Minecraft Java is switching from OpenGL to Vulkan
Source: Hacker News
Overview
Work continues on the Vibrant Visuals update for Minecraft Java Edition, and as part of that Mojang is switching the rendering backend from OpenGL to Vulkan.
The change was announced on February 18 by Mojang developers. It represents a major shift for the game and will take time to implement, but it will ultimately enable modern visual improvements and better performance.
Mojang’s goal is to keep Minecraft: Java Edition playable on almost any PC operating system, including macOS and Linux. Because Apple does not support Vulkan directly, a translation layer that maps Vulkan calls to Metal will be used on macOS.
Impact on Modders
Switching from OpenGL to Vulkan will affect mods that currently rely on OpenGL for rendering. Mojang anticipates that updating mods to Vulkan will require more effort than the usual release‑to‑release updates.
- Mod developers are encouraged to start moving away from OpenGL usage.
- Reusing as much of the internal rendering APIs as possible will help ease the transition.
- If additional assistance is needed, Mojang invites modders to reach out for support.
Timeline
- Vulkan support will be introduced alongside OpenGL in snapshots (development releases) “sometime over the summer.”
- During the testing period, players will be able to toggle between Vulkan and OpenGL.
- Once performance and stability are satisfactory, OpenGL will be removed entirely.
Additional Details
- Release Date (original game): 8 November 2011
- Platform: 🐧 Native Linux
Article source: GamingOnLinux.com
Announcement: Another step towards Vibrant Visuals for Java Edition (Mojang)