This extension introduces a new VkShaderEXT object type which represents a single compiled shader stage. Shader objects provide a more flexible alternative to VkPipeline objects, which may be helpful in certain use cases.

Examples

Example 1

Create linked pair of vertex and fragment shaders.

// Logical device created with the shaderObject feature enabled
VkDevice device;

// SPIR-V shader code for a vertex shader, along with its size in bytes
void* pVertexSpirv;
size_t vertexSpirvSize;

// SPIR-V shader code for a fragment shader, along with its size in bytes
void* pFragmentSpirv;
size_t fragmentSpirvSize;

// Descriptor set layout compatible with the shaders
VkDescriptorSetLayout descriptorSetLayout;

VkShaderCreateInfoEXT shaderCreateInfos[2] =
{
    {
        .sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_SHADER_CREATE_INFO_EXT,
        .pNext = NULL,
        .flags = VK_SHADER_CREATE_LINK_STAGE_BIT_EXT,
        .stage = VK_SHADER_STAGE_VERTEX_BIT,
        .nextStage = VK_SHADER_STAGE_FRAGMENT_BIT,
        .codeType = VK_SHADER_CODE_TYPE_SPIRV_EXT,
        .codeSize = vertexSpirvSize,
        .pCode = pVertexSpirv,
        .pName = "main",
        .setLayoutCount = 1,
        .pSetLayouts = &descriptorSetLayout;
        .pushConstantRangeCount = 0,
        .pPushConstantRanges = NULL,
        .pSpecializationInfo = NULL
    },
    {
        .sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_SHADER_CREATE_INFO_EXT,
        .pNext = NULL,
        .flags = VK_SHADER_CREATE_LINK_STAGE_BIT_EXT,
        .stage = VK_SHADER_STAGE_FRAGMENT_BIT,
        .nextStage = 0,
        .codeType = VK_SHADER_CODE_TYPE_SPIRV_EXT,
        .codeSize = fragmentSpirvSize,
        .pCode = pFragmentSpirv,
        .pName = "main",
        .setLayoutCount = 1,
        .pSetLayouts = &descriptorSetLayout;
        .pushConstantRangeCount = 0,
        .pPushConstantRanges = NULL,
        .pSpecializationInfo = NULL
    }
};

VkResult result;
VkShaderEXT shaders[2];

result = vkCreateShadersEXT(device, 2, &shaderCreateInfos, NULL, shaders);
if (result != VK_SUCCESS)
{
    // Handle error
}

Later, during command buffer recording, bind the linked shaders and draw.

// Command buffer in the recording state
VkCommandBuffer commandBuffer;

// Vertex and fragment shader objects created above
VkShaderEXT shaders[2];

// Assume vertex buffers, descriptor sets, etc. have been bound, and existing
// state setting commands have been called to set all required state

const VkShaderStageFlagBits stages[2] =
{
    VK_SHADER_STAGE_VERTEX_BIT,
    VK_SHADER_STAGE_FRAGMENT_BIT
};

// Bind linked shaders
vkCmdBindShadersEXT(commandBuffer, 2, stages, shaders);

// Equivalent to the previous line. Linked shaders can be bound one at a time,
// in any order:
// vkCmdBindShadersEXT(commandBuffer, 1, &stages[1], &shaders[1]);
// vkCmdBindShadersEXT(commandBuffer, 1, &stages[0], &shaders[0]);

// The above is sufficient to draw if the device was created with the
// tessellationShader and geometryShader features disabled. Otherwise, since
// those stages should not execute, vkCmdBindShadersEXT() must be called at
// least once with each of their stages in pStages before drawing:

const VkShaderStageFlagBits unusedStages[3] =
{
    VK_SHADER_STAGE_TESSELLATION_CONTROL_BIT,
    VK_SHADER_STAGE_TESSELLATION_EVALUATION_BIT,
    VK_SHADER_STAGE_GEOMETRY_BIT
};

// NULL pShaders is equivalent to an array of stageCount VK_NULL_HANDLE values,
// meaning no shaders are bound to those stages, and that any previously bound
// shaders are unbound
vkCmdBindShadersEXT(commandBuffer, 3, unusedStages, NULL);

// Graphics shader objects may only be used to draw inside dynamic render pass
// instances begun with vkCmdBeginRendering(), assume one has already been begun

// Draw a triangle
vkCmdDraw(commandBuffer, 3, 1, 0, 0);

Example 2

Create unlinked vertex, geometry, and fragment shaders.

