# Vulkan® 1.4.304 - A Specification (with all registered extensions)

The Khronos® Vulkan Working Group
version 1.4.304, 2025-01-13 20:32:51Z
from git branch: Git branch not available commit: Git commit not available

Loading… please wait.

Search:

## 4. Initialization

Before using Vulkan, an application must initialize it by loading the Vulkan commands, and creating a `VkInstance` object.

### 4.1. Command Function Pointers

Vulkan commands are not necessarily exposed by static linking on a platform. Commands to query function pointers for Vulkan commands are described below.

Note | When extensions are promoted or otherwise incorporated into another extension or Vulkan core version, command aliases may be included. Whilst the behavior of each command alias is identical, the behavior of retrieving each alias’s function pointer is not. A function pointer for a given alias can only be retrieved if the extension or version that introduced that alias is supported and enabled, irrespective of whether any other alias is available.

Function pointers for all Vulkan commands can be obtained by calling:

    // Provided by VK_VERSION_1_0
    PFN_vkVoidFunction vkGetInstanceProcAddr(
        VkInstance                                  instance,
        const char*                                 pName);

- `instance` is the instance that the function pointer will be compatible with, or `NULL` for commands not dependent on any instance.

- `pName` is the name of the command to obtain.

`vkGetInstanceProcAddr` itself is obtained in a platform- and loader- specific manner. Typically, the loader library will export this command as a function symbol, so applications can link against the loader library, or load it dynamically and look up the symbol using platform-specific APIs.

The table below defines the various use cases for `vkGetInstanceProcAddr` and expected return value (“fp” is “function pointer”) for each case. A valid returned function pointer (“fp”) must not be `NULL`.

The returned function pointer is of type PFN_vkVoidFunction, and must be cast to the type of the command being queried before use.

Table 1. `vkGetInstanceProcAddr` behavior
`instance` | `pName` | return value
--- | --- | ---
*1 | `NULL` | undefined
invalid non-`NULL` instance | *1 | undefined
`NULL` | global command2 | fp
`NULL` | vkGetInstanceProcAddr | fp5
instance | vkGetInstanceProcAddr | fp
instance | core dispatchable command | fp3
instance | enabled instance extension dispatchable command for `instance` | fp3
instance | available device extension4 dispatchable command for `instance` | fp3
any other case, not covered above | `NULL`

1

  "*" means any representable value for the parameter (including valid values, invalid values, and `NULL`).

2

  The global commands are: vkEnumerateInstanceVersion, vkEnumerateInstanceExtensionProperties, vkEnumerateInstanceLayerProperties, and vkCreateInstance. Dispatchable commands are all other commands which are not global.

3

  The returned function pointer must only be called with a dispatchable object (the first parameter) that is `instance` or a child of `instance`, e.g. VkInstance, VkPhysicalDevice, VkDevice, VkQueue, or VkCommandBuffer.

4

  An “available device extension” is a device extension supported by any physical device enumerated by `instance`.

5

  Starting with Vulkan 1.2, `vkGetInstanceProcAddr` can resolve itself with a `NULL` instance pointer.

Valid Usage (Implicit)

- VUID-vkGetInstanceProcAddr-instance-parameter
  If `instance` is not `NULL`, `instance` must be a valid VkInstance handle

- VUID-vkGetInstanceProcAddr-pName-parameter
  `pName` must be a null-terminated UTF-8 string

In order to support systems with multiple Vulkan implementations, the function pointers returned by vkGetInstanceProcAddr may point to dispatch code that calls a different real implementation for different VkDevice objects or their child objects. The overhead of the internal dispatch for VkDevice objects can be avoided by obtaining device-specific function pointers for any commands that use a device or device-child object as their dispatchable object. Such function pointers can be obtained by calling:

    // Provided by VK_VERSION_1_0
    PFN_vkVoidFunction vkGetDeviceProcAddr(
        VkDevice                                    device,
        const char*                                 pName);

The table below defines the various use cases for `vkGetDeviceProcAddr` and expected return value (“fp” is “function pointer”) for each case. A valid returned function pointer (“fp”) must not be `NULL`.

The returned function pointer is of type PFN_vkVoidFunction, and must be cast to the type of the command being queried before use. The function pointer must only be called with a dispatchable object (the first parameter) that is `device` or a child of `device`.

Table 2. `vkGetDeviceProcAddr` behavior
`device` | `pName` | return value
--- | --- | ---
`NULL` | *1 | undefined
invalid device | *1 | undefined
device | `NULL` | undefined
device | requested core version2 device-level dispatchable command3 | fp4
device | enabled extension device-level dispatchable command3 | fp4
any other case, not covered above | `NULL`

1

  "*" means any representable value for the parameter (including valid values, invalid values, and `NULL`).

2

  Device-level commands which are part of the core version specified by VkApplicationInfo::`apiVersion` when creating the instance will always return a valid function pointer. If the `maintenance5` feature is enabled, core commands beyond that version which are supported by the implementation will return `NULL`, otherwise the implementation may either return `NULL` or a function pointer. If a function pointer is returned, it must not be called.

3

  In this function, device-level excludes all physical-device-level commands.

4

  The returned function pointer must only be called with a dispatchable object (the first parameter) that is `device` or a child of `device` e.g. VkDevice, VkQueue, or VkCommandBuffer.

