sebbbi/NoGraphicsAPI

What it solves

NoGraphicsAPI simplifies GPU programming by removing the complex machinery of traditional graphics APIs. It eliminates the need for buffer objects, vertex-layout declarations, and binding tables, making GPU memory and data structures feel more like standard CPU-side programming.

How it works

The library leverages modern hardware features (Metal 4 and Vulkan 1.4) to implement a bindless data model:

• GPU Pointers: Uses 64-bit pointers for data, allowing shaders to follow pointers to arrays and nested structures without descriptor sets.
• Descriptor Heaps: Implements bindless textures and samplers where the application manages indices rather than rebinding resources.
• Root Arguments: Replaces binding tables with a single GPU pointer to a shared C++/Slang structure containing all necessary constants and resource indices for a draw or dispatch call.
• Direct Memory Access: Uses mapped heaps that allow the CPU to write data directly to GPU-accessible memory, bypassing separate buffer types.
• Simplified Synchronization: Focuses on synchronization based on work production and consumption rather than tracking specific image layouts.

Who it’s for

Low-level graphics programmers who want to reduce the boilerplate and state-coupling associated with traditional rendering pipelines on modern hardware.

Highlights

• Cross-platform backend: Native support for Metal 4 (macOS/iOS) and Vulkan 1.4 (Windows/Linux).
• Slang integration: Uses shared Slang shaders to ensure the CPU and GPU share the same data declarations.
• Reduced Pipeline State: Decouples resource binding and vertex layouts from pipeline creation, reducing the number of pipeline permutations.
• Hardware-optimized: Specifically targets high-end modern GPUs (e.g., Apple Silicon M1+, NVIDIA RTX 30/40/50 series, AMD RDNA 3/4).