// Logical device created with the shaderObject feature enabled
VkDevice device;

// SPIR-V shader code for vertex shaders, along with their sizes in bytes
void* pVertexSpirv[2];
size_t vertexSpirvSize[2];

// SPIR-V shader code for a geometry shader, along with its size in bytes
void pGeometrySpirv;
size_t geometrySpirvSize;

// SPIR-V shader code for fragment shaders, along with their sizes in bytes
void* pFragmentSpirv[2];
size_t fragmentSpirvSize[2];

// Descriptor set layout compatible with the shaders
VkDescriptorSetLayout descriptorSetLayout;

VkShaderCreateInfoEXT shaderCreateInfos[5] =
{
    // Stage order does not matter
    {
        .sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_SHADER_CREATE_INFO_EXT,
        .pNext = NULL,
        .flags = 0,
        .stage = VK_SHADER_STAGE_GEOMETRY_BIT,
        .nextStage = VK_SHADER_STAGE_FRAGMENT_BIT,
        .codeType = VK_SHADER_CODE_TYPE_SPIRV_EXT,
        .codeSize = pGeometrySpirv,
        .pCode = geometrySpirvSize,
        .pName = "main",
        .setLayoutCount = 1,
        .pSetLayouts = &descriptorSetLayout;
        .pushConstantRangeCount = 0,
        .pPushConstantRanges = NULL,
        .pSpecializationInfo = NULL
    },
    {
        .sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_SHADER_CREATE_INFO_EXT,
        .pNext = NULL,
        .flags = 0,
        .stage = VK_SHADER_STAGE_VERTEX_BIT,
        .nextStage = VK_SHADER_STAGE_GEOMETRY_BIT,
        .codeType = VK_SHADER_CODE_TYPE_SPIRV_EXT,
        .codeSize = vertexSpirvSize[0],
        .pCode = pVertexSpirv[0],
        .pName = "main",
        .setLayoutCount = 1,
        .pSetLayouts = &descriptorSetLayout;
        .pushConstantRangeCount = 0,
        .pPushConstantRanges = NULL,
        .pSpecializationInfo = NULL
    },
    {
        .sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_SHADER_CREATE_INFO_EXT,
        .pNext = NULL,
        .flags = 0,
        .stage = VK_SHADER_STAGE_FRAGMENT_BIT,
        .nextStage = 0,
        .codeType = VK_SHADER_CODE_TYPE_SPIRV_EXT,
        .codeSize = fragmentSpirvSize[0],
        .pCode = pFragmentSpirv[0],
        .pName = "main",
        .setLayoutCount = 1,
        .pSetLayouts = &descriptorSetLayout;
        .pushConstantRangeCount = 0,
        .pPushConstantRanges = NULL,
        .pSpecializationInfo = NULL
    },
    {
        .sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_SHADER_CREATE_INFO_EXT,
        .pNext = NULL,
        .flags = 0,
        .stage = VK_SHADER_STAGE_FRAGMENT_BIT,
        .nextStage = 0,
        .codeType = VK_SHADER_CODE_TYPE_SPIRV_EXT,
        .codeSize = fragmentSpirvSize[1],
        .pCode = pFragmentSpirv[1],
        .pName = "main",
        .setLayoutCount = 1,
        .pSetLayouts = &descriptorSetLayout;
        .pushConstantRangeCount = 0,
        .pPushConstantRanges = NULL,
        .pSpecializationInfo = NULL
    },
    {
        .sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_SHADER_CREATE_INFO_EXT,
        .pNext = NULL,
        .flags = 0,
        .stage = VK_SHADER_STAGE_VERTEX_BIT,
        // Suppose we want this vertex shader to be able to be followed by
        // either a geometry shader or fragment shader:
        .nextStage = VK_SHADER_STAGE_GEOMETRY_BIT | VK_SHADER_STAGE_FRAGMENT_BIT,
        .codeType = VK_SHADER_CODE_TYPE_SPIRV_EXT,
        .codeSize = vertexSpirvSize[1],
        .pCode = pVertexSpirv[1],
        .pName = "main",
        .setLayoutCount = 1,
        .pSetLayouts = &descriptorSetLayout;
        .pushConstantRangeCount = 0,
        .pPushConstantRanges = NULL,
        .pSpecializationInfo = NULL
    }
};

VkResult result;
VkShaderEXT shaders[5];

result = vkCreateShadersEXT(device, 5, &shaderCreateInfos, NULL, shaders);
if (result != VK_SUCCESS)
{
    // Handle error
}

Later, during command buffer recording, bind the linked shaders in different combinations and draw.