Valid Usage (Implicit)

- VUID-vkGetDeviceProcAddr-device-parameter
  `device` must be a valid VkDevice handle

- VUID-vkGetDeviceProcAddr-pName-parameter
  `pName` must be a null-terminated UTF-8 string

The definition of PFN_vkVoidFunction is:

    // Provided by VK_VERSION_1_0
    typedef void (VKAPI_PTR *PFN_vkVoidFunction)(void);

This type is returned from command function pointer queries, and must be cast to an actual command function pointer before use.

#### 4.1.1. Extending Physical Device Core Functionality

New core physical-device-level functionality can be used when both VkPhysicalDeviceProperties::`apiVersion` and VkApplicationInfo::`apiVersion` are greater than or equal to the version of Vulkan that added the new functionality. The Vulkan version supported by a physical device can be obtained by calling vkGetPhysicalDeviceProperties.

#### 4.1.2. Extending Physical Device From Device Extensions

When the `VK_KHR_get_physical_device_properties2` extension is enabled, or when both the instance and the physical-device versions are at least 1.1, physical-device-level functionality of a device extension can be used with a physical device if the corresponding extension is enumerated by vkEnumerateDeviceExtensionProperties for that physical device, even before a logical device has been created.

To obtain a function pointer for a physical-device-level command from a device extension, an application can use vkGetInstanceProcAddr. This function pointer may point to dispatch code, which calls a different real implementation for different `VkPhysicalDevice` objects. Applications must not use a VkPhysicalDevice in any command added by an extension or core version that is not supported by that physical device.

Device extensions may define structures that can be added to the `pNext` chain of physical-device-level commands.

### 4.2. Instances

There is no global state in Vulkan and all per-application state is stored in a `VkInstance` object. Creating a `VkInstance` object initializes the Vulkan library and allows the application to pass information about itself to the implementation.

Instances are represented by `VkInstance` handles:

    // Provided by VK_VERSION_1_0
    VK_DEFINE_HANDLE(VkInstance)

To query the version of instance-level functionality supported by the implementation, call:

    // Provided by VK_VERSION_1_1
    VkResult vkEnumerateInstanceVersion(
        uint32_t*                                   pApiVersion);

- `pApiVersion` is a pointer to a `uint32_t`, which is the version of Vulkan supported by instance-level functionality, encoded as described in Version Numbers.

Note | The intended behavior of vkEnumerateInstanceVersion is that an implementation should not need to perform memory allocations and should unconditionally return `VK_SUCCESS`. The loader, and any enabled layers, may return `VK_ERROR_OUT_OF_HOST_MEMORY` in the case of a failed memory allocation.

Valid Usage (Implicit)

- VUID-vkEnumerateInstanceVersion-pApiVersion-parameter
  `pApiVersion` must be a valid pointer to a `uint32_t` value

Return Codes

Success

  - `VK_SUCCESS`

Failure

  - `VK_ERROR_OUT_OF_HOST_MEMORY`

To create an instance object, call:

    // Provided by VK_VERSION_1_0
    VkResult vkCreateInstance(
        const VkInstanceCreateInfo*                 pCreateInfo,
        const VkAllocationCallbacks*                pAllocator,
        VkInstance*                                 pInstance);

- `pCreateInfo` is a pointer to a VkInstanceCreateInfo structure controlling creation of the instance.

- `pAllocator` controls host memory allocation as described in the Memory Allocation chapter.

- `pInstance` points a VkInstance handle in which the resulting instance is returned.

`vkCreateInstance` verifies that the requested layers exist. If not, `vkCreateInstance` will return `VK_ERROR_LAYER_NOT_PRESENT`. Next `vkCreateInstance` verifies that the requested extensions are supported (e.g. in the implementation or in any enabled instance layer) and if any requested extension is not supported, `vkCreateInstance` must return `VK_ERROR_EXTENSION_NOT_PRESENT`. After verifying and enabling the instance layers and extensions the `VkInstance` object is created and returned to the application. If a requested extension is only supported by a layer, both the layer and the extension need to be specified at `vkCreateInstance` time for the creation to succeed.

Valid Usage

- VUID-vkCreateInstance-ppEnabledExtensionNames-01388
  All required extensions for each extension in the VkInstanceCreateInfo::`ppEnabledExtensionNames` list must also be present in that list

Valid Usage (Implicit)

- VUID-vkCreateInstance-pCreateInfo-parameter
  `pCreateInfo` must be a valid pointer to a valid VkInstanceCreateInfo structure

- VUID-vkCreateInstance-pAllocator-parameter
  If `pAllocator` is not `NULL`, `pAllocator` must be a valid pointer to a valid VkAllocationCallbacks structure

- VUID-vkCreateInstance-pInstance-parameter
  `pInstance` must be a valid pointer to a VkInstance handle

Return Codes

Success

  - `VK_SUCCESS`

Failure

  - `VK_ERROR_OUT_OF_HOST_MEMORY`

  - `VK_ERROR_OUT_OF_DEVICE_MEMORY`

  - `VK_ERROR_INITIALIZATION_FAILED`

  - `VK_ERROR_LAYER_NOT_PRESENT`

  - `VK_ERROR_EXTENSION_NOT_PRESENT`

  - `VK_ERROR_INCOMPATIBLE_DRIVER`

The `VkInstanceCreateInfo` structure is defined as:

    // Provided by VK_VERSION_1_0
    typedef struct VkInstanceCreateInfo {
        VkStructureType             sType;
        const void*                 pNext;
        VkInstanceCreateFlags       flags;
        const VkApplicationInfo*    pApplicationInfo;
        uint32_t                    enabledLayerCount;
        const char* const*          ppEnabledLayerNames;
        uint32_t                    enabledExtensionCount;
        const char* const*          ppEnabledExtensionNames;
    } VkInstanceCreateInfo;

- `sType` is a VkStructureType value identifying this structure.

