Pros of RayTracingInVulkan

• More comprehensive implementation with advanced features like denoising and temporal accumulation
• Includes a user interface for real-time parameter adjustments
• Supports loading external 3D models and textures

Cons of RayTracingInVulkan

• Higher complexity and steeper learning curve for beginners
• Requires more system resources due to advanced features
• Less focused on educational purposes compared to vk_mini_path_tracer

Code Comparison

vk_mini_path_tracer:

void trace_ray(Ray* ray, Hit* hit) {
  hit->t = 1e20f;
  for (int i = 0; i < g_num_spheres; i++) {
    intersect_sphere(ray, &g_spheres[i], hit);
  }
}

RayTracingInVulkan:

void TraceRay(const Ray& ray, HitInfo& hitInfo, float tMin, float tMax) {
    hitInfo.distance = tMax;
    for (const auto& object : scene.objects) {
        object->Intersect(ray, tMin, hitInfo);
    }
}

The code snippets show similar ray tracing logic, but RayTracingInVulkan uses more advanced C++ features and a more flexible object-oriented approach.

Pros of vk_raytracing_tutorial_KHR

• More comprehensive tutorial covering various aspects of Vulkan ray tracing
• Includes multiple examples demonstrating different ray tracing techniques
• Better documentation and explanations for each step of the implementation

Cons of vk_raytracing_tutorial_KHR

• More complex codebase, potentially harder for beginners to grasp
• Requires more setup and dependencies compared to the mini path tracer
• May be overkill for simple ray tracing projects

Code Comparison

vk_raytracing_tutorial_KHR:

void createRtDescriptorSet()
{
  m_rtDescSetLayoutBind.addBinding(RtDescriptorSetBindings::eAccelerationStructure, VK_DESCRIPTOR_TYPE_ACCELERATION_STRUCTURE_KHR, 1,
                                   VK_SHADER_STAGE_RAYGEN_BIT_KHR | VK_SHADER_STAGE_CLOSEST_HIT_BIT_KHR);
  m_rtDescSetLayout = m_rtDescSetLayoutBind.createLayout(m_device);
  m_rtDescPool      = m_rtDescSetLayoutBind.createPool(m_device);
  m_rtDescSet       = nvvk::allocateDescriptorSet(m_device, m_rtDescPool, m_rtDescSetLayout);
}

vk_mini_path_tracer:

void createDescriptorSet()
{
  VkDescriptorSetLayoutBinding binding{};
  binding.binding = 0;
  binding.descriptorType = VK_DESCRIPTOR_TYPE_STORAGE_BUFFER;
  binding.descriptorCount = 1;
  binding.stageFlags = VK_SHADER_STAGE_COMPUTE_BIT;

  VkDescriptorSetLayoutCreateInfo layoutInfo{};
  layoutInfo.sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_DESCRIPTOR_SET_LAYOUT_CREATE_INFO;
  layoutInfo.bindingCount = 1;
  layoutInfo.pBindings = &binding;
}

Pros of Vulkan-Samples

• Comprehensive collection of Vulkan samples covering various aspects of the API
• Official repository maintained by Khronos Group, ensuring up-to-date and accurate implementations
• Includes performance best practices and optimization techniques

Cons of Vulkan-Samples

• Larger and more complex codebase, potentially overwhelming for beginners
• Focuses on general Vulkan usage rather than specific path tracing techniques
• May require more setup and configuration to run individual samples

Code Comparison

vk_mini_path_tracer:

void traceRay(Ray& ray, vec3& color, int depth) {
    if (depth >= MAX_DEPTH) return;
    HitRecord rec;
    if (world.hit(ray, 0.001f, FLT_MAX, rec)) {
        // Handle ray intersection and recursive tracing
    }
}

Vulkan-Samples:

void VulkanSample::draw()
{
    auto command_buffer = getCommandBuffer(true);
    vkCmdBeginRenderPass(command_buffer, &render_pass_begin_info, VK_SUBPASS_CONTENTS_INLINE);
    drawGeometry(command_buffer);
    vkCmdEndRenderPass(command_buffer);
    flushCommandBuffer(command_buffer);
}

The vk_mini_path_tracer focuses on ray tracing logic, while Vulkan-Samples demonstrates general Vulkan rendering pipeline setup and execution.

Pros of Vulkan

• Comprehensive collection of Vulkan examples covering a wide range of techniques and features
• Well-documented and organized codebase with clear explanations for each example
• Regularly updated to incorporate new Vulkan features and best practices

Cons of Vulkan

• Focuses on individual techniques rather than a complete path tracing implementation
• May be overwhelming for beginners due to the large number of examples and advanced concepts
• Less emphasis on performance optimization compared to vk_mini_path_tracer

Code Comparison

vk_mini_path_tracer:

void PathTracer::trace_rays() {
  // Simplified path tracing implementation
  for (int y = 0; y < height; y++) {
    for (int x = 0; x < width; x++) {
      // Ray tracing logic
    }
  }
}

Vulkan:

void VulkanExample::buildCommandBuffers() {
  VkCommandBufferBeginInfo cmdBufInfo = {};
  cmdBufInfo.sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_COMMAND_BUFFER_BEGIN_INFO;
  // Command buffer setup and recording
}

The vk_mini_path_tracer focuses on implementing a compact path tracer, while Vulkan provides examples of various Vulkan concepts and techniques. The code snippets illustrate the different approaches: vk_mini_path_tracer implements core path tracing logic, while Vulkan demonstrates Vulkan-specific command buffer setup.