// Command buffer in the recording state
VkCommandBuffer commandBuffer;

// Vertex, geometry, and fragment shader objects created above
VkShaderEXT shaders[5];

// Assume vertex buffers, descriptor sets, etc. have been bound, and existing
// state setting commands have been called to set all required state

const VkShaderStageFlagBits stages[3] =
{
    // Any order is allowed
    VK_SHADER_STAGE_FRAGMENT_BIT,
    VK_SHADER_STAGE_VERTEX_BIT,
    VK_SHADER_STAGE_GEOMETRY_BIT,
};

VkShaderEXT bindShaders[3] =
{
    shaders[2], // FS
    shaders[1], // VS
    shaders[0]  // GS
};

// Bind unlinked shaders
vkCmdBindShadersEXT(commandBuffer, 3, stages, bindShaders);

// Assume the tessellationShader feature is disabled, so vkCmdBindShadersEXT()
// need not have been called with either tessellation stage

// Graphics shader objects may only be used to draw inside dynamic render pass
// instances begun with vkCmdBeginRendering(), assume one has already been begun

// Draw a triangle
vkCmdDraw(commandBuffer, 3, 1, 0, 0);

// Bind a different unlinked fragment shader
const VkShaderStageFlagBits fragmentStage = VK_SHADER_STAGE_FRAGMENT_BIT;
vkCmdBindShadersEXT(commandBuffer, 1, &fragmentStage, &shaders[3]);

// Draw another triangle
vkCmdDraw(commandBuffer, 3, 1, 0, 0);

// Bind a different unlinked vertex shader
const VkShaderStageFlagBits vertexStage = VK_SHADER_STAGE_VERTEX_BIT;
vkCmdBindShadersEXT(commandBuffer, 1, &vertexStage, &shaders[4]);

// Draw another triangle
vkCmdDraw(commandBuffer, 3, 1, 0, 0);

VK_EXT_shader_object

Name String

VK_EXT_shader_object

Extension Type

Device extension

Registered Extension Number

483

Revision

1

Extension and Version Dependencies

VK_KHR_get_physical_device_properties2      or      Version 1.1 and      VK_KHR_dynamic_rendering      or      Version 1.3

Contact

• Daniel Story daniel-story

Extension Proposal

VK_EXT_shader_object

Other Extension Metadata

Last Modified Date

2023-03-30

Interactions and External Dependencies

• Interacts with VK_EXT_extended_dynamic_state
• Interacts with VK_EXT_extended_dynamic_state2
• Interacts with VK_EXT_extended_dynamic_state3
• Interacts with VK_EXT_vertex_input_dynamic_state

IP Status

No known IP claims.

Contributors

• Piers Daniell, NVIDIA
• Sandy Jamieson, Nintendo
• Žiga Markuš, LunarG
• Tobias Hector, AMD
• Alex Walters, Imagination
• Shahbaz Youssefi, Google
• Ralph Potter, Samsung
• Jan-Harald Fredriksen, ARM
• Connor Abott, Valve
• Arseny Kapoulkine, Roblox
• Patrick Doane, Activision
• Jeff Leger, Qualcomm
• Stu Smith, AMD
• Chris Glover, Google
• Ricardo Garcia, Igalia
• Faith Ekstrand, Collabora
• Timur Kristóf, Valve
• Constantine Shablya, Collabora
• Daniel Koch, NVIDIA
• Alyssa Rosenzweig, Collabora
• Mike Blumenkrantz, Valve
• Samuel Pitoiset, Valve
• Qun Lin, AMD
• Spencer Fricke, LunarG
• Soroush Faghihi Kashani, Imagination