & Engineering Director, LunarG
• Introduction to the Crash Diagnostic Layer, Jeremy Gebben, Senior Software Engineer, LunarG

Presentations –

• The Vulkan SDK – Where we started – Where we are going, Karen Ghavam, CEO & Engineering Director, LunarG
• Introduction to the Crash Diagnostic Layer, Jeremy Gebben, Senior Software Engineer, LunarG

Khronos Event Logistics (at the Hyatt Regency Denver) –

Vulkan, Forging Ahead: Wednesday, July 31: 3:00 – 6:00 pm MDT
Khronos Networking Event: Wednesday, July 31: 6:00 – 9:00 pm MDT

The Vulkan SDK – From the Vulkan API launch to Today, by Karen Ghavam, CEO & Engineering Director, LunarG Inc.

Presented as a Keynote at High Performance Graphics (HPG) 2024

Watch the Video on LunarG’s YouTube Channel

Download The Presentation

Now Available – Vulkan SDK 1.3.290.0

Released 22 July 2024

Today LunarG released a new SDK for Windows, Linux, & macOS that supports Vulkan API revision 1.3.290.

The highlights below are not a replacement for the important and detailed information in the release notes!

New features in SDK 1.3.290.0

NEW: Introducing with this release – a public beta of the Windows ARM (WoA) Vulkan SDK.

An alpha quality new layer (VK_LAYER_LUNARG_crash_diagnostic) for debugging hung/crashed GPUs has been added to the Windows x86 & Linux SDKs.

The Vulkan headers now include the following new optional extensions:

• VK_KHR_maintenance7
• VK_KHR_shader_relaxed_extended_instruction
• VK_EXT_shader_replicated_composites
• VK_MESA_image_alignment_control
• VK_EXT_legacy_vertex_attributes

Changes to the synchronization validation:

• A new layer setting, khronos_validation.syncval_shader_accesses_heuristic, which controls the synchronization validation of shader accesses.
• The khronos_validation.sync_queue_submit option has been deprecated. Use khronos_validation.syncval_submit_time_validation instead.

The Vulkan Configurator (vkconfig) has been updated to improve quality and stability.

Improved validation coverage.

Windows Highlights

• NEW: A public beta of the Windows ARM (WoA) Vulkan SDK.

macOS Highlights

• iOS is moving out of beta.  See the release notes for details.
• Structural changes have been made to align with Apple’s rules for App Store distribution.

Linux Highlights

• The Ubuntu versions supported by the Linux SDK are 22.04 and 24.04.
• Deprecation Notice: The Ubuntu Focal (20.04) packages will be dropped the next SDK, in support for Ubuntu Noble (24.04) packages.

Thank You!

LunarG would like to thank the many contributors to the Vulkan Ecosystem that help make the SDKs possible!

Release Notes

• Release Notes for Linux
• Release Notes for Windows
• Release Notes for macOS

About LunarG

LunarG software engineering experts create innovative products and services for open-source and commercial customers using leading-edge 3D graphics and compute technologies, including Vulkan, SPIR-V, OpenXR, and OpenGL. We have strengths in performance analysis and tuning, runtime and tools development, shader optimizations, driver development, and porting engines and applications to Vulkan.

Please check out our website.

Go to the Vulkan SDK Download site to get the new SDKs

Now Available – Vulkan SDK 1.3.283.0

Released 14 May 2024

Today LunarG released a new SDK for Windows, Linux, & macOS that supports Vulkan API revision 1.3.283.

The highlights below are not a replacement for the important and detailed information in the release notes!

Overview of new features in SDK 1.3.283.0

• Improved validation coverage. VUID validation coverage documentation has been updated to represent the validation layer VUID coverage status.
• The Vulkan Configurator (vkconfig) has been updated to improve quality and stability.

Windows Highlights

• The Vulkan Capabilities viewer is now available on the Windows start menu.

macOS Highlights

• Updated to MoltenVK version 1.2.9 with improvements in quality & stability.
• Added symbolic links to the /include and /bin folders in the /iOS install directory.
• Added a version of setup-env.sh for use with iOS in the /iOS folder.
• The shader toolchain in the linked /bin folder is compatible with iOS as is the /headers folder.
• The setup-env.sh script sets up the VULKAN_SDK environment variable to point to the iOS libraries and frameworks.
• Using the Xcode generator with cmake will produce usable iOS projects.
• The Vulkan Samples SDK has been updated to be compatible with this SDK.
• Added extension: VK_EXT_host_image_copy
• Added MVK_CONFIG_SHADER_DUMP_DIR configuration parameter to optionally dump shaders to files.
• Several updates to SPIRV-Cross for MSL.
• Deprecation Notice: Future versions of the Apple Vulkan SDK will no longer be distributed as a .DMG (mountable device volume). Instead a notarized .zip file containing the installer executable will be posted.

