Rethinking Graphics API Complexity: A Call for Simplifying GPU Programming
By
ryandrake
Fresh out the oven, still warm. Top of the tray.
Summary
This technical blog post critiques the growing complexity of modern graphics APIs and shader frameworks, arguing that the current state of GPU programming has become overly complex with massive pipeline state objects (PSOs) and bloated abstractions. The author advocates for simplifying GPU interaction by reducing API surface area and cutting down on unnecessary abstractions to improve performance and prepare for future GPU workloads. The content includes detailed low-level hardware analysis and proposes rethinking how developers interact with GPUs.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledThe complexity of graphics APIs, shader frameworks and drivers have increased rapidly during the past decades.
The pipeline state object (PSO) explosion has gotten out of hands.
How did we end up with 100GB local shader pipeline caches and massive cloud servers to host them?
It's time to start discussing how to cut down the abstractions and the API surface to simplify how we interact with the GPU.
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