Vulkan
Definition
A cross-platform low-overhead graphics and compute API.
Detailed explanation
Vulkan is a cross-platform, low-overhead graphics and compute API maintained by the Khronos Group. It gives applications explicit control over command buffers, synchronization, memory, and pipeline state. That design reduces implicit driver work but places more correctness responsibility on the application. Installable client drivers expose vendor implementations through a loader, and extensions advertise capabilities outside the core version. Applications select physical devices, queue families, and memory types explicitly, which makes implementation details visible that older high-level APIs often concealed.
Where you are likely to see it
This term commonly appears while Windows is installing, recovering, or configuring a display adapter, monitor, or graphics application. The definition above gives the short meaning; the detailed explanation describes the term's role in the operating system and hardware stack.
The surrounding event and device model determine whether the term refers to Windows, an application, device software, or hardware. This glossary is informational and does not provide repair, installation, or technical-support services.
Related vocabulary
Explore connected concepts and nearby entries in the Windows hardware vocabulary.
- DCHDeclarative, Componentized, Hardware Support App, a modern Windows driver-package model.
- TDRTimeout Detection and Recovery, Windows graphics hang detection and reset behavior.
- WDDMWindows Display Driver Model, the Windows graphics-driver architecture.
- WHQLWindows Hardware Quality Labs, Microsoft’s certification program for drivers.