Vulkan (Graphics API): what it is, how it works and what it does

Vulkan is a graphics API that operates at the GPU level and uses a numeric versioning scheme. Its presence in a product is identified through the gpu_vulkan_version field in the device's technical specifications.

Versioning

The API employs a major.minor versioning scheme. The available evidence documents version 1.4 as reported by a specific device, consistently confirmed by multiple specification sources (nanoreview.net, 91mobiles.com).

Identification in a product

When evaluating a device, the Vulkan version is listed in the technical datasheet as a GPU attribute. The reported value (e.g., 1.4) indicates the level of compatibility of the hardware and driver implementation with the API specification.

Scope of available evidence

The collected data is limited to version reporting in product datasheets. The received evidence set does not include information on the API's internal architecture, programming model, extensions, or its relationship to other graphics APIs.

Limitations

• The evidence confirms only version 1.4 on a specific device; it does not allow generalisation across an entire product line.
• No description of the architecture, command flow, or synchronisation mechanisms of the API is included.
• Source authority (40/100) is moderate, corresponding to consumer specification aggregators.

The mention of vulkan_version = 1.4 in a technical datasheet indicates that the device's hardware and driver support, at minimum, the 1.4 specification of the API.

Aliases

• Vulkan API
• Vulkan Graphics API
• Vulkan 1.4