Welcome to vuk’s documentation!

Quickstart

1. Grab the vuk repository

2. Compile the examples

3. Run the example browser and get a feel for the library:

   git clone http://github.com/martty/vuk
   cd vuk
   git submodule init
   git submodule update --recursive
   mkdir build
   cd build
   mkdir debug
   cd debug
   cmake ../.. -G Ninja
   cmake --build .
   ./vuk_all_examples
   

(if building with a multi-config generator, do not make the debug folder)

Topics:

• Context
• Submitting work
• Allocators
  • Overview
  • Built-in resources
  • Helpers
  • Reference
• Rendergraph
• Futures
• Composing render graphs
• CommandBuffer
  • Setting pipeline state
  • Static and dynamic state
  • Binding pipelines & specialization constants
  • Binding descriptors & push constants
  • Vertex buffers and attributes
  • Command recording
  • Error handling

Background

vuk was initially conceived based on the rendergraph articles of themaister (https://themaister.net/blog/2017/08/15/render-graphs-and-vulkan-a-deep-dive/). In essence the idea is to describe work undertaken during a frame in advance in a high level manner, then the library takes care of low-level details, such as insertion of synchronization (barriers) and managing resource states (image layouts). This over time evolved to a somewhat complete Vulkan runtime - you can use the facilities afforded by vuk’s runtime without even using the rendergraph part. The runtime presents a more easily approachable interface to Vulkan, abstracting over common pain points of pipeline management, state setting and descriptors. The rendergraph part has grown to become more powerful than simple ‘autosync’ abstraction - it allows expressing complex dependencies via vuk::Future and allows powerful optimisation opportunities for the backend (even if those are to be implemented).

Alltogether vuk presents a vision of GPU development that embraces compilation - the idea that knowledge about optimisation of programs can be encoded into to tools (compilers) and this way can be insitutionalised, which allows a broader range of programs and programmers to take advantage of these. The future developments will focus on this backend(Vulkan, DX12, etc.)-agnostic form of representing graphics programs and their optimisation.

As such vuk is in active development, and will change in API and behaviour as we better understand the shape of the problem. With that being said, vuk is already usable to base projects off of - with the occasional refactoring. For support or feedback, please join the Discord server or use Github issues - we would be very happy to hear your thoughts!

Indices and tables

• Index