Change log for January 30, 2025 Vulkan 1.4.307 spec update:

Internal Issues

  * Update common blit image VUs to clamp slice blitting to a single
    layer/slice when the `maintenance8` feature is supported (internal issue
    4160).
  * Mention added SPIR-V version support that was not previously shown for
    <<versions-1.1, Vulkan Version 1.1>> (internal issue 4166).
  * Update the introduction to the <<extensions, Layers & Extensions>>
    appendix to reflect how we publish specifications now (internal MR
    7131).
  * Update VkSurfaceFormat2KHR VU 06750 to depend on the underlying
    extension not being support, rather than the
    pname:imageCompressionControlSwapchain feature (internal MR 7138).

New Extensions

  * VK_NV_cooperative_vector
  * VK_NV_cluster_acceleration_structure
  * VK_NV_partitioned_acceleration_structure
  * VK_NV_ray_tracing_linear_swept_spheres

.gitlab-ci.yml

@@ -38,19 +38,17 @@ consistency-check:
   allow_failure: false
 
 # Consistency check for extension development branches
-# First verify that SPEC_VERSION >= 1
-# Then verify that core + extension spec builds for extension development branches
+# First verify that SPEC_VERSION >= 1 (-test argument)
+# Then verify that core + extension spec builds for extension development
+#   branches (-build argument)
 # This only runs on merge requests where CI_COMMIT_BRANCH is defined, and is
 # a valid extension name, or is mapped to one in an exception list in
 # scripts/testSpecVersion.py
 spec_extension_branch_check:
   stage: build
   script:
-    - extension=`scripts/testSpecVersion.py -canonicalize -branch "$CI_COMMIT_BRANCH"`
-    # $extension will be empty if $CI_COMMIT_BRANCH is not a valid extension name
-    - test -z "$extension" || scripts/testSpecVersion.py -branch $extension
-    - test -z "$extension" || ./makeSpec -clean -spec core -extension $extension html
-  allow_failure: true
+    - scripts/testSpecVersion.py -branch "$CI_COMMIT_BRANCH" -test -build
+  allow_failure: false
 
 # Build a test spec and check against expectation, to make sure the spec toolchain works as expected
 spec-toolchain:

ChangeLog.adoc

@@ -14,6 +14,31 @@ appears frequently in the change log.
 
 '''
 
+Change log for January 30, 2025 Vulkan 1.4.307 spec update:
+
+Internal Issues
+
+  * Update common blit image VUs to clamp slice blitting to a single
+    layer/slice when the `maintenance8` feature is supported (internal issue
+    4160).
+  * Mention added SPIR-V version support that was not previously shown for
+    <<versions-1.1, Vulkan Version 1.1>> (internal issue 4166).
+  * Update the introduction to the <<extensions, Layers & Extensions>>
+    appendix to reflect how we publish specifications now (internal MR
+    7131).
+  * Update VkSurfaceFormat2KHR VU 06750 to depend on the underlying
+    extension not being support, rather than the
+    pname:imageCompressionControlSwapchain feature (internal MR 7138).
+
+New Extensions
+
+  * VK_NV_cooperative_vector
+  * VK_NV_cluster_acceleration_structure
+  * VK_NV_partitioned_acceleration_structure
+  * VK_NV_ray_tracing_linear_swept_spheres
+
+'''
+
 Change log for January 24, 2025 Vulkan 1.4.306 spec update:
 
 Github Issues

Makefile

@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ VERBOSE =
 # ADOCOPTS options for asciidoc->HTML5 output
 