Linux Highlights

• Deprecation Notice: The Ubuntu Focal (20.04) packages will be dropped the next SDK, in support for Ubuntu Noble (24.04) packages.

Thank You!

LunarG would like to thank the many contributors to the Vulkan Ecosystem that help make the SDKs possible!

Release Notes

• Release Notes for Linux
• Release Notes for Windows
• Release Notes for macOS

About LunarG

LunarG software engineering experts create innovative products and services for open-source and commercial customers using leading-edge 3D graphics and compute technologies, including Vulkan, SPIR-V, OpenXR, and OpenGL. We have strengths in performance analysis and tuning, runtime and tools development, shader optimizations, driver development, and porting engines and applications to Vulkan.

Please check out our website.

Go to the Vulkan SDK Download site to get the new SDKs

Christophe Riccio, Senior Software Engineer at LunarG, has updated his white papers on Vulkan Profiles and Vulkan Layers to match SDK 1.3.280.0:

• Download: The Vulkan Profiles Tools, by Christophe Riccio, Senior Software Engineer, LunarG dated April 2024
• Download: Configuring Vulkan Layers, by Christophe Riccio, Senior Software Engineer, LunarG dated April 2024

Vulkan 1.3.280.1 SDKs are Available

Released 25 March 2024

• Linux & macOS are 1.3.280.1 (minor fixes)
• Windows remains 1.3.280.0

Vulkan 1.3.280.0 SDKs are Available

Released 20 March 2024

Today LunarG released a new SDK for Windows, Linux, & macOS that supports Vulkan API revision 1.3.280.

The highlights below are not a replacement for the important and detailed information in the release notes!

Overview of New Features in SDK 1.3.280.0

VP_KHR_roadmap_2024 is now included in VP_KHR_roadmap.json that stores the Khronos roadmap profiles

The Vulkan Profiles API library introduces a new BETA API, protected by the VP_USE_OBJECT define, to enable using Vulkan functions loaded externally.
Please refer to the Vulkan Profiles API library documentation (https://vulkan.lunarg.com/doc/sdk/1.3.280.0/windows/profiles_api_library.html) for more information.

The Vulkan Capabilities viewer is now available on the Windows start menu.

The Vulkan headers now include the following new optional extensions:

• VK_NV_ray_tracing_validation
• VK_NV_raw_access_chains
• VK_NV_shader_atomic_float16_vector
• VK_EXT_map_memory_placed
• VK_KHR_video_decode_av1
• VK_KHR_dynamic_rendering_local_read
• VK_KHR_index_type_uint8 (promoted from EXT)
• VK_KHR_line_rasterization (promoted from EXT)
• VK_KHR_load_store_op_none (promoted from EXT)
• VK_KHR_shader_expect_assume
• VK_KHR_shader_float_controls2
• VK_KHR_shader_maximal_reconvergence
• VK_KHR_shader_quad_control
• VK_KHR_shader_subgroup_rotate

Improved validation coverage. VUID validation coverage documentation has been updated to represent the validation layer VUID coverage status.

The Vulkan Configurator (vkconfig) has been updated to improve quality and stability.

macOS Highlights

• Updated to MoltenVK version 1.2.8.
• Download the Apple white paper! It has been updated to reflect the latest Vulkan SDK with full App Store compatibility.
• Deprecation Notice: The /macOS/Frameworks folder which contains only the Vulkan Loader as a dynamic framework will be moving to /macOS/lib where the MoltenVK framework is located. At some point in the future, the Vulkan Layers will also be distributed as frameworks and will be placed in the /macOS/lib folder as well to maintain consistency with the iOS/lib layout.
• Removal Notice: The /MoltenVK folder in the root of the SDK has been removed. This folder contained duplicate headers that are found in /macOS/include. The MoltenVK specific internal headers have been moved to /macOS/include as well so that all required headers for Vulkan development on Apple platforms are in one location. In addition, the libraries and .xcFramework in /MoltenVK has been moved to macOS/lib, so that again, all libraries needed for macOS development are in one location.

iOS Highlights

• The Vulkan Profiles Layer is now available for iOS.
• iOS support is moving out of Beta. Part of this transition is the removal of all .dylib’s for iOS as they conflict with Apple’s rules for App Store distribution. The loader, MoltenVK, and layers are now provided as dynamic frameworks for this reason. Shader toolchain libraries are now static only as well.

