google/swiftshader
SwiftShader is a high-performance CPU-based implementation of the Vulkan graphics API. Its goal is to provide hardware independence for advanced 3D graphics. observed · 2026-08-28
Health v2 · maintenance only
77/100
- Activity 99
- Release rhythm 35
- Longevity 100
Flags: no_releases
How is this computed?
round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10) — computed 2026-09-03. Adoption (stars, forks) is never an input.
- gap_med: n/a
- age_days: 3716
- days_rel: n/a
- days_push: 7
- n_releases_24m: 0
Adoption not part of the score
2533 stars · 334 forks observed · 2026-08-28
What it is AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, 2026-08-30, confidence not recorded
SwiftShader is a high-performance CPU-based implementation of the Vulkan 1.3 graphics API, acting as a drop-in replacement for GPU drivers. It provides hardware independence for advanced 3D graphics, and can be layered with ANGLE to support OpenGL ES 3.1.
Use cases
- run Vulkan applications on machines without a GPU
- test 3D graphics code in CI without graphics hardware
- render 3D graphics in headless server environments
- provide a software fallback renderer for Vulkan apps
- develop and debug Vulkan drivers or applications
- run Chrome or Android graphics stacks without a GPU
When to choose
- you need Vulkan support on hardware without a compatible GPU
- you want deterministic, hardware-independent rendering for testing
- you need a drop-in software Vulkan ICD for CI or headless servers
When to avoid
- you need maximum rendering performance for production games or real-time graphics on capable GPUs
- you need OpenGL or Direct3D support directly without layering through ANGLE
- you need a lightweight 2D-only software rasterizer
Facets
library · maturity active
graphics simulation graphics developer-tools windows cpp vulkan cpu-rendering software-renderer icd 3d-graphics gpu-emulation game-development linux macos android
1 source
- readme: https://github.com/google/swiftshader · fetched 2026-08-28 · 215871b66e56
Member repositories
| Repository | Role | Health v2 |
|---|---|---|
| google/swiftshader | main | 77 |
For agents
markdown · JSON · MCP: product_card(name="google/swiftshader")
Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00 · Report a problem