 NOTEOPTS     = -a editing-notes -a implementation-guide
-PATCHVERSION = 306
+PATCHVERSION = 307
 BASEOPTS     =
 
 ifneq (,$(findstring VKSC_VERSION_1_0,$(VERSIONS)))

appendices/VK_NV_cluster_acceleration_structure.adoc

@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2024-2025 NVIDIA Corporation
+//
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: CC-BY-4.0
+
+include::{generated}/meta/{refprefix}VK_NV_cluster_acceleration_structure.adoc[]
+
+=== Other Extension Metadata
+
+*Last Modified Date*::
+    2024-09-09
+*Contributors*::
+  - Vikram Kushwaha, NVIDIA
+  - Eric Werness, NVIDIA
+  - Christoph Kubisch, NVIDIA
+  - Jan Schmid, NVIDIA
+  - Pyarelal Knowles, NVIDIA
+
+=== Description
+
+Acceleration structure build times can become a bottleneck in ray tracing
+applications dealing with extensive dynamic geometry.
+This extension addresses the problem by enabling applications to construct
+bottom-level acceleration structures (BLAS) from pre-generated acceleration
+structures based on clusters of triangles (CLAS), leading to significant
+improvements in build times.
+
+It provides a host-side query function to fetch the requirements and a
+versatile multi-indirect call for managing cluster geometry.
+This call enables applications to generate cluster geometry, construct
+Cluster BLAS from CLAS lists, and move or copy CLAS and BLAS.
+By sourcing inputs from device memory and processing multiple elements
+simultaneously, the call reduces the host-side costs associated with
+traditional acceleration structure functions.
+
+
+This extension adds support for the following SPIR-V extension in Vulkan:
+
+  * `SPV_NV_cluster_acceleration_structure`
+
+include::{generated}/interfaces/VK_NV_cluster_acceleration_structure.adoc[]
+
+=== New or Modified Built-In Variables
+
+  * <<interfaces-builtin-variables-clusteridnv,code:ClusterIDNV>>
+
+=== New SPIR-V Capability
+
+  * <<spirvenv-capabilities-table-RayTracingClusterAccelerationStructureNV,
+    code:RayTracingClusterAccelerationStructureNV>>
+
+=== Version History
+
+  * Revision 2, 2024-09-09 (Vikram Kushwaha)
+  ** Changes to some structures causing incompatibility with Revision 1
+  * Revision 1, 2024-08-29 (Vikram Kushwaha)
+  ** Initial draft
+
+
+
+

appendices/VK_NV_cooperative_vector.adoc

@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2021-2025 The Khronos Group, Inc.
+//
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: CC-BY-4.0
+
+include::{generated}/meta/{refprefix}VK_NV_cooperative_vector.adoc[]
+
+=== Other Extension Metadata
+
+*Last Modified Date*::
+    2024-05-23
+*Interactions and External Dependencies*::
+  - This extension requires
+    {spirv}/NV/SPV_NV_cooperative_vector.html[`SPV_NV_cooperative_vector`]
+  - This extension provides API support for
+    {GLSLregistry}/nv/GL_NV_cooperative_vector.txt[`GL_NV_cooperative_vector`]
+*Contributors*::
+  - Jeff Bolz, NVIDIA
+
+=== Description
+
+This extension adds support for using cooperative vector types in SPIR-V.
+Unlike cooperative matrix types, a variable with a cooperative vector type
+is logically stored in the invocation it belongs to, but they can cooperate
+behind the scenes when performing matrix-vector multiplies.
+Cooperative vectors do not require a fully occupied subgroup or uniform
+control flow like cooperative matrices, although these do increase the
+likelihood of being on the fast path.
+And unlike normal vector types, they have arbitrary length and support a
+relatively limited set of operations.
+These types are intended to help accelerate the evaluation of small neural
+networks, where each invocation is performing its own independent evaluation
+of the network.
+
+Cooperative vector types are defined by the
+{spirv}/NV/SPV_NV_cooperative_vector.html[`SPV_NV_cooperative_vector`]
+SPIR-V extension and can be used with the
+{GLSLregistry}/nv/GLSL_NV_cooperative_vector.txt[`GL_NV_cooperative_vector`]
+GLSL extension.
+
+This extension includes support for enumerating the combinations of types
+that are supported by the implementation, and for converting matrix data to
+and from an optimized opaque layout.
+
+include::{generated}/interfaces/VK_NV_cooperative_vector.adoc[]
+
+=== New SPIR-V Capabilities
+
+  * <<spirvenv-capabilities-table-CooperativeVectorNV,CooperativeVectorNV>>
+
+=== Issues
+
+=== Version History
+
+  * Revision 4, 2024-05-23 (Jeff Bolz)
+  ** Add maxCooperativeVectorComponents
+  * Revision 3, 2024-05-23 (Jeff Bolz)
+  ** Add training functions
+  * Revision 2, 2024-02-10 (Jeff Bolz)
+  ** Add device-side matrix conversion
+  * Revision 1, 2023-12-13 (Jeff Bolz)
+  ** Initial revisions

