# VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR(3) Manual Page

## Name

VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR - Structure specifying parameters of a newly created ray tracing pipeline

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## C Specification

The `VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR` structure is defined as:

    // Provided by VK_KHR_ray_tracing_pipeline
    typedef struct VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR {
        VkStructureType                                      sType;
        const void*                                          pNext;
        VkPipelineCreateFlags                                flags;
        uint32_t                                             stageCount;
        const VkPipelineShaderStageCreateInfo*               pStages;
        uint32_t                                             groupCount;
        const VkRayTracingShaderGroupCreateInfoKHR*          pGroups;
        uint32_t                                             maxPipelineRayRecursionDepth;
        const VkPipelineLibraryCreateInfoKHR*                pLibraryInfo;
        const VkRayTracingPipelineInterfaceCreateInfoKHR*    pLibraryInterface;
        const VkPipelineDynamicStateCreateInfo*              pDynamicState;
        VkPipelineLayout                                     layout;
        VkPipeline                                           basePipelineHandle;
        int32_t                                              basePipelineIndex;
    } VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR;

## Members

- `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 VkPipelineCreateFlagBits specifying how the pipeline will be generated.

- `stageCount` is the number of entries in the `pStages` array.

- `pStages` is a pointer to an array of `stageCount` VkPipelineShaderStageCreateInfo structures describing the set of the shader stages to be included in the ray tracing pipeline.

- `groupCount` is the number of entries in the `pGroups` array.

- `pGroups` is a pointer to an array of `groupCount` VkRayTracingShaderGroupCreateInfoKHR structures describing the set of the shader stages to be included in each shader group in the ray tracing pipeline.

- `maxPipelineRayRecursionDepth` is the maximum recursion depth of shaders executed by this pipeline.

- `pLibraryInfo` is a pointer to a VkPipelineLibraryCreateInfoKHR structure defining pipeline libraries to include.

- `pLibraryInterface` is a pointer to a VkRayTracingPipelineInterfaceCreateInfoKHR structure defining additional information when using pipeline libraries.

- `pDynamicState` is a pointer to a VkPipelineDynamicStateCreateInfo structure, and is used to indicate which properties of the pipeline state object are dynamic and can be changed independently of the pipeline state. This can be `NULL`, which means no state in the pipeline is considered dynamic.

- `layout` is the description of binding locations used by both the pipeline and descriptor sets used with the pipeline. If VkPhysicalDeviceProperties::`apiVersion` is greater than or equal to Vulkan 1.3 or VK_KHR_maintenance4 is enabled `layout` must not be accessed outside of the duration of the command this structure is passed to.

- `basePipelineHandle` is a pipeline to derive from.

- `basePipelineIndex` is an index into the `pCreateInfos` parameter to use as a pipeline to derive from.

## Description

The parameters `basePipelineHandle` and `basePipelineIndex` are described in more detail in Pipeline Derivatives.

When `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_LIBRARY_BIT_KHR` is specified, this pipeline defines a pipeline library which cannot be bound as a ray tracing pipeline directly. Instead, pipeline libraries define common shaders and shader groups which can be included in future pipeline creation.

If pipeline libraries are included in `pLibraryInfo`, shaders defined in those libraries are treated as if they were defined as additional entries in `pStages`, appended in the order they appear in the `pLibraries` array and in the `pStages` array when those libraries were defined.

When referencing shader groups in order to obtain a shader group handle, groups defined in those libraries are treated as if they were defined as additional entries in `pGroups`, appended in the order they appear in the `pLibraries` array and in the `pGroups` array when those libraries were defined. The shaders these groups reference are set when the pipeline library is created, referencing those specified in the pipeline library, not in the pipeline that includes it.

The default stack size for a pipeline if `VK_DYNAMIC_STATE_RAY_TRACING_PIPELINE_STACK_SIZE_KHR` is not provided is computed as described in Ray Tracing Pipeline Stack.

If the `pNext` chain includes a VkPipelineCreateFlags2CreateInfo structure, VkPipelineCreateFlags2CreateInfo::`flags` from that structure is used instead of `flags` from this structure.

If the `pNext` chain includes a VkRayTracingPipelineClusterAccelerationStructureCreateInfoNV structure, then that structure controls whether cluster acceleration structures are allowed in this ray tracing pipeline.