- `pNext` is `NULL` or a pointer to a structure extending this structure.

- `flags` is a bitmask of VkInstanceCreateFlagBits indicating the behavior of the instance.

- `pApplicationInfo` is `NULL` or a pointer to a `VkApplicationInfo` structure. If not `NULL`, this information helps implementations recognize behavior inherent to classes of applications. VkApplicationInfo is defined in detail below.

- `enabledLayerCount` is the number of global layers to enable.

- `ppEnabledLayerNames` is a pointer to an array of `enabledLayerCount` null-terminated UTF-8 strings containing the names of layers to enable for the created instance. The layers are loaded in the order they are listed in this array, with the first array element being the closest to the application, and the last array element being the closest to the driver. See the Layers section for further details.

- `enabledExtensionCount` is the number of global extensions to enable.

- `ppEnabledExtensionNames` is a pointer to an array of `enabledExtensionCount` null-terminated UTF-8 strings containing the names of extensions to enable.

To capture events that occur while creating or destroying an instance, an application can link a VkDebugReportCallbackCreateInfoEXT structure or a VkDebugUtilsMessengerCreateInfoEXT structure to the `pNext` element of the `VkInstanceCreateInfo` structure given to `vkCreateInstance`. This callback is only valid for the duration of the vkCreateInstance and the vkDestroyInstance call. Use vkCreateDebugReportCallbackEXT or vkCreateDebugUtilsMessengerEXT to create persistent callback objects.

An application can add additional drivers by including the VkDirectDriverLoadingListLUNARG struct to the `pNext` element of the `VkInstanceCreateInfo` structure given to `vkCreateInstance`.

Note | VkDirectDriverLoadingListLUNARG allows applications to ship drivers with themselves. Only drivers that are designed to work with it should be used, such as drivers that implement Vulkan in software or that implement Vulkan by translating it to a different API. Any driver that requires installation should not be used, such as hardware drivers.

Valid Usage

- VUID-VkInstanceCreateInfo-pNext-04925
  If the `pNext` chain of `VkInstanceCreateInfo` includes a VkDebugReportCallbackCreateInfoEXT structure, the list of enabled extensions in `ppEnabledExtensionNames` must contain `VK_EXT_debug_report`

- VUID-VkInstanceCreateInfo-pNext-04926
  If the `pNext` chain of `VkInstanceCreateInfo` includes a VkDebugUtilsMessengerCreateInfoEXT structure, the list of enabled extensions in `ppEnabledExtensionNames` must contain `VK_EXT_debug_utils`

- VUID-VkInstanceCreateInfo-pNext-06779
  If the `pNext` chain includes a VkExportMetalObjectCreateInfoEXT structure, its `exportObjectType` member must be either `VK_EXPORT_METAL_OBJECT_TYPE_METAL_DEVICE_BIT_EXT` or `VK_EXPORT_METAL_OBJECT_TYPE_METAL_COMMAND_QUEUE_BIT_EXT`

- VUID-VkInstanceCreateInfo-flags-06559
  If `flags` has the `VK_INSTANCE_CREATE_ENUMERATE_PORTABILITY_BIT_KHR` bit set, the list of enabled extensions in `ppEnabledExtensionNames` must contain `VK_KHR_portability_enumeration`

- VUID-VkInstanceCreateInfo-pNext-09400
  If the `pNext` chain of `VkInstanceCreateInfo` includes a VkDirectDriverLoadingListLUNARG structure, the list of enabled extensions in `ppEnabledExtensionNames` must contain VK_LUNARG_direct_driver_loading

- VUID-VkInstanceCreateInfo-pNext-10242
  If the `pNext` chain of `VkInstanceCreateInfo` includes a VkLayerSettingsCreateInfoEXT structure, the list of enabled extensions in `ppEnabledExtensionNames` must contain VK_EXT_layer_settings

- VUID-VkInstanceCreateInfo-pNext-10243
  If the `pNext` chain of `VkInstanceCreateInfo` includes a VkValidationFeaturesEXT structure, the list of enabled extensions in `ppEnabledExtensionNames` must contain VK_EXT_validation_features

- VUID-VkInstanceCreateInfo-pNext-10244
  If the `pNext` chain of `VkInstanceCreateInfo` includes a VkValidationFlagsEXT structure, the list of enabled extensions in `ppEnabledExtensionNames` must contain VK_EXT_validation_flags

Valid Usage (Implicit)

- VUID-VkInstanceCreateInfo-sType-sType
  `sType` must be `VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_INSTANCE_CREATE_INFO`

