vkCmdNextSubpass(3)

# vkCmdNextSubpass(3) Manual Page

## Name

vkCmdNextSubpass - Transition to the next subpass of a render pass

## C Specification

To transition to the next subpass in the render pass instance after recording the commands for a subpass, call:

Warning | This functionality is superseded by vkCmdNextSubpass2. See Legacy Functionality for more information.

    // Provided by VK_VERSION_1_0
    void vkCmdNextSubpass(
        VkCommandBuffer                             commandBuffer,
        VkSubpassContents                           contents);

## Parameters

- `commandBuffer` is the command buffer in which to record the command.

- `contents` specifies how the commands in the next subpass will be provided, in the same fashion as the corresponding parameter of vkCmdBeginRenderPass.

## Description

The subpass index for a render pass begins at zero when `vkCmdBeginRenderPass` is recorded, and increments each time `vkCmdNextSubpass` is recorded.

After transitioning to the next subpass, the application can record the commands for that subpass.

Valid Usage

- VUID-vkCmdNextSubpass-None-00909
  The current subpass index must be less than the number of subpasses in the render pass minus one

- VUID-vkCmdNextSubpass-None-02349
  This command must not be recorded when transform feedback is active

Valid Usage (Implicit)

- VUID-vkCmdNextSubpass-commandBuffer-parameter
  `commandBuffer` must be a valid VkCommandBuffer handle

- VUID-vkCmdNextSubpass-contents-parameter
  `contents` must be a valid VkSubpassContents value

- VUID-vkCmdNextSubpass-commandBuffer-recording
  `commandBuffer` must be in the recording state

- VUID-vkCmdNextSubpass-commandBuffer-cmdpool
  The `VkCommandPool` that `commandBuffer` was allocated from must support VK_QUEUE_GRAPHICS_BIT operations

- VUID-vkCmdNextSubpass-renderpass
  This command must only be called inside of a render pass instance

- VUID-vkCmdNextSubpass-suspended
  This command must not be called between suspended render pass instances

- VUID-vkCmdNextSubpass-videocoding
  This command must only be called outside of a video coding scope

- VUID-vkCmdNextSubpass-bufferlevel
  `commandBuffer` must be a primary `VkCommandBuffer`

Host Synchronization

- Host access to `commandBuffer` must be externally synchronized

- Host access to the `VkCommandPool` that `commandBuffer` was allocated from must be externally synchronized

Command Properties

Command Buffer Levels | Render Pass Scope | Video Coding Scope | Supported Queue Types | Command Type
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Primary | Inside | Outside | VK_QUEUE_GRAPHICS_BIT | Action State Synchronization

Conditional Rendering

vkCmdNextSubpass is not affected by conditional rendering

## See Also

VK_VERSION_1_0, VkCommandBuffer, VkSubpassContents

## 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