SampleMask(3)

# SampleMask(3) Manual Page

## Name

SampleMask - Coverage mask for a fragment shader invocation

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## Description

`SampleMask`

  Decorating a variable with the `SampleMask` built-in decoration will make any variable contain the sample mask for the current fragment shader invocation.

  A variable in the `Input` storage class decorated with `SampleMask` will contain a bitmask of the set of samples covered by the primitive generating the fragment during rasterization. It has a sample bit set if and only if the sample is considered covered for this fragment shader invocation. `SampleMask`[] is an array of integers. Bits are mapped to samples in a manner where bit B of mask M (`SampleMask[M]`) corresponds to sample 32 × M + B.

  A variable in the `Output` storage class decorated with `SampleMask` is an array of integers forming a bit array in a manner similar to an input variable decorated with `SampleMask`, but where each bit represents coverage as computed by the shader. This computed `SampleMask` is combined with the generated coverage mask in the multisample coverage operation.

  Variables decorated with `SampleMask` must be either an unsized array, or explicitly sized to be no larger than the implementation-dependent maximum sample-mask (as an array of 32-bit elements), determined by the maximum number of samples.

  If a fragment shader entry point’s interface does not include an output variable decorated with `SampleMask`, the sample mask has no effect on the processing of a fragment.

Valid Usage

- VUID-SampleMask-SampleMask-04357
  The `SampleMask` decoration must be used only within the `Fragment` `Execution` `Model`

- VUID-SampleMask-SampleMask-04358
  The variable decorated with `SampleMask` must be declared using the `Input` or `Output` `Storage` `Class`

- VUID-SampleMask-SampleMask-04359
  The variable decorated with `SampleMask` must be declared as an array of 32-bit integer values

## See Also

No cross-references are available

## Document Notes

For more information, see the Vulkan Specification.

This page is extracted from the Vulkan Specification. Fixes and changes should be made to the Specification, not directly.

## Copyright

Copyright 2014-2026 The Khronos Group Inc.

SPDX-License-Identifier: CC-BY-4.0