Thank You!

LunarG would like to thank the many contributors to the Vulkan Ecosystem that help make the SDKs possible!

Release Notes

• Release Notes for Linux
• Release Notes for Windows
• Release Notes for macOS

About LunarG

LunarG software engineering experts create innovative products and services for open-source and commercial customers using leading-edge 3D graphics and compute technologies, including Vulkan, SPIR-V, OpenXR, and OpenGL. We have strengths in performance analysis and tuning, runtime and tools development, shader optimizations, driver development, and porting engines and applications to Vulkan.

Please check out our website.

Go to the Vulkan SDK Download site to get the new SDKs

At Vulkanised 2024 in Sunnyvale, CA, LunarG delivered 7 information-rich technical presentations.

Watch the Presentation Videos – (Now Available!)

• Vulkanised 2024: Everything You Need to Know About the Vulkan SDK – Karen Ghavam
• Vulkanised 2024: Common Vulkan Installation Issues – Charles Giessen
• Vulkanised 2024: Using Vulkan Validation Effectively – Jeremy Gebben
• Vulkanised 2024: Vulkan Development for Apple Desktops and Devices – Richard Wright
• Vulkanised 2024: Better Vulkan Applications Deployment Thanks to Vulkan Profiles – Christophe Riccio
• Vulkanised 2024: Common Mistakes When Learning Vulkan – Charles Giessen
• Vulkanised 2024: Using Vulkan Synchronization Validation Effectively – John Zulauf

Posted Presentations –

• Everything you need to know about the Vulkan SDK, by Karen Ghavam, Engineering Director & CEO
• Common Vulkan Installation Issues, by Charles Giessen, Software Engineer
• Using Vulkan Validation Effectively, by Jeremy Gebben, Senior Software Engineer
• Vulkan Development for Apple Desktops and Devices, by Richard S. Wright Jr., Senior Software Engineer & Author
• Better Vulkan Applications Deployment Thanks to Vulkan Profiles, by Christophe Riccio, Senior Software Engineer
• Common Mistakes When Learning Vulkan, by Charles Giessen, Software Engineer
• Using Vulkan Synchronization Validation Effectively, by John Zulauf, Senior Software Engineer

Vulkan 1.3.275.0 SDKs are now Available

Released 17 Jan 2024

Today LunarG released a new SDK for Windows, Linux, & macOS that supports Vulkan API revision 1.3.275.

The highlights below are not a replacement for the important and detailed information in the release notes!

Highlights of New Features in SDK 1.3.275.0

• This SDK supports Vulkan API revision 1.3.275.
• VK_EXT_layer_settings was created to enable configuring any layer programmatically, from the Vulkan application code.
• By default, Synchronization Validation now also reports issues between or outside of recorded command buffers.
• Debug Printf no longer implicitly includes stage specific information (such as gl_InvocationId) in its output.
• Added to the Vulkan Profiles API library the capability to check the support of a Vulkan Profile that supports multiple variants.
• Added to the Vulkan Profiles API library the ability to create VkDevice and VkInstance instances using specific capabilities blocks.
• Added the support of a Vulkan Profile requiring other profiles.
• The Vulkan Configurator (vkconfig) has been updated to improve quality and stability.
• Profiles were added, replaced, and removed from the SDK. See the release notes for profile specifics.
• The Vulkan headers now include over a dozen new extensions.
• The glslang legacy libraries named HLSL and OGLCompiler have been removed.
• Added CMake files to support building applications with CMake and the glslang shipped with the SDK.
• Improved Vulkan validation coverage.

Apple Platform Highlights

iOS: (NEW!)

