VkPipeline

VkPipeline is a Vulkan object that represents a collection of shader stages, fixed-function state, and other configuration parameters that define how a sequence of graphics or compute operations are executed on the GPU. It is a fundamental concept in Vulkan, the low-level graphics and compute API, which provides fine-grained control over the GPU's operations.

A VkPipeline object is created by specifying a VkPipelineCreateInfo structure, which includes references to shader modules, pipeline layout, render pass, and various other state objects. The pipeline layout defines the interface between the pipeline and the shader stages, including the descriptor sets and push constants used by the shaders. The render pass specifies the framebuffer attachments and subpasses that the pipeline will use.

VkPipeline objects are designed to be immutable, meaning that once they are created, their state cannot be modified. This immutability allows Vulkan to optimize the pipeline's execution by precompiling and caching the pipeline's state. To change the pipeline's state, a new VkPipeline object must be created.

VkPipeline objects can be used for both graphics and compute operations. Graphics pipelines are used to render 3D scenes, while compute pipelines are used to perform general-purpose computations on the GPU. Vulkan provides separate pipeline types for graphics and compute operations, allowing developers to optimize their applications for specific use cases.

In summary, VkPipeline is a Vulkan object that represents a collection of shader stages, fixed-function state, and other configuration parameters that define how a sequence of graphics or compute operations are executed on the GPU. It is created by specifying a VkPipelineCreateInfo structure and is designed to be immutable for optimization purposes. VkPipeline objects can be used for both graphics and compute operations, with separate pipeline types provided for each use case.