Valid Usage

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-None-09497
  If the `pNext` chain does not include a VkPipelineCreateFlags2CreateInfo structure, `flags` must be a valid combination of VkPipelineCreateFlagBits values

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-flags-07984
  If `flags` contains the `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_DERIVATIVE_BIT` flag, and `basePipelineIndex` is -1, `basePipelineHandle` must be a valid ray tracing `VkPipeline` handle

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-flags-07985
  If `flags` contains the `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_DERIVATIVE_BIT` flag, and `basePipelineHandle` is VK_NULL_HANDLE, `basePipelineIndex` must be a valid index into the calling command’s `pCreateInfos` parameter

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-flags-07986
  If `flags` contains the `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_DERIVATIVE_BIT` flag, `basePipelineIndex` must be -1 or `basePipelineHandle` must be VK_NULL_HANDLE

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-layout-07987
  If a push constant block is declared in a shader, a push constant range in `layout` must match the shader stage

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-layout-10069
  If a push constant block is declared in a shader, the block must be contained inside the push constant range in `layout` that matches the stage

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-layout-07988
  If a resource variable is declared in a shader, the corresponding descriptor set in `layout` must match the shader stage

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-layout-07990
  If a resource variable is declared in a shader, and the descriptor type is not `VK_DESCRIPTOR_TYPE_MUTABLE_EXT`, the corresponding descriptor set in `layout` must match the descriptor type

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-layout-07991
  If a resource variable is declared in a shader as an array, the corresponding descriptor set in `layout` must match the descriptor count

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-None-10391
  If a resource variables is declared in a shader as an array of descriptors, then the descriptor type of that variable must not be `VK_DESCRIPTOR_TYPE_INLINE_UNIFORM_BLOCK`

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-pStages-03426
  The shader code for the entry points identified by `pStages`, and the rest of the state identified by this structure must adhere to the pipeline linking rules described in the Shader Interfaces chapter

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-layout-03428
  The number of resources in `layout` accessible to each shader stage that is used by the pipeline must be less than or equal to VkPhysicalDeviceLimits::`maxPerStageResources`

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-flags-02904
  `flags` must not include `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_INDIRECT_BINDABLE_BIT_NV`

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-pipelineCreationCacheControl-02905
  If the `pipelineCreationCacheControl` feature is not enabled, `flags` must not include `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_FAIL_ON_PIPELINE_COMPILE_REQUIRED_BIT` or `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_EARLY_RETURN_ON_FAILURE_BIT`

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-stage-03425
  If `flags` does not include `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_LIBRARY_BIT_KHR`, the `stage` member of at least one element of `pStages`, including those implicitly added by `pLibraryInfo`, must be `VK_SHADER_STAGE_RAYGEN_BIT_KHR`

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-maxPipelineRayRecursionDepth-03589
  `maxPipelineRayRecursionDepth` must be less than or equal to VkPhysicalDeviceRayTracingPipelinePropertiesKHR::`maxRayRecursionDepth`

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-flags-03465
  If `flags` includes `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_LIBRARY_BIT_KHR`, `pLibraryInterface` must not be `NULL`

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-pLibraryInfo-03590
  If `pLibraryInfo` is not `NULL` and its `libraryCount` member is greater than `0`, `pLibraryInterface` must not be `NULL`

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-pLibraries-03591
  Each element of `pLibraryInfo->pLibraries` must have been created with the value of `maxPipelineRayRecursionDepth` equal to that in this pipeline

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-pLibraryInfo-03592
  If `pLibraryInfo` is not `NULL`, each element of its `pLibraries` member must have been created with a `layout` that is compatible with the `layout` in this pipeline

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-pLibraryInfo-03593
  If `pLibraryInfo` is not `NULL`, each element of its `pLibraries` member must have been created with values of the `maxPipelineRayPayloadSize` and `maxPipelineRayHitAttributeSize` members of `pLibraryInterface` equal to those in this pipeline

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-flags-03594
  If `flags` includes `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_RAY_TRACING_SHADER_GROUP_HANDLE_CAPTURE_REPLAY_BIT_KHR`, each element of `pLibraryInfo->pLibraries` must have been created with the `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_RAY_TRACING_SHADER_GROUP_HANDLE_CAPTURE_REPLAY_BIT_KHR` bit set

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-flags-04718
  If `flags` includes `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_RAY_TRACING_SKIP_AABBS_BIT_KHR`, each element of `pLibraryInfo->pLibraries` must have been created with the `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_RAY_TRACING_SKIP_AABBS_BIT_KHR` bit set