• iOS now fully supports the Vulkan Loader and Vulkan Layers!
• Support for the iOS simulator is not currently available in this SDK. Apple Silicon machines can run and debug iOS applications directly on the macOS desktop.

macOS:

• Deprecation Notice – The Vulkan Loader will no longer be distributed as a Framework starting with the next SDK release. The loader is provided as a .dylib and can be included directly in the /Frameworks folder of your application bundle. This is the recommended usage model for using the Vulkan loader moving forward.
• XCode AND the XCode command line tools are required to run the installer due to it’s dependency on Python3 being present on your system.

MoltenVK:

• MoltenVK updated to version 1.2.7.
• Metal capabilities through MoltenVK will be now be achieved by the VK_EXT_metal_objects, and the VK_EXT_layer_settings extensions. Previous functions to access Metal capabilities have been marked deprecated – and will be removed in a future MoltenVK release.

tvOS: (NEW!)

• tvOS is also now an optional component. It’s version of libMoltenVK.dylib is found in /tvOS off the SDK root if it is selected for installation.

Thank You!

LunarG would like to thank the many contributors to the Vulkan Ecosystem that help make the SDKs possible!

Release Notes & White Papers

• Release Notes for Linux
• Release Notes for Windows
• Release Notes for macOS
• White Paper – The State of Vulkan on Apple Devices
• White Paper – Configuring Vulkan Layers

More Information about LunarG

LunarG software engineering experts create innovative products and services for open-source and commercial customers using leading-edge 3D graphics and compute technologies, including Vulkan, SPIR-V, OpenXR, and OpenGL. We have strengths in performance analysis and tuning, runtime and tools development, shader optimizations, driver development, and porting engines and applications to Vulkan.

For more information about LunarG, please check out our website.

Go to the Vulkan SDK Download site to get the new SDKs

Vulkan SDK Version 1.3.268.0

Released 24 Oct 2023

Today LunarG released new Windows, Linux, and macOS SDKs for Vulkan API revision 1.3.268.

Overview of New Features

vk_format_utils.h is now an official SDK deliverable

vk_enum_string_helper.h is now a C compatible header file

To improve layer consistency, the naming of layer and layer settings of the extension layers has been refactored which may not be backward compatible with existing Vulkan developer environment setup when not using the Vulkan Configurator. Please, refer to the VK_LAYER_KHRONOS_synchronization2 and VK_LAYER_KHRONOS_shader_object layer documentation to update the developer environment in case of any issue.

The Vulkan Configurator (vkconfig) has been updated to improve quality and stability.

The Vulkan headers now include the following new extensions. Note that extensions are optional and may not be implemented by the underlying driver/ICD. Applications can now query for the presence of these new features.

• VK_EXT_nested_command_buffer
• VK_NV_extended_sparse_address_space
• VK_ANDROID_external_format_resolve
• VK_NV_low_latency2
• VK_EXT_frame_boundary
• VK_MSFT_layered_driver (support not yet in Vulkan Loader)
• VK_NV_descriptor_pool_overallocation
• VK_QCOM_filter_cubic_clamp
• VK_QCOM_filter_cubic_weights
• VK_QCOM_image_processing2
• VK_QCOM_ycbcr_degamma

Improved validation coverage. VUID validation coverage documentation (validation_error_database.csv and validation_error_database.html) has been updated to represent the validation layer VUID coverage status.

For the macOS SDK only:

Updated to MoltenVK version 1.2.6

New Added Extensions in MoltenVK:

• • • VK_KHR_synchronization2
    • VK_EXT_extended_dynamic_state (requires Metal 3.1 for VK_DYNAMIC_STATE_VERTEX_INPUT_BINDING_STRIDE)
    • VK_EXT_extended_dynamic_state2

For The Windows SDK only:

Debug versions of the DXC and VOLK libraries have been included in the SDK (dxcompilerd.dll, dxcompilerd.lib, volkd.lib)

Release Notes (for more detailed information):

• Release Notes for Linux
• Release Notes for Windows
• Release Notes for macOS

More Information about LunarG
LunarG software engineering experts create innovative products and services for open-source and commercial customers using leading-edge 3D graphics and compute technologies, including Vulkan, SPIR-V, OpenXR, and OpenGL. We have strengths in performance analysis and tuning, runtime and tools development, shader optimizations, driver development, and porting engines and applications to Vulkan.

Please check out our LunarG, please check out our website.

Go to the Vulkan SDK Download site to get the new SDKs