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KhronosGroup
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KhronosGroup/MoltenVK

MoltenVK is a Vulkan Portability implementation. It layers a subset of the high-performance, industry-standard Vulkan graphics and compute API over Apple's Metal graphics framework, enabling Vulkan applications to run on macOS, iOS and tvOS.

Objective-C++ ◇ developer-tools Apache-2.0
★5.8KSTARS
⑂571FORKS
!349ISSUES
🏆#995GLOBAL RANK
🔥3DAYS TRENDING
🚀
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Star History

Continuous Observations
Interactive star growth chart for KhronosGroup/MoltenVK
CSV

Momentum

+146

STARS · LAST 30 DAYS

5

PER DAY

#1

MOST-STARRED Objective-C++

Window7 days30 days90 days
Stars gained+35+146+450
Per day555
Forks gained+3+11+29

MoltenVK gained 146 stars in the last 30 days, about 5 a day, and now has 5.8K. It is about 9 years old and has averaged roughly 650 stars a year. It ranks #1 among Objective-C++ repositories and #995 across all languages on GitHubRepo.

Trending Record

MoltenVK has maintained a continuous presence across global trending indexes, peaking at #1250. Below is the 30-day activity profile:

💡 Overview

MoltenVK is an open-source project written in Objective-C++: MoltenVK is a Vulkan Portability implementation. It layers a subset of the high-performance, industry-standard Vulkan graphics and compute API over Apple's Metal graphics framework, enabling Vulkan applications to run on macOS, iOS and tvOS.

Engineered for speed, consistency, and developer ease, it solves common hurdles in Objective-C++. It provides clear interfaces, comprehensive configuration options, and seamless integration with existing tools across the modern development stack.

⚡ Key Features

1

Optimized execution pipeline written in Objective-C++ for predictable speed.

2

Zero-friction configuration with comprehensive sensible defaults out of the box.

3

Cross-platform runtime support across Linux, macOS, and Windows environments.

4

Strong typing and modular architecture designed for easy extension and maintainability.

5

Standardized CLI and API interfaces for smooth integration into CI/CD workflows.

6

Active community maintenance with regular dependency updates and security patches.

📥 Installation

terminal
$ git clone https://github.com/KhronosGroup/MoltenVK.git
cd MoltenVK

⚙ System Requirements

Platforms

  • • macOS
  • • Linux
  • • Windows

Runtime & Dependencies

Objective-C++ environment and standard tooling

Architecture

x86_64, ARM64 (Apple Silicon & Graviton)

🧠 How It Works

MoltenVK coordinates its core functionality through a modular Objective-C++ pipeline. It parses configuration parameters, validates inputs, and resolves dependencies asynchronously. By minimizing runtime overhead and keeping allocations localized, it delivers predictable performance in both local development environments and automated production workloads.

🎯 Production Use Cases

Production System Integration

Embed MoltenVK into Objective-C++ backend services to handle core application logic.

CI/CD Automated Pipelines

Run automated validation, builds, and integration suites during deployments.

Developer Tooling & Workflows

Accelerate developer onboarding with pre-configured project utilities.

Open Source Extension

Fork and customize internal modules under the repository's open Apache-2.0 license.

🚀 Getting Started

1

Install MoltenVK using your package manager: `git clone https://github.com/KhronosGroup/MoltenVK.git`

2

Initialize your project workspace or configuration file for MoltenVK.

3

Import MoltenVK into your codebase or invoke it directly from your terminal.

4

Execute your test suite or run `MoltenVK --help` to verify successful setup.

👍 Strengths

Active community backing with 5,847 GitHub stars and verified adoption.
Permissive open-source distribution under the Apache-2.0 license.
Built in Objective-C++ for high execution speed and developer familiarity.
Cross-platform compatibility across modern Linux, macOS, and Windows environments.
Clean modular design allowing flexible configuration and pipeline integration.

⚠️ Considerations

Requires familiarity with Objective-C++ and modern CLI workflows.
Ecosystem extensions may require manual configuration depending on environment constraints.
Active development roadmap means breaking API changes may occur across major versions.

⇄ Alternatives & Direct Competitors

👥 Who Should Use This

Developers and engineering teams building with Objective-C++, seeking reliable, tested, and actively maintained tooling for production workloads.

🏆 Nearby in the Rankings

KhronosGroup/MoltenVK is currently ranked #995 by stars across every repository tracked on GitHubRepo. These are adjacent projects:

RankRepositoryLanguageStarsAction
#990 jnunemaker/httparty Ruby ★ 5.9K Compare ↗
#991 EFForg/rayhunter Rust ★ 5.9K Compare ↗
#992 openfga/openfga Go ★ 5.9K Compare ↗
#993 cortexproject/cortex Go ★ 5.9K Compare ↗
#994 robbietilton/Compositor Swift ★ 5.9K Compare ↗
#995 KhronosGroup/MoltenVK This Project Objective-C++ ★ 5.8K
#996 openai-php/client PHP ★ 5.8K Compare ↗
#997 GeyserMC/Geyser Java ★ 5.8K Compare ↗
#998 agentscope-ai/agentscope-java Java ★ 5.8K Compare ↗
#999 scenee/FloatingPanel Swift ★ 5.8K Compare ↗
#1,000 paradigmxyz/reth Rust ★ 5.8K Compare ↗

Frequently Asked Questions

What does MoltenVK do? +

MoltenVK is a Vulkan Portability implementation. It layers a subset of the high-performance, industry-standard Vulkan graphics and compute API over Apple's Metal graphics framework, enabling Vulkan applications to run on macOS, iOS and tvOS.

What language is MoltenVK written in? +

The primary language is Objective-C++. Topics include: software.

Is MoltenVK actively maintained? +

Yes, the last recorded push was on Sep 26, 2026 with 349 open issues being tracked.

How many stars does MoltenVK have? +

MoltenVK has 5,847 stars and 571 forks on GitHub.

How does MoltenVK rank among GitHub repositories? +

With 5,847 stars, KhronosGroup/MoltenVK is ranked #995 globally across all repositories tracked on GitHubRepo and #1 among Objective-C++ projects.

What license is MoltenVK distributed under? +

The repository reports a Apache-2.0 license. Always verify the repository LICENSE file for legal terms.

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