# Video Encoding and Decoding with Vulkan Compute Shaders in FFmpeg

DevFeed: [Video Encoding and Decoding with Vulkan Compute Shaders in FFmpeg](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/video-encoding-and-decoding-with-vulkan-compute-shaders-in-ffmpeg-15121.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://www.khronos.org/blog/video-encoding-and-decoding-with-vulkan-compute-shaders-in-ffmpeg>)

Author: jphilips (jeff@khronosgroup.org)

Published: 2026-03-16T17:04:00Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [Blogs Khronos Blog](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/blogs-khronos-blog.md>)

Topics: [FFmpeg (Fast Forward Moving Picture Experts Group)](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/ffmpeg.md>), [GPU](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/gpu.md>), [shaders](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/shaders.md>), [Compression](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/compression.md>), [coding](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/coding.md>)

Tags: [api](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/api.md>), [blog-vulkan-vulkan-vide](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/blog-vulkan-vulkan-vide.md>), [compression](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/compression.md>), [ffmpeg](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ffmpeg.md>), [gpu](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/gpu.md>), [performance](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/performance.md>), [shaders](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/shaders.md>), [video](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/video.md>), [vulkan](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/vulkan.md>)

## AI overview

This article explains how FFmpeg uses Vulkan Compute shaders to accelerate encoding and decoding of professional-grade video on consumer GPUs. It describes the parallel and serial stages of codec pipelines and how this approach complements Vulkan Video's fixed-function support.

## Source excerpt

In this blog we explore how FFmpeg uses Vulkan Compute to seamlessly accelerate encoding and decoding of even professional-grade video on consumer GPUs -- unlocking GPU compute parallelism at scale, without specialized hardware. This approach complements Vulkan Video's fixed-function codec support, extending acceleration to formats and workflows it doesn't cover.