Memory management in Vulkan is a complex and intricate process that gives developers control over how graphics memory is allocated and used. The primary principle of Vulkan’s memory management is that it offers a lower-level interface to the GPU than APIs like OpenGL, entrusting developers with the responsibility of managing memory allocations themselves. This can lead to more efficient use of memory and enhanced performance, but it also necessitates a deeper understanding of how the GPU operates and the optimal way to manage its resources.
In Vulkan, memory is organized in a hierarchy that includes heaps, memory types, and memory property flags. Heaps are fixed-size memory resources exposed by the device, and each heap can support different memory types. When creating a resource like a buffer, Vulkan provides information about which memory types are compatible with that resource. Depending on the resource’s usage flags, the developer must select the right memory type and, based on that type, the … (read more)