- VUID-VkInstanceCreateInfo-pNext-pNext
  Each `pNext` member of any structure (including this one) in the `pNext` chain must be either `NULL` or a pointer to a valid instance of VkDebugReportCallbackCreateInfoEXT, VkDebugUtilsMessengerCreateInfoEXT, VkDirectDriverLoadingListLUNARG, VkExportMetalObjectCreateInfoEXT, VkLayerSettingsCreateInfoEXT, VkValidationFeaturesEXT, or VkValidationFlagsEXT

- VUID-VkInstanceCreateInfo-sType-unique
  The `sType` value of each struct in the `pNext` chain must be unique, with the exception of structures of type VkDebugUtilsMessengerCreateInfoEXT, VkExportMetalObjectCreateInfoEXT, or VkLayerSettingsCreateInfoEXT

- VUID-VkInstanceCreateInfo-flags-parameter
  `flags` must be a valid combination of VkInstanceCreateFlagBits values

- VUID-VkInstanceCreateInfo-pApplicationInfo-parameter
  If `pApplicationInfo` is not `NULL`, `pApplicationInfo` must be a valid pointer to a valid VkApplicationInfo structure

- VUID-VkInstanceCreateInfo-ppEnabledLayerNames-parameter
  If `enabledLayerCount` is not `0`, `ppEnabledLayerNames` must be a valid pointer to an array of `enabledLayerCount` null-terminated UTF-8 strings

- VUID-VkInstanceCreateInfo-ppEnabledExtensionNames-parameter
  If `enabledExtensionCount` is not `0`, `ppEnabledExtensionNames` must be a valid pointer to an array of `enabledExtensionCount` null-terminated UTF-8 strings

    // Provided by VK_VERSION_1_0
    typedef enum VkInstanceCreateFlagBits {
      // Provided by VK_KHR_portability_enumeration
        VK_INSTANCE_CREATE_ENUMERATE_PORTABILITY_BIT_KHR = 0x00000001,
    } VkInstanceCreateFlagBits;

- `VK_INSTANCE_CREATE_ENUMERATE_PORTABILITY_BIT_KHR` specifies that the instance will enumerate available Vulkan Portability-compliant physical devices and groups in addition to the Vulkan physical devices and groups that are enumerated by default.

    // Provided by VK_VERSION_1_0
    typedef VkFlags VkInstanceCreateFlags;

`VkInstanceCreateFlags` is a bitmask type for setting a mask of zero or more VkInstanceCreateFlagBits.

When creating a Vulkan instance for which you wish to disable validation checks, add a VkValidationFlagsEXT structure to the `pNext` chain of the VkInstanceCreateInfo structure, specifying the checks to be disabled.

    // Provided by VK_EXT_validation_flags
    typedef struct VkValidationFlagsEXT {
        VkStructureType                sType;
        const void*                    pNext;
        uint32_t                       disabledValidationCheckCount;
        const VkValidationCheckEXT*    pDisabledValidationChecks;
    } VkValidationFlagsEXT;

- `sType` is a VkStructureType value identifying this structure.

- `pNext` is `NULL` or a pointer to a structure extending this structure.

- `disabledValidationCheckCount` is the number of checks to disable.

- `pDisabledValidationChecks` is a pointer to an array of VkValidationCheckEXT values specifying the validation checks to be disabled.

Valid Usage (Implicit)

- VUID-VkValidationFlagsEXT-sType-sType
  `sType` must be `VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_VALIDATION_FLAGS_EXT`

- VUID-VkValidationFlagsEXT-pDisabledValidationChecks-parameter
  `pDisabledValidationChecks` must be a valid pointer to an array of `disabledValidationCheckCount` valid VkValidationCheckEXT values

- VUID-VkValidationFlagsEXT-disabledValidationCheckCount-arraylength
  `disabledValidationCheckCount` must be greater than `0`

Possible values of elements of the VkValidationFlagsEXT::`pDisabledValidationChecks` array, specifying validation checks to be disabled, are:

    // Provided by VK_EXT_validation_flags
    typedef enum VkValidationCheckEXT {
        VK_VALIDATION_CHECK_ALL_EXT = 0,
        VK_VALIDATION_CHECK_SHADERS_EXT = 1,
    } VkValidationCheckEXT;

- `VK_VALIDATION_CHECK_ALL_EXT` specifies that all validation checks are disabled.

- `VK_VALIDATION_CHECK_SHADERS_EXT` specifies that shader validation is disabled.

When creating a Vulkan instance for which you wish to enable or disable specific validation features, add a VkValidationFeaturesEXT structure to the `pNext` chain of the VkInstanceCreateInfo structure, specifying the features to be enabled or disabled.

    // Provided by VK_EXT_validation_features
    typedef struct VkValidationFeaturesEXT {
        VkStructureType                         sType;
        const void*                             pNext;
        uint32_t                                enabledValidationFeatureCount;
        const VkValidationFeatureEnableEXT*     pEnabledValidationFeatures;
        uint32_t                                disabledValidationFeatureCount;
        const VkValidationFeatureDisableEXT*    pDisabledValidationFeatures;
    } VkValidationFeaturesEXT;

- `sType` is a VkStructureType value identifying this structure.

- `pNext` is `NULL` or a pointer to a structure extending this structure.

- `enabledValidationFeatureCount` is the number of features to enable.

