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

The post LunarG Releases Vulkan SDK 1.3.283.0 for Windows, Linux, & macOS appeared first on LunarG.

• 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

The post White Paper Updates for SDK 1.3.280.0 – The Vulkan Profiles Tools & Configuring Vulkan Layers appeared first on LunarG.

LunarG has summarized the results and created a report that shares the key findings and suggested actions.  The information you provided will be used to help guide Vulkan Ecosystem investments in 2024 and beyond.   The results have also been shared with key partners and contributors in the hope that they will also use the information to guide their investments.

Thanks to those of you who completed the annual survey.  LunarG understands how valuable your time is!

Click here to see the report

The post Survey Results Are In! See the 2024 Vulkan Ecosystem & SDK Survey Report appeared first on LunarG.

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

The post LunarG Releases Vulkan 1.3.280.1 SDKs for Linux, & macOS. 1.3.280.0 SDK for Windows. appeared first on LunarG.

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

The post (Videos Now Available) LunarG Delivers 7 Technical Presentations at Vulkanised 2024 appeared first on LunarG.

Please share your feedback by taking the LunarG annual anonymous developer’s survey.

Both LunarG and the Khronos Vulkan Working Group collect this data to drive 2024 investments.  Your participation is crucial to this process!

The survey results will be tabulated and shared with the Vulkan community.  At the end of 2024, LunarG will report on what actions were taken and what results were achieved.

Thank you from LunarG and the Khronos Vulkan Working Group!

Click here to take the survey now

The survey closes on February 26, 2024.

More information about LunarG

LunarG’s software engineering experts create innovative products and services for open source and commercial customers using leading-edge 3D graphics and compute technologies, including OpenGL, Vulkan, OpenXR, and SPIR-V. We have strengths in performance analysis and tuning, runtime and tools development, shader optimizations, driver development, and porting engines and applications to Vulkan. Our software engineering team is based in Fort Collins, Colorado. LunarG was founded by software experts who are passionate about 3D graphics.

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

The post Take the 2024 Vulkan Ecosystem & SDK Survey now! appeared first on LunarG.

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

The post LunarG Releases NEW Vulkan 1.3.275.0 SDKs for Windows, Linux, & macOS appeared first on LunarG.

Annual LunarG Vulkan Ecosystem and SDK Survey

LunarG conducts an annual survey of the Vulkan developer community to collect feedback on the health of the SDK and ecosystem. The results of that original February 2023 survey can be found here.

Methodology

There were open-ended questions in the original survey along with the ability to add comments to any of the questions throughout the survey. Through these open-ended questions, there were many requests for additions and enhancements to Vulkan ecosystem tools. LunarG created projects to address many of the developer suggestions from the survey.

To learn more about the results of these projects and see the rest of the list, check out the LunarG report that itemizes key requests from the survey and reports on the status of those requests.

Click here to read the Vulkan Ecosystem and SDK Survey – 2023 End of Year Status Report.

More information about LunarG

LunarG’s software engineering experts create innovative products and services for open source and commercial customers using leading-edge 3D graphics and compute technologies, including OpenGL, Vulkan, OpenXR, and SPIR-V. We have strengths in performance analysis and tuning, runtime and tools development, shader optimizations, driver development, and porting engines and applications to Vulkan. Our software engineering team is based in Fort Collins, Colorado. LunarG was founded by software experts who are passionate about 3D graphics.

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

The post 2023 Vulkan Ecosystem & SDK Survey – End of Year Status Report appeared first on LunarG.

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

The post LunarG Releases NEW Vulkan 1.3.268.0 SDKs for Windows, Linux, & macOS appeared first on LunarG.

Today LunarG released a new SDK for Windows, Linux, & macOS that supports Vulkan API revision 1.3.261.

Overview of new features in SDK 1.3.261.0

The VK_LAYER_KHRONOS_shader_object emulation layer is no longer in beta status.

The transition to full support for Apple Silicon progresses with the addition of the Vulkan Configurator and the Vulkan Hardware Capability Viewer – now also being universal binaries. Only the installer and maintenance tool requires Rosetta on Apple Silicon hardware at this time.  All other components of the SDK are universal binaries.

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

The Vulkan headers now include the following new extensions. Applications can now query for the presence of these new optional features:

• VK_KHR_maintenance5
• VK_AMDX_shader_enqueue
• VK_EXT_host_image_copy
• VK_NV_device_generated_commands
• VK_KHR_cooperative_matrix
• VK_EXT_depth_bias_control
• VK_QNX_external_memory_screen_buffer
• VK_EXT_external_memory_acquire_unmodified
• VK_EXT_dynamic_rendering_unused_attachments

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

Please Note

• The Linux SDK had become very large in size. As a result, the compression method has changed from gzip to xz.
• The SDK for macOS supports the MoltenVK subset (currently version 1.2.5).

Read the release notes for more information about the new features

• 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.

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

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

The post LunarG Releases NEW Vulkan 1.3.261.0 SDKs for Windows, Linux, & macOS appeared first on LunarG.