NGFX Graphics Framework

NGFX is a low level graphics framework, providing an abstraction API on top of Vulkan, DirectX12, and Metal. It exposes the benefits of next-generation graphics technology via a common platform abstraction API. It also supports optional access to the backend data structures, enabling platform specific optimizations.

Source Code

https://github.com/gopro/ngfx

High Level Architecture

High Level Architecture

Low Level Architecture

Low Level Architecture

The ngfx graphics classes provide high-level abstractions on top of various graphics objects, including Buffer, Texture, Renderpass, Swapchain, Surface, CommandBuffer, etc. Each backend (Vulkan, Metal, DirectX12) is responsible for implementing the high-level abstraction interface via a subclass.

The user can construct 3D graphics commands using these high-level abstractions. Optionally, the user can access the backend-specific data by casting the high-level object to a backend-specific subclass.

For example: 

Buffer *buffer = Buffer::create(...);
VKBuffer *vkBuffer = (VKBuffer*)buffer;

From there, the user can access platform specific data, including the underlying Vulkan buffer object, etc. This provides a high degree of flexibility, where the user can primarily use platform-agnostic code, while still being able to use platform-specific code for high-performance optimizations, and for achieving optimal interaction with the platform.

Build Instructions

1) Install Dependencies

1.1) Install Platform-Specific Dependencies

On Windows 10 (or newer):

Install Microsoft Visual Studio 2019 (or newer)

Install Windows Subsystem for Linux (Ubuntu 20.04.1 LTS or newer) - Note: Git Bash or MSYS2 should work too

On Linux (Ubuntu 20.04.1 or newer, other Linux distros should work too):

Install GNU Toolchain (apt install build-essential)

On Mac:

Install XCode

1.2) Install Common System Dependencies

Install CMake 3.19.1 (or newer)

1.3) Install Third-Party Dependencies

ngfx has the following dependencies:

  • nlohmann/json 3.9.1 (or newer)
  • stb_image 2.26 (or newer)
  • glm 0.9.9.8 (or newer)
  • RenderDoc 1.11_64 (or newer, on Windows and Linux)
  • d3dx12.h v10.0.17763.0 (or newer, on Windows)
  • glfw 3.3.2 (or newer, on Windows and Linux)
  • shaderc v2020.4 (or newer)
  • spirv-cross 2021-01-15 (or newer)
  • vulkan sdk 1.2.162.1 (or newer, if using Vulkan backend)

We provide a helper script to help install 3rd-party dependencies

bash build_scripts/sync_deps.sh *platform*

  • platform: Windows, Linux, or Darwin (Mac OS)

2) Configure

cmake.exe -H. -B*build_folder* -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=*build_type* -D*ngfx_graphics_backend*=ON -G *cmake_generator*

  • build_folder: the build output folder (e.g. cmake-build-debug, or cmake-build-release)
  • build type: Debug or Release
  • ngfx_graphics_backend: the graphics backend (NGFX_GRAPHICS_BACKEND_VULKAN, NGFX_GRAPHICS_BACKEND_METAL, or NGFX_GRAPHICS_BACKEND_DIRECT3D12)
  • cmake_generator: CMake generator (e.g. Visual Studio 16 2019)

Example:

cmake.exe -H. -Bcmake-build-debug -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug -DNGFX_GRAPHICS_BACKEND_DIRECT3D12=ON

3) Build

From command line:

cmake.exe --build *build_folder*

Alternatively, can build from IDE

4) Install

cmake.exe --install *build_folder* --config *build_type* --prefix *install_prefix*

  • install_prefix: The install prefix

API Documentation

https://gopro.github.io/ngfx/api/Classes/

Contributing

Coding Style Guidelines

We use clang-format to automatically enforce coding style. We use llvm coding style (the default option in clang-format). To automatically apply formatting: run build_scripts/clang_format.sh

The LLVM coding style can be referenced here: See https://llvm.org/docs/CodingStandards.html

We use doxygen, with JavaDoc-style annotations to generate API documentation.