- `pEnabledValidationFeatures` is a pointer to an array of VkValidationFeatureEnableEXT values specifying the validation features to be enabled.

- `disabledValidationFeatureCount` is the number of features to disable.

- `pDisabledValidationFeatures` is a pointer to an array of VkValidationFeatureDisableEXT values specifying the validation features to be disabled.

Valid Usage

- VUID-VkValidationFeaturesEXT-pEnabledValidationFeatures-02967
  If the `pEnabledValidationFeatures` array contains `VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_ENABLE_GPU_ASSISTED_RESERVE_BINDING_SLOT_EXT`, then it must also contain `VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_ENABLE_GPU_ASSISTED_EXT` or `VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_ENABLE_DEBUG_PRINTF_EXT`

Valid Usage (Implicit)

- VUID-VkValidationFeaturesEXT-sType-sType
  `sType` must be `VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_VALIDATION_FEATURES_EXT`

- VUID-VkValidationFeaturesEXT-pEnabledValidationFeatures-parameter
  If `enabledValidationFeatureCount` is not `0`, `pEnabledValidationFeatures` must be a valid pointer to an array of `enabledValidationFeatureCount` valid VkValidationFeatureEnableEXT values

- VUID-VkValidationFeaturesEXT-pDisabledValidationFeatures-parameter
  If `disabledValidationFeatureCount` is not `0`, `pDisabledValidationFeatures` must be a valid pointer to an array of `disabledValidationFeatureCount` valid VkValidationFeatureDisableEXT values

Possible values of elements of the VkValidationFeaturesEXT::`pEnabledValidationFeatures` array, specifying validation features to be enabled, are:

    // Provided by VK_EXT_validation_features
    typedef enum VkValidationFeatureEnableEXT {
        VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_ENABLE_GPU_ASSISTED_EXT = 0,
        VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_ENABLE_GPU_ASSISTED_RESERVE_BINDING_SLOT_EXT = 1,
        VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_ENABLE_BEST_PRACTICES_EXT = 2,
        VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_ENABLE_DEBUG_PRINTF_EXT = 3,
        VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_ENABLE_SYNCHRONIZATION_VALIDATION_EXT = 4,
    } VkValidationFeatureEnableEXT;

- `VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_ENABLE_GPU_ASSISTED_EXT` specifies that GPU-assisted validation is enabled. Activating this feature instruments shader programs to generate additional diagnostic data. This feature is disabled by default.

- `VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_ENABLE_GPU_ASSISTED_RESERVE_BINDING_SLOT_EXT` specifies that the validation layers reserve a descriptor set binding slot for their own use. The layer reports a value for VkPhysicalDeviceLimits::`maxBoundDescriptorSets` that is one less than the value reported by the device. If the device supports the binding of only one descriptor set, the validation layer does not perform GPU-assisted validation. This feature is disabled by default.

- `VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_ENABLE_BEST_PRACTICES_EXT` specifies that Vulkan best-practices validation is enabled. Activating this feature enables the output of warnings related to common misuse of the API, but which are not explicitly prohibited by the specification. This feature is disabled by default.

- `VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_ENABLE_DEBUG_PRINTF_EXT` specifies that the layers will process `debugPrintfEXT` operations in shaders and send the resulting output to the debug callback. This feature is disabled by default.

- `VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_ENABLE_SYNCHRONIZATION_VALIDATION_EXT` specifies that Vulkan synchronization validation is enabled. This feature reports resource access conflicts due to missing or incorrect synchronization operations between actions (Draw, Copy, Dispatch, Blit) reading or writing the same regions of memory. This feature is disabled by default.

Possible values of elements of the VkValidationFeaturesEXT::`pDisabledValidationFeatures` array, specifying validation features to be disabled, are:

    // Provided by VK_EXT_validation_features
    typedef enum VkValidationFeatureDisableEXT {
        VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_DISABLE_ALL_EXT = 0,
        VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_DISABLE_SHADERS_EXT = 1,
        VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_DISABLE_THREAD_SAFETY_EXT = 2,
        VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_DISABLE_API_PARAMETERS_EXT = 3,
        VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_DISABLE_OBJECT_LIFETIMES_EXT = 4,
        VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_DISABLE_CORE_CHECKS_EXT = 5,
        VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_DISABLE_UNIQUE_HANDLES_EXT = 6,
        VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_DISABLE_SHADER_VALIDATION_CACHE_EXT = 7,
    } VkValidationFeatureDisableEXT;

- `VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_DISABLE_ALL_EXT` specifies that all validation checks are disabled.

- `VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_DISABLE_SHADERS_EXT` specifies that shader validation, both runtime and standalone, is disabled. This validation occurs inside VkShaderCreateInfoEXT and VkShaderModuleCreateInfo. This feature is enabled by default.

- `VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_DISABLE_THREAD_SAFETY_EXT` specifies that thread safety validation is disabled. This feature is enabled by default.

- `VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_DISABLE_API_PARAMETERS_EXT` specifies that stateless parameter validation is disabled. This feature is enabled by default.

- `VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_DISABLE_OBJECT_LIFETIMES_EXT` specifies that object lifetime validation is disabled. This feature is enabled by default.

- `VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_DISABLE_CORE_CHECKS_EXT` specifies that core validation checks are disabled. This feature is enabled by default. If this feature is disabled, `VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_DISABLE_SHADERS_EXT` is implied.