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-flags-04719
  If `flags` includes `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_RAY_TRACING_SKIP_TRIANGLES_BIT_KHR`, each element of `pLibraryInfo->pLibraries` must have been created with the `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_RAY_TRACING_SKIP_TRIANGLES_BIT_KHR` bit set

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-flags-04720
  If `flags` includes `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_RAY_TRACING_NO_NULL_ANY_HIT_SHADERS_BIT_KHR`, each element of `pLibraryInfo->pLibraries` must have been created with the `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_RAY_TRACING_NO_NULL_ANY_HIT_SHADERS_BIT_KHR` bit set

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-flags-04721
  If `flags` includes `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_RAY_TRACING_NO_NULL_CLOSEST_HIT_SHADERS_BIT_KHR`, each element of `pLibraryInfo->pLibraries` must have been created with the `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_RAY_TRACING_NO_NULL_CLOSEST_HIT_SHADERS_BIT_KHR` bit set

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-flags-04722
  If `flags` includes `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_RAY_TRACING_NO_NULL_INTERSECTION_SHADERS_BIT_KHR`, each element of `pLibraryInfo->pLibraries` must have been created with the `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_RAY_TRACING_NO_NULL_INTERSECTION_SHADERS_BIT_KHR` bit set

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-flags-04723
  If `flags` includes `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_RAY_TRACING_NO_NULL_MISS_SHADERS_BIT_KHR`, each element of `pLibraryInfo->pLibraries` must have been created with the `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_RAY_TRACING_NO_NULL_MISS_SHADERS_BIT_KHR` bit set

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-pLibraryInfo-03595
  If the `VK_KHR_pipeline_library` extension is not enabled, `pLibraryInfo` and `pLibraryInterface` must be `NULL`

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-flags-03470
  If `flags` includes `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_RAY_TRACING_NO_NULL_ANY_HIT_SHADERS_BIT_KHR`, for any element of `pGroups` with a `type` of `VK_RAY_TRACING_SHADER_GROUP_TYPE_TRIANGLES_HIT_GROUP_KHR` or `VK_RAY_TRACING_SHADER_GROUP_TYPE_PROCEDURAL_HIT_GROUP_KHR`, the `anyHitShader` of that element must not be `VK_SHADER_UNUSED_KHR`

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-flags-03471
  If `flags` includes `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_RAY_TRACING_NO_NULL_CLOSEST_HIT_SHADERS_BIT_KHR`, for any element of `pGroups` with a `type` of `VK_RAY_TRACING_SHADER_GROUP_TYPE_TRIANGLES_HIT_GROUP_KHR` or `VK_RAY_TRACING_SHADER_GROUP_TYPE_PROCEDURAL_HIT_GROUP_KHR`, the `closestHitShader` of that element must not be `VK_SHADER_UNUSED_KHR`

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-rayTraversalPrimitiveCulling-03596
  If the `rayTraversalPrimitiveCulling` feature is not enabled, `flags` must not include `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_RAY_TRACING_SKIP_AABBS_BIT_KHR`

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-rayTraversalPrimitiveCulling-03597
  If the `rayTraversalPrimitiveCulling` feature is not enabled, `flags` must not include `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_RAY_TRACING_SKIP_TRIANGLES_BIT_KHR`

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-flags-06546
  `flags` must not include both `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_RAY_TRACING_SKIP_TRIANGLES_BIT_KHR` and `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_RAY_TRACING_SKIP_AABBS_BIT_KHR`

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-flags-03598
  If `flags` includes `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_RAY_TRACING_SHADER_GROUP_HANDLE_CAPTURE_REPLAY_BIT_KHR`, `rayTracingPipelineShaderGroupHandleCaptureReplay` must be enabled

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-rayTracingPipelineShaderGroupHandleCaptureReplay-03599
  If VkPhysicalDeviceRayTracingPipelineFeaturesKHR::`rayTracingPipelineShaderGroupHandleCaptureReplay` is `VK_TRUE` and the `pShaderGroupCaptureReplayHandle` member of any element of `pGroups` is not `NULL`, `flags` must include `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_RAY_TRACING_SHADER_GROUP_HANDLE_CAPTURE_REPLAY_BIT_KHR`

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-pLibraryInfo-07999
  If `pLibraryInfo` is `NULL` or its `libraryCount` is `0`, `stageCount` must not be `0`

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-flags-08700
  If `flags` does not include `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_LIBRARY_BIT_KHR` and either `pLibraryInfo` is `NULL` or its `libraryCount` is `0`, `groupCount` must not be `0`