appendices/VK_NV_partitioned_acceleration_structure.adoc

@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2025 NVIDIA Corporation
+//
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: CC-BY-4.0
+
+include::{generated}/meta/{refprefix}VK_NV_partitioned_acceleration_structure.adoc[]
+
+=== Other Extension Metadata
+
+*Last Modified Date*::
+    2025-01-09
+*Contributors*::
+  - Vikram Kushwaha, NVIDIA
+  - Eric Werness, NVIDIA
+  - Christoph Kubisch, NVIDIA
+  - Jan Schmid, NVIDIA
+  - Pyarelal Knowles, NVIDIA
+
+=== Description
+
+With an increase in scene complexity and expansive game worlds, the number
+of instances has surged in ray tracing over the last few years.
+The current Top Level Acceleration Structure (TLAS) API necessitates a full
+rebuild of the entire data structure even when only a few instances are
+modified.
+
+This extension introduces Partitioned Top Level Acceleration Structures
+(PTLAS) as an alternative to the existing TLAS.
+PTLAS enables the efficient reuse of previously constructed parts of the
+acceleration structure, resulting in much faster build times and supporting
+a higher number of instances.
+
+include::{generated}/interfaces/VK_NV_partitioned_acceleration_structure.adoc[]
+
+=== Version History
+
+  * Revision 1, 2025-01-09 (Vikram Kushwaha)
+  ** Initial draft
+

appendices/VK_NV_ray_tracing_linear_swept_spheres.adoc

@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2025 NVIDIA Corporation
+//
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: CC-BY-4.0
+
+include::{generated}/meta/{refprefix}VK_NV_ray_tracing_linear_swept_spheres.adoc[]
+
+=== Other Extension Metadata
+
+*Last Modified Date*::
+    2025-01-03
+*Interactions and External Dependencies*::
+  - This extension requires
+    {spirv}/NV/SPV_NV_linear_swept_spheres.html[`SPV_NV_linear_swept_spheres`]
+  - This extension provides API support for
+    {GLSLregistry}/nv/GLSL_NV_linear_swept_spheres.txt[`GL_NV_linear_swept_spheres`]
+*Contributors*::
+  - Vikram Kushwaha, NVIDIA
+  - Eric Werness, NVIDIA
+  - Daniel Koch, NVIDIA
+  - Ashwin Lele, NVIDIA
+  - Nathan Morrical, NVIDIA
+
+=== Description
+
+This extension adds two new primitives for ray tracing: a sphere primitive
+and a linear swept sphere (LSS) primitive.
+The purpose of the LSS primitive is to enable rendering of high quality hair
+and fur using a compact primitive representation encoded in the acceleration
+structure.
+Sphere primitives are defined by a position and a radius and are a subset of
+LSS, but are useful in their own right, for example for particle systems.
+
+
+This extension adds support for the following SPIR-V extension in Vulkan:
+
+  * `SPV_NV_linear_swept_spheres`
+
+include::{generated}/interfaces/VK_NV_ray_tracing_linear_swept_spheres.adoc[]
+
+=== New or Modified Built-In Variables
+
+  * <<interfaces-builtin-variables-hitissphere,code:HitIsSphereNV>>
+  * <<interfaces-builtin-variables-hitislss,code:HitIsLSSNV>>
+  * <<interfaces-builtin-variables-hitsphereposition,code:HitSpherePositionNV>>
+  * <<interfaces-builtin-variables-hitsphereradius,code:HitSphereRadiusNV>>
+  * <<interfaces-builtin-variables-hitlsspositions,code:HitLSSPositionsNV>>
+  * <<interfaces-builtin-variables-hitlssradii,code:HitLSSRadiiNV>>
+
+=== New SPIR-V Capabilities
+
+  * <<spirvenv-capabilities-table-RayTracingSpheresGeometryNV,
+    code:RayTracingSpheresGeometryNV>>
+  * <<spirvenv-capabilities-table-RayTracingLinearSweptSpheresGeometryNV,
+    code:RayTracingLinearSweptSpheresGeometryNV>>
+
+=== Version History
+
+  * Revision 1, 2025-01-03 (Vikram Kushwaha)
+  ** Initial draft

