PathTracer Learning

• A structured learning path for building a complete GPU path tracer — from foundational mathematics through Vulkan ray tracing and production-quality rendering.
• This series is based on research into modern rendering techniques, GPU path tracing APIs, and Godot engine internals.
• Prerequisite: It is recommended to work through Graphics Programming From Scratch before starting this series, as it covers PBR, the rendering equation, and GPU fundamentals from the ground up.

Learning Phases

• Follow these phases in order. Each phase builds directly on the last.
• PathTracer Learning Phase 1 Math for Graphics
  • Vectors, dot and cross products, coordinate systems, radiometry, probability theory, and the rendering equation
• PathTracer Learning Phase 2 CPU Ray Tracing
  • Build a complete software ray tracer in C++ first — understand the algorithm before moving to GPU
  • See also: PathTracer Learning Ray Tracing in One Weekend
• PathTracer Learning Phase 3 GPU and Vulkan
  • Vulkan ray tracing extension, shader binding tables, BLAS and TLAS acceleration structures
• PathTracer Learning Phase 4 Godot Internals
  • RenderingDevice API, RenderSceneBuffers, how Godot’s renderer is structured
• PathTracer Learning Phase 5 Advanced Topics
  • ReSTIR, DLSS, denoising, temporal accumulation, and production-quality rendering

Core Algorithms

• PathTracer Learning Path Tracing Algorithm
  • The complete path tracing algorithm — how Monte Carlo integration solves the rendering equation
• PathTracer Learning BLAS and TLAS
  • Acceleration structures — how rays find geometry efficiently at GPU speeds
• PathTracer Learning Vulkan RT Pipeline
  • VK_KHR_ray_tracing_pipeline — ray generation, closest-hit, miss, and any-hit shaders
• PathTracer Learning DLSS and Denoising
  • Temporal accumulation, DLSS 3.5 Ray Reconstruction, and denoising strategies
• PathTracer Learning ReSTIR
  • Reservoir-based spatiotemporal importance resampling for real-time path tracing

Math and Radiometry

• PathTracer Learning Dot Product
• PathTracer Learning Cross Product
• PathTracer Learning Solid Angle
• PathTracer Learning Radiometry
• PathTracer Learning Render Equation
• PathTracer Learning Monte Carlo Integration
• PathTracer Learning Importance Sampling
• PathTracer Learning MIS

Geometry and Intersection

• PathTracer Learning Ray Definition
• PathTracer Learning Ray Triangle Intersection
• PathTracer Learning AABB
• PathTracer Learning BVH Construction
• Pathtracer Concept BVH Traversal
• PathTracer Learning Camera Model

Shading and Materials

• PathTracer Learning Physically Based Rendering
• PathTracer Learning BRDF
• PathTracer Learning Microfacet Theory
• PathTracer Learning Fresnel Effect
• PathTracer Learning Normal Mapping
• PathTracer Learning Environment Map

Path Tracing Techniques

• PathTracer Learning Russian Roulette
• PathTracer Learning Next Event Estimation
• PathTracer Learning Temporal Accumulation
• PathTracer Learning Concept Temporal Rejection
• PathTracer Learning Tone Mapping
• PathTracer Learning Anti-Aliasing

Vulkan Internals

• PathTracer Learning Async Compute
• PathTracer Learning Device Address Bit

Reference

• PathTracer Learning Books and Tutorials
  • Ray Tracing in One Weekend, PBRT, Ray Tracing Gems, key papers
• PathTracer Learning Chat Analysis
  • Notes from Godot NVPathtracer contributor discussions

Projects

• PathTracer Learning Project Math Library
• PathTracer Learning Project CPU Path Tracer
• PathTracer Learning Project Vulkan RT