Now Available – Vulkan 1.4.304.0 SDKs Released 14 Jan 2025 Today, LunarG released a new Vulkan SDK for Windows, Linux, and macOS that fully supports Vulkan API revision 1.4. New features in SDK 1.4.304.0 Highlights of the Vulkan SDK 1.4.304.0 release across all operating environments include: Full support for the Vulkan 1.4 API specification Inclusion of the release version of the slang shader language and compiler (previous SDK releases contained the beta version of slang) Inclusion of a shared library for glslang 20+ Vulkan extensions added or promoted to core Updates to the Vulkan Configurator (vkconfig) to improve quality and stability Improved validation coverage Additional OS-specific highlights: (macOS) LunarG’s API capture and replay tool, GFXReconstruct is now supported (Windows and Linux) Crash Diagnostic Layer support is now considered beta quality (Linux) volk.h and volk.c moved from /include to /include/volk to align references on all platforms, simplifying cross-platform development (Windows) 32-bit versions of the Vulkan layers have been removed from the Windows SDK Important Notes GFXReconstruct is an important developer tool that captures and replays graphics API calls. With its addition to macOS, GFXReconstruct is now available to developers on all major operating systems. LunarG’s Crash Diagnostic Layer is a critical tool to help developers debug notoriously difficult GPU crash and hang issues. To help improve this tool as rapidly as possible, please submit any issues to the Crash Diagnostic Layer repository. 32-bit versions of the Vulkan layers were removed from the Windows SDK because there is a consensus that there is no longer a need to develop new 32-bit applications nor to support a 32-bit development environment. If you disagree with this decision, please submit an issue at vulkan.lunarg.com and explain your use case. The highlights above do not replace the important and detailed information in the release notes! Thank you! LunarG would like to thank all the 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 makes it easy for you to tap into the power of GPU processing without straying from your mission to deliver compelling software to your customers. We offer training, consulting, and developer tools for the GPU ecosystem. Vulkan-specific expertise includes performance analysis and tuning, runtime and tools development, shader optimizations, driver development, and porting engines and applications to Vulkan. Visit the LunarG  website to learn more. Go to the Vulkan SDK Download site to get the new SDKs

Now Available – Vulkan SDK 1.3.296.0 Released 08 Oct 2024 Today LunarG released a new SDK for Windows, Linux, & macOS that supports Vulkan API revision 1.3.296. The highlights below are not a replacement for the important and detailed information in the release notes! New features in SDK 1.3.296.0 > A beta version of slang – an alternative shader language and compiler. > Synchronization validation for the VK_KHR_timeline_semaphore extension. > The Vulkan headers now include the following extensions: VK_EXT_depth_clamp_control VK_EXT_device_generated_commands VK_KHR_compute_shader_derivatives VK_KHR_pipeline_binary VK_NV_command_buffer_inheritance VK_AMD_anti_lag > The Android Validation Layer binaries are released in the Validation Layers repository. > The Vulkan Configurator (vkconfig) has been updated to improve quality and stability. > Improved validation coverage. Windows Highlights > The Windows ARM Vulkan SDK has been released with the following components added (it is no longer considered “beta”): DXC (the Microsoft DirectX Shader Compiler) Visual Studio 2022 templates > Windows 11 is now officially supported. > Reminder – In 2025 the behavior of the Windows SDK will change and the Vulkan Loader will be updated as part of the SDK installation. macOS Highlights > MoltenVK has been updated to version 1.2.11. See the release notes for details. > A notarized .zip file is available which contains the SDK installer instead of a .DMG. > Please see the release notes for an issue with the SDK Maintenance tool. Linux Highlights > Ubuntu packages are not releasing a new version of the DirectXShaderCompiler on Ubuntu 24.04 for this SDK release due to an unidentified issue. 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 1.3.290.0 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

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