Graphics API

Flax supports graphics programming via C++ and/or C# API that wraps the underlaying graphics backend API with a thin abstraction layer. By using single API game and engine code can perform rendering and support multiple platforms such as DirectX, Vulkan and more. The API is low-level and object-oriented, as it contains most common types such as GPUDevice, GPUContext, GPUTexture, GPUBuffer, GPUShader, GPUPipelineState, etc.

GPU pipeline uses slot-based binding model which is explicit and has low-overhead characteristic. When performing drawing or compute work dispatching the GPU resources such as textures and buffers are bound using resource views to the explicit pipeline slots - SRV/UAV/CB. The binding slots are global to all shader stages (vertex, pixel, compute, etc.) so texture view assigned to Shader Resource View slot can be used in binded pipeline state vertex/pixel/compute shaders. The engine implements shaders reflections and optimizes the direct stages binding under the hood.

Pipeline State

Flax uses GPUPipelineState objects that wrap the whole graphics pipeline state into a single descriptor representation used by the GPU driver to optimize the render state switches. When creating new pipeline states fill up the Description structure with shaders and rendering stages features to use. Ensure to dispose pipeline states when shader asset that is used in it gets reloaded in editor.

Supported graphics backends

• DirectX 11 (with DirectX 10/10.1 fallback)
• DirectX 12
• Vulkan
• Null
• Platform native (eg. on PS4)

Tip

To check on which rendering backend game is running use GPUDevice.Instance.RendererType. You can also use GPUDevice.Instance.ShaderProfile to check the shaders format that is being used by the rendering backend.

You can also force to use a specific graphics backend API or even specific GPU (if multiple adapters available). To learn how see the engine command line documentation.