- `VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_DISABLE_UNIQUE_HANDLES_EXT` specifies that protection against duplicate non-dispatchable object handles is disabled. This feature is enabled by default.

- `VK_VALIDATION_FEATURE_DISABLE_SHADER_VALIDATION_CACHE_EXT` specifies that there will be no caching of shader validation results and every shader will be validated on every application execution. Shader validation caching is enabled by default.

Note | Disabling checks such as parameter validation and object lifetime validation prevents the reporting of error conditions that can cause other validation checks to behave incorrectly or crash. Some validation checks assume that their inputs are already valid and do not always revalidate them.

Note | The `VK_EXT_validation_features` extension subsumes all the functionality provided in the `VK_EXT_validation_flags` extension.

To create a Vulkan instance with a specific configuration of layer settings, add VkLayerSettingsCreateInfoEXT structures to the `pNext` chain of the VkInstanceCreateInfo structure, specifying the settings to be configured.

    // Provided by VK_EXT_layer_settings
    typedef struct VkLayerSettingsCreateInfoEXT {
        VkStructureType             sType;
        const void*                 pNext;
        uint32_t                    settingCount;
        const VkLayerSettingEXT*    pSettings;
    } VkLayerSettingsCreateInfoEXT;

- `sType` is a VkStructureType value identifying this structure.

- `pNext` is `NULL` or a pointer to a structure extending this structure.

- `settingCount` is the number of settings to configure.

- `pSettings` is a pointer to an array of `settingCount` VkLayerSettingEXT values specifying the settings to be configured.

Valid Usage (Implicit)

- VUID-VkLayerSettingsCreateInfoEXT-sType-sType
  `sType` must be `VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_LAYER_SETTINGS_CREATE_INFO_EXT`

- VUID-VkLayerSettingsCreateInfoEXT-pSettings-parameter
  If `settingCount` is not `0`, `pSettings` must be a valid pointer to an array of `settingCount` valid VkLayerSettingEXT structures

The values of elements of the VkLayerSettingsCreateInfoEXT::`pSettings` array, specifying layer settings to be configured, are:

    // Provided by VK_EXT_layer_settings
    typedef struct VkLayerSettingEXT {
        const char*              pLayerName;
        const char*              pSettingName;
        VkLayerSettingTypeEXT    type;
        uint32_t                 valueCount;
        const void*              pValues;
    } VkLayerSettingEXT;

- `pLayerName` is a pointer to a null-terminated UTF-8 string naming the layer to configure the setting from.

- `pSettingName` is a pointer to a null-terminated UTF-8 string naming the setting to configure. Values of `pSettingName` that are unknown to the layer are ignored.

- `type` is a VkLayerSettingTypeEXT value specifying the type of the `pValues` values.

- `valueCount` is the number of values used to configure the layer setting.

- `pValues` is a pointer to an array of `valueCount` values of the type indicated by `type` to configure the layer setting.

When multiple VkLayerSettingsCreateInfoEXT structures are chained and the same `pSettingName` is referenced for the same `pLayerName`, the value of the first reference of the layer setting is used.

Valid Usage

- VUID-VkLayerSettingEXT-valueCount-10070
  If `valueCount` is not `0`, `pValues` must be a valid pointer to an array of `valueCount` values of the type indicated by `type`

Valid Usage (Implicit)

- VUID-VkLayerSettingEXT-pLayerName-parameter
  `pLayerName` must be a null-terminated UTF-8 string

- VUID-VkLayerSettingEXT-pSettingName-parameter
  `pSettingName` must be a null-terminated UTF-8 string

- VUID-VkLayerSettingEXT-type-parameter
  `type` must be a valid VkLayerSettingTypeEXT value

Possible values of VkLayerSettingEXT::`type`, specifying the type of the data returned in VkLayerSettingEXT::`pValues`, are:

    // Provided by VK_EXT_layer_settings
    typedef enum VkLayerSettingTypeEXT {
        VK_LAYER_SETTING_TYPE_BOOL32_EXT = 0,
        VK_LAYER_SETTING_TYPE_INT32_EXT = 1,
        VK_LAYER_SETTING_TYPE_INT64_EXT = 2,
        VK_LAYER_SETTING_TYPE_UINT32_EXT = 3,
        VK_LAYER_SETTING_TYPE_UINT64_EXT = 4,
        VK_LAYER_SETTING_TYPE_FLOAT32_EXT = 5,
        VK_LAYER_SETTING_TYPE_FLOAT64_EXT = 6,
        VK_LAYER_SETTING_TYPE_STRING_EXT = 7,
    } VkLayerSettingTypeEXT;

- `VK_LAYER_SETTING_TYPE_BOOL32_EXT` specifies that the layer setting’s type is VkBool32.

- `VK_LAYER_SETTING_TYPE_INT32_EXT` specifies that the layer setting’s type is signed 32-bit integer.

- `VK_LAYER_SETTING_TYPE_INT64_EXT` specifies that the layer setting’s type is signed 64-bit integer.

- `VK_LAYER_SETTING_TYPE_UINT32_EXT` specifies that the layer setting’s type is unsigned 32-bit integer.

- `VK_LAYER_SETTING_TYPE_UINT64_EXT` specifies that the layer setting’s type is unsigned 64-bit integer.