appendices/extensions.adoc

@@ -11,32 +11,26 @@ Extensions to the Vulkan API can: be defined by authors, groups of authors,
 and the Khronos Vulkan
 ifdef::VKSC_VERSION_1_0[Safety Critical]
 Working Group.
-In order not to compromise the readability of the Vulkan Specification, the
-core Specification does not incorporate most extensions.
 The online Registry of extensions is available at URL
 
 ifndef::VKSC_VERSION_1_0[https://registry.khronos.org/vulkan/]
 ifdef::VKSC_VERSION_1_0[https://registry.khronos.org/vulkansc/]
 
-and allows generating versions of the Specification incorporating different
-extensions.
-
 Authors creating extensions and layers must: follow the mandatory procedures
 described in the <<vulkan-styleguide, Vulkan Documentation and Extensions>>
 document when creating extensions and layers.
 
-The remainder of this appendix documents a set of extensions chosen when
-this document was built.
-Versions of the Specification published in the Registry include:
-
-  * Core API + mandatory extensions required of all Vulkan implementations.
+The version of the Vulkan specification published
 ifndef::VKSC_VERSION_1_0[]
-  * Core API + all registered and published Khronos (`KHR`) extensions.
+on the https://docs.vulkan.org/[Vulkan Documentation] site and
 endif::VKSC_VERSION_1_0[]
-  * Core API + all registered and published extensions.
+in the Registry includes all registered and published extensions.
+It is also possible to build the specification with an arbitrary set of
+extensions included, and the specification you are viewing may not include
+all extensions.
 
-Extensions are grouped as Khronos `KHR`, multivendor `EXT`, and then
-alphabetically by author ID.
+In the remainder of this appendix, extensions are grouped as Khronos `KHR`,
+multivendor `EXT`, and then alphabetically by author ID.
 Within each group, extensions are listed in alphabetical order by their
 name.
 

appendices/glossary.adoc

@@ -332,6 +332,12 @@ Cooperative Matrix::
     matrix are spread across a set of invocations such as a subgroup.
 endif::VK_NV_cooperative_matrix,VK_KHR_cooperative_matrix[]
 
+ifdef::VK_NV_cooperative_vector[]
+Cooperative Vector::
+    A SPIR-V vector type optimized for the evaluation of small neural
+    networks.
+endif::VK_NV_cooperative_vector[]
+
 ifdef::VK_NV_corner_sampled_image[]
 Corner-Sampled Image::
     A slink:VkImage where unnormalized texel coordinates are centered on
@@ -1535,6 +1541,11 @@ Provoking Vertex::
     This is generally the "`first`" vertex in the primitive, and depends on
     the primitive topology.
 
+ifdef::VK_NV_partitioned_acceleration_structure,VK_KHR_acceleration_structure[]
+PTLAS::
+    <<partitioned-tlas, Partitioned Top Level Acceleration Structures>>
+endif::VK_NV_partitioned_acceleration_structure,VK_KHR_acceleration_structure[]
+
 Push Constants::
     A small bank of values writable via the API and accessible in shaders.
     Push constants allow the application to set values used in shaders