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-pDynamicStates-03602
  Any element of the `pDynamicStates` member of `pDynamicState` must be `VK_DYNAMIC_STATE_RAY_TRACING_PIPELINE_STACK_SIZE_KHR`

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-pipelineStageCreationFeedbackCount-06652
  If VkPipelineCreationFeedbackCreateInfo::`pipelineStageCreationFeedbackCount` is not `0`, it must be equal to `stageCount`

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-stage-06899
  The `stage` value in all `pStages` elements must be one of `VK_SHADER_STAGE_RAYGEN_BIT_KHR`, `VK_SHADER_STAGE_ANY_HIT_BIT_KHR`, `VK_SHADER_STAGE_CLOSEST_HIT_BIT_KHR`, `VK_SHADER_STAGE_MISS_BIT_KHR`, `VK_SHADER_STAGE_INTERSECTION_BIT_KHR`, or `VK_SHADER_STAGE_CALLABLE_BIT_KHR`

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-flags-07403
  If `flags` includes `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_RAY_TRACING_OPACITY_MICROMAP_BIT_EXT`, each element of `pLibraryInfo->pLibraries` must have been created with the `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_RAY_TRACING_OPACITY_MICROMAP_BIT_EXT` bit set

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-flags-08701
  If `flags` includes `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_RAY_TRACING_DISPLACEMENT_MICROMAP_BIT_NV`, each element of `pLibraryInfo->pLibraries` must have been created with the `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_RAY_TRACING_DISPLACEMENT_MICROMAP_BIT_NV` bit set

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-flags-10392
  If the `pNext` chain includes a VkPipelineCreateFlags2CreateInfo structure, `flags` must not include both `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_2_RAY_TRACING_OPACITY_MICROMAP_BIT_EXT` and `VK_PIPELINE_CREATE_2_DISALLOW_OPACITY_MICROMAP_BIT_ARM`

Valid Usage (Implicit)

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-sType-sType
  `sType` must be `VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_RAY_TRACING_PIPELINE_CREATE_INFO_KHR`

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-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 VkPipelineBinaryInfoKHR, VkPipelineCreateFlags2CreateInfo, VkPipelineCreationFeedbackCreateInfo, VkPipelineRobustnessCreateInfo, or VkRayTracingPipelineClusterAccelerationStructureCreateInfoNV

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-sType-unique
  The `sType` value of each structure in the `pNext` chain must be unique

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-pStages-parameter
  If `stageCount` is not `0`, `pStages` must be a valid pointer to an array of `stageCount` valid VkPipelineShaderStageCreateInfo structures

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-pGroups-parameter
  If `groupCount` is not `0`, `pGroups` must be a valid pointer to an array of `groupCount` valid VkRayTracingShaderGroupCreateInfoKHR structures

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-pLibraryInfo-parameter
  If `pLibraryInfo` is not `NULL`, `pLibraryInfo` must be a valid pointer to a valid VkPipelineLibraryCreateInfoKHR structure

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-pLibraryInterface-parameter
  If `pLibraryInterface` is not `NULL`, `pLibraryInterface` must be a valid pointer to a valid VkRayTracingPipelineInterfaceCreateInfoKHR structure

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-pDynamicState-parameter
  If `pDynamicState` is not `NULL`, `pDynamicState` must be a valid pointer to a valid VkPipelineDynamicStateCreateInfo structure

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-layout-parameter
  `layout` must be a valid VkPipelineLayout handle

- VUID-VkRayTracingPipelineCreateInfoKHR-commonparent
  Both of `basePipelineHandle`, and `layout` that are valid handles of non-ignored parameters must have been created, allocated, or retrieved from the same VkDevice

## See Also

VK_KHR_ray_tracing_pipeline, VkPipeline, VkPipelineCreateFlags, VkPipelineDynamicStateCreateInfo, VkPipelineLayout, VkPipelineLibraryCreateInfoKHR, VkPipelineShaderStageCreateInfo, VkRayTracingPipelineInterfaceCreateInfoKHR, VkRayTracingShaderGroupCreateInfoKHR, VkStructureType, vkCreateRayTracingPipelinesKHR

## Document Notes

For more information, see the Vulkan Specification

This page is extracted from the Vulkan Specification. Fixes and changes should be made to the Specification, not directly.

## Copyright

Copyright 2014-2025 The Khronos Group Inc.

SPDX-License-Identifier: CC-BY-4.0