# nvpro-samples/vk_raytracing_tutorial_KHR

Ray tracing examples and tutorials using VK_KHR_ray_tracing

Repository: https://github.com/nvpro-samples/vk_raytracing_tutorial_KHR
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/vk_raytracing_tutorial_khr
Homepage: https://nvpro-samples.github.io/vk_raytracing_tutorial_KHR/
Language: C++
License: Apache-2.0
License Family: permissive
Topics: raytracing, vulkan, tutorial
Last push: 2026-08-12T15:25:53+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 76/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-02T17:46:02.011165+00:00)
- activity 97, release rhythm 35, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 2346, "days_push": 21, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: no_releases
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 1739, forks 172 (observed 2026-08-28T04:05:30.091648+00:00)

## What it is
NVIDIA's progressive tutorial and sample collection for Vulkan ray tracing using the VK_KHR_ray_tracing extensions. It walks through converting a rasterization application into a ray tracer across 8 compilable phases, plus 20+ focused samples on reflections, motion blur, ray queries, and more.

## Use cases
- learn vulkan ray tracing from scratch
- convert a vulkan rasterizer to a ray tracer
- understand acceleration structures and shader binding tables
- study examples of ray tracing pipelines in vulkan
- learn ray queries and callable shaders
- build a path tracer with vulkan

## When to choose
- you want a step-by-step, compilable tutorial for VK_KHR ray tracing extensions
- you learn best from progressive code checkpoints
- you need reference samples for reflections, motion blur, or ray queries in Vulkan

## When to avoid
- you need a production ray tracing engine rather than educational samples
- your GPU or driver does not support Vulkan ray tracing
- you want DirectX or OpenGL ray tracing instead of Vulkan

## Facets
- artifact type: learning-resource
- maturity: active
- function: graphics, simulation, developer-tools
- domain: graphics, tutorials, developer-tools
- platform: windows, cpp
- tags: vulkan, ray-tracing, tutorial, nvidia, path-tracing, shaders, cmake, game-development, linux, gpu

## Member repositories
- nvpro-samples/vk_raytracing_tutorial_KHR (main) score 76

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:05:30.091648+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-30T03:30:14.367262+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/nvpro-samples/vk_raytracing_tutorial_KHR (fetched 2026-08-28T04:05:30.091648+00:00, sha 435acb9a875d)
  - homepage: https://nvpro-samples.github.io/vk_raytracing_tutorial_KHR/ (fetched 2026-08-29T11:07:35.797890+00:00, sha d68212265297)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.