- `VK_LAYER_SETTING_TYPE_FLOAT32_EXT` specifies that the layer setting’s type is 32-bit floating-point.

- `VK_LAYER_SETTING_TYPE_FLOAT64_EXT` specifies that the layer setting’s type is 64-bit floating-point.

- `VK_LAYER_SETTING_TYPE_STRING_EXT` specifies that the layer setting’s type is a pointer to a null-terminated UTF-8 string.

The `VkDirectDriverLoadingListLUNARG` structure is defined as:

    // Provided by VK_LUNARG_direct_driver_loading
    typedef struct VkDirectDriverLoadingListLUNARG {
        VkStructureType                           sType;
        const void*                               pNext;
        VkDirectDriverLoadingModeLUNARG           mode;
        uint32_t                                  driverCount;
        const VkDirectDriverLoadingInfoLUNARG*    pDrivers;
    } VkDirectDriverLoadingListLUNARG;

- `sType` is a VkStructureType value identifying this structure.

- `pNext` is `NULL` or a pointer to a structure extending this structure.

- `mode` controls the mode in which to load the provided drivers.

- `driverCount` is the number of driver manifest paths.

- `pDrivers` is a pointer to an array of `driverCount` VkDirectDriverLoadingInfoLUNARG structures.

When creating a Vulkan instance for which additional drivers are to be included, add a `VkDirectDriverLoadingListLUNARG` structure to the pNext chain of the VkInstanceCreateInfo structure, and include in it the list of `VkDirectDriverLoadingInfoLUNARG` structures which contain the information necessary to load additional drivers.

Valid Usage (Implicit)

- VUID-VkDirectDriverLoadingListLUNARG-sType-sType
  `sType` must be `VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_DIRECT_DRIVER_LOADING_LIST_LUNARG`

- VUID-VkDirectDriverLoadingListLUNARG-mode-parameter
  `mode` must be a valid VkDirectDriverLoadingModeLUNARG value

- VUID-VkDirectDriverLoadingListLUNARG-pDrivers-parameter
  `pDrivers` must be a valid pointer to an array of `driverCount` valid VkDirectDriverLoadingInfoLUNARG structures

- VUID-VkDirectDriverLoadingListLUNARG-driverCount-arraylength
  `driverCount` must be greater than `0`

The `VkDirectDriverLoadingInfoLUNARG` structure is defined as:

    // Provided by VK_LUNARG_direct_driver_loading
    typedef struct VkDirectDriverLoadingInfoLUNARG {
        VkStructureType                     sType;
        void*                               pNext;
        VkDirectDriverLoadingFlagsLUNARG    flags;
        PFN_vkGetInstanceProcAddrLUNARG     pfnGetInstanceProcAddr;
    } VkDirectDriverLoadingInfoLUNARG;

- `sType` is a VkStructureType value identifying this structure.

- `pNext` is `NULL` or a pointer to a structure extending this structure.

- `flags` is reserved for future use.

- `pfnGetInstanceProcAddr` is a PFN_vkGetInstanceProcAddrLUNARG pointer to the driver vkGetInstanceProcAddr function.

Valid Usage (Implicit)

- VUID-VkDirectDriverLoadingInfoLUNARG-sType-sType
  `sType` must be `VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_DIRECT_DRIVER_LOADING_INFO_LUNARG`

- VUID-VkDirectDriverLoadingInfoLUNARG-flags-zerobitmask
  `flags` must be `0`

Possible values of VkDirectDriverLoadingListLUNARG::`mode`, specifying the mode in which drivers are used, are:

    // Provided by VK_LUNARG_direct_driver_loading
    typedef enum VkDirectDriverLoadingModeLUNARG {
        VK_DIRECT_DRIVER_LOADING_MODE_EXCLUSIVE_LUNARG = 0,
        VK_DIRECT_DRIVER_LOADING_MODE_INCLUSIVE_LUNARG = 1,
    } VkDirectDriverLoadingModeLUNARG;

- `VK_DIRECT_DRIVER_LOADING_MODE_EXCLUSIVE_LUNARG` specifies that the provided drivers are used instead of the system-loaded drivers.

- `VK_DIRECT_DRIVER_LOADING_MODE_INCLUSIVE_LUNARG` specifies that the provided drivers are used in addition to the system-loaded drivers.

    // Provided by VK_LUNARG_direct_driver_loading
    typedef VkFlags VkDirectDriverLoadingFlagsLUNARG;

`VkDirectDriverLoadingFlagsLUNARG` is a bitmask type for setting a mask, but is currently reserved for future use.

The type of PFN_vkGetInstanceProcAddrLUNARG is:

    // Provided by VK_LUNARG_direct_driver_loading
    typedef PFN_vkVoidFunction (VKAPI_PTR *PFN_vkGetInstanceProcAddrLUNARG)(
        VkInstance instance, const char* pName);

- `instance` is a VkInstance handle.

- `pName` is the name of a Vulkan command.

This type is compatible with the type of a pointer to the vkGetInstanceProcAddr command, but is used only to specify device driver addresses in VkDirectDriverLoadingInfoLUNARG::`pfnGetInstanceProcAddr`.

Note | This type exists only because of limitations in the XML schema and processing scripts, and its name may change in the future. Ideally we would use the `PFN_vkGetInstanceProcAddr` type generated in the `vulkan_core.h` header.

The `VkApplicationInfo` structure is defined as:

    // Provided by VK_VERSION_1_0
    typedef struct VkApplicationInfo {
        VkStructureType    sType;
        const void*        pNext;
        const char*        pApplicationName;
        uint32_t           applicationVersion;
        const char*        pEngineName;
        uint32_t           engineVersion;
        uint32_t           apiVersion;
    } VkApplicationInfo;

- `sType` is a VkStructureType value identifying this structure.

- `pNext` is `NULL` or a pointer to a structure extending this structure.

- `pApplicationName` is `NULL` or is a pointer to a null-terminated UTF-8 string containing the name of the application.

- `applicationVersion` is an unsigned integer variable containing the developer-supplied version number of the application.

- `pEngineName` is `NULL` or is a pointer to a null-terminated UTF-8 string containing the name of the engine (if any) used to create the application.

- `engineVersion` is an unsigned integer variable containing the developer-supplied version number of the engine used to create the application.

- `apiVersion` must be the highest version of Vulkan that the application is designed to use, encoded as described in Version Numbers. The patch version number specified in `apiVersion` is ignored when creating an instance object. The variant version of the instance must match that requested in `apiVersion`.

Vulkan 1.0 implementations were required to return `VK_ERROR_INCOMPATIBLE_DRIVER` if `apiVersion` was larger than 1.0. Implementations that support Vulkan 1.1 or later must not return `VK_ERROR_INCOMPATIBLE_DRIVER` for any value of `apiVersion` .

Note | Because Vulkan 1.0 implementations may fail with `VK_ERROR_INCOMPATIBLE_DRIVER`, applications should determine the version of Vulkan available before calling vkCreateInstance. If the vkGetInstanceProcAddr returns `NULL` for vkEnumerateInstanceVersion, it is a Vulkan 1.0 implementation. Otherwise, the application can call vkEnumerateInstanceVersion to determine the version of Vulkan.

As long as the instance supports at least Vulkan 1.1, an application can use different versions of Vulkan with an instance than it does with a device or physical device.

Note | The Khronos validation layers will treat `apiVersion` as the highest API version the application targets, and will validate API usage against the minimum of that version and the implementation version (instance or device, depending on context). If an application tries to use functionality from a greater version than this, a validation error will be triggered. For example, if the instance supports Vulkan 1.1 and three physical devices support Vulkan 1.0, Vulkan 1.1, and Vulkan 1.2, respectively, and if the application sets `apiVersion` to 1.2, the application can use the following versions of Vulkan: Vulkan 1.0 can be used with the instance and with all physical devices. Vulkan 1.1 can be used with the instance and with the physical devices that support Vulkan 1.1 and Vulkan 1.2. Vulkan 1.2 can be used with the physical device that supports Vulkan 1.2. If we modify the above example so that the application sets `apiVersion` to 1.1, then the application must not use Vulkan 1.2 functionality on the physical device that supports Vulkan 1.2.

Note | Providing a `NULL` VkInstanceCreateInfo::`pApplicationInfo` or providing an `apiVersion` of 0 is equivalent to providing an `apiVersion` of `VK_MAKE_API_VERSION(0,1,0,0)`.

Valid Usage

- VUID-VkApplicationInfo-apiVersion-04010
  If `apiVersion` is not `0`, then it must be greater than or equal to VK_API_VERSION_1_0

Valid Usage (Implicit)

- VUID-VkApplicationInfo-sType-sType
  `sType` must be `VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_APPLICATION_INFO`

- VUID-VkApplicationInfo-pNext-pNext
  `pNext` must be `NULL`

- VUID-VkApplicationInfo-pApplicationName-parameter
  If `pApplicationName` is not `NULL`, `pApplicationName` must be a null-terminated UTF-8 string

- VUID-VkApplicationInfo-pEngineName-parameter
  If `pEngineName` is not `NULL`, `pEngineName` must be a null-terminated UTF-8 string

To destroy an instance, call:

    // Provided by VK_VERSION_1_0
    void vkDestroyInstance(
        VkInstance                                  instance,
        const VkAllocationCallbacks*                pAllocator);

- `instance` is the handle of the instance to destroy.

- `pAllocator` controls host memory allocation as described in the Memory Allocation chapter.

Valid Usage

- VUID-vkDestroyInstance-instance-00629
  All child objects created using `instance` must have been destroyed prior to destroying `instance`

- VUID-vkDestroyInstance-instance-00630
  If `VkAllocationCallbacks` were provided when `instance` was created, a compatible set of callbacks must be provided here

- VUID-vkDestroyInstance-instance-00631
  If no `VkAllocationCallbacks` were provided when `instance` was created, `pAllocator` must be `NULL`

Valid Usage (Implicit)

- VUID-vkDestroyInstance-instance-parameter
  If `instance` is not `NULL`, `instance` must be a valid VkInstance handle

- VUID-vkDestroyInstance-pAllocator-parameter
  If `pAllocator` is not `NULL`, `pAllocator` must be a valid pointer to a valid VkAllocationCallbacks structure

Host Synchronization

- Host access to `instance` must be externally synchronized

- Host access to all `VkPhysicalDevice` objects enumerated from `instance` must be externally synchronized