# LowLevelRenderContext An entry point for creating rendering resources and compiling materials. ``` protocol LowLevelRenderContext : AnyObject ``` ## Overview Use a `LowLevelRenderContext` to construct meshes, textures, buffers, argument tables, materials, and pipeline states. These objects are assembled into a [`LowLevelMeshInstanceArray`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelMeshInstanceArray) consumed each frame by [`LowLevelRenderer`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderer). ## Topics ### Accessing the render context [`var device: any MTLDevice`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/device) The Metal device that backs this render context. [`var shaderGraph: any LowLevelRenderContextShaderGraph`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/shaderGraph) The ShaderGraph function creation interface for this render context. ### Creating resources [`func makeBufferResource(descriptor: LowLevelBufferResource.Descriptor) throws -> LowLevelBufferResource`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeBufferResource(descriptor:)) Creates a GPU-managed buffer resource from the given descriptor. [`func makeTextureResource(descriptor: LowLevelTextureResource.Descriptor) throws -> LowLevelTextureResource`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeTextureResource(descriptor:)) Creates a texture resource from the given descriptor. [`func makeMaterialResource(descriptor: LowLevelMaterialResource.Descriptor) throws -> sending LowLevelMaterialResource`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeMaterialResource(descriptor:)-8hizx) Synchronous variant of [`makeMaterialResource(descriptor:)`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeMaterialResource(descriptor:)-8hizx). Blocks the current thread until compilation completes. [`func makeMaterialResource(descriptor: LowLevelMaterialResource.Descriptor) async throws -> sending LowLevelMaterialResource`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeMaterialResource(descriptor:)-9nufj) Asynchronously compiles a material resource from a geometry modifier, surface shader, and lighting function. ### Creating meshes [`func makeMeshResource(descriptor: LowLevelMeshResource.Descriptor) throws -> LowLevelMeshResource`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeMeshResource(descriptor:)) Creates a mesh resource from the given descriptor. [`func makeMeshPart(resource: LowLevelMeshResource, indexOffset: Int, indexCount: Int, primitive: MTLPrimitiveType, windingOrder: MTLWinding, bounds: BoundingSphereBox) throws -> LowLevelMeshPart`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeMeshPart(resource:indexOffset:indexCount:primitive:windingOrder:bounds:)) Creates a mesh part that selects a contiguous range of indices from a mesh resource. [`func makeMeshInstance(meshPart: LowLevelMeshPart, pipeline: LowLevelRenderPipelineState, geometryArguments: LowLevelArgumentTable?, surfaceArguments: LowLevelArgumentTable?, lightingArguments: LowLevelArgumentTable?, transform: simd_float4x4, sortCategory: LowLevelMeshInstance.SortCategory) throws -> LowLevelMeshInstance`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeMeshInstance(meshPart:pipeline:geometryArguments:surfaceArguments:lightingArguments:transform:sortCategory:)) Creates a drawable mesh instance pairing a mesh part with a compiled pipeline state and optional per-draw argument tables. [`func makeMeshInstanceArray(renderTargets: LowLevelRenderTarget.DescriptorSet, count: Int) throws -> LowLevelMeshInstanceArray`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeMeshInstanceArray(renderTargets:count:)) Creates a fixed-capacity ordered collection of mesh instances for the given render targets. [`func makeInstanceTransformResource(instanceCapacity: Int) throws -> LowLevelInstanceTransformResource`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeInstanceTransformResource(instanceCapacity:)) Creates a transform buffer resource for GPU instancing. ### Creating pipeline state [`func makeRenderPipelineState(descriptor: LowLevelRenderPipelineState.Descriptor) throws -> sending LowLevelRenderPipelineState`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeRenderPipelineState(descriptor:)-7j32p) Synchronous variant of [`makeRenderPipelineState(descriptor:)`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeRenderPipelineState(descriptor:)-7j32p). Blocks the current thread until compilation completes. [`func makeRenderPipelineState(descriptor: LowLevelRenderPipelineState.Descriptor) async throws -> sending LowLevelRenderPipelineState`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeRenderPipelineState(descriptor:)-55ty6) Asynchronously compiles a Metal render pipeline state from the given descriptor. [`func makeArgumentTable(descriptor: LowLevelArgumentTable.Descriptor, buffers: [LowLevelBufferSlice], textures: [LowLevelTextureResource]) throws -> LowLevelArgumentTable`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeArgumentTable(descriptor:buffers:textures:)) Creates an argument table that binds the provided buffer slices and textures. ### Creating surface shaders [`func makeSurfaceShader(descriptor: LowLevelMaterialResource.SurfaceShader.Descriptor) throws -> sending LowLevelMaterialResource.SurfaceShader`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeSurfaceShader(descriptor:)-66tq8) Synchronous variant of [`makeSurfaceShader(descriptor:)`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeSurfaceShader(descriptor:)-66tq8). Blocks the current thread until compilation completes. [`func makeSurfaceShader(descriptor: LowLevelMaterialResource.SurfaceShader.Descriptor) async throws -> sending LowLevelMaterialResource.SurfaceShader`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeSurfaceShader(descriptor:)-9kdy6) Asynchronously creates a custom surface shader from a user-authored Metal function descriptor. [`func makeSimpleSurfaceShader(descriptor: LowLevelMaterialResource.SimpleSurfaceDescriptor) throws -> sending LowLevelMaterialResource.SurfaceShader`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeSimpleSurfaceShader(descriptor:)-74vhb) Synchronous variant of [`makeSimpleSurfaceShader(descriptor:)`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeSimpleSurfaceShader(descriptor:)-74vhb). Blocks the current thread until compilation completes. [`func makeSimpleSurfaceShader(descriptor: LowLevelMaterialResource.SimpleSurfaceDescriptor) async throws -> sending LowLevelMaterialResource.SurfaceShader`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeSimpleSurfaceShader(descriptor:)-14ppx) Asynchronously creates a simple surface shader using a built-in tint color or texture implementation, as described by the given descriptor. ### Creating geometry modifiers [`func makeGeometryModifier(descriptor: LowLevelMaterialResource.GeometryModifier.Descriptor) throws -> sending LowLevelMaterialResource.GeometryModifier`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeGeometryModifier(descriptor:)-307ec) Synchronous variant of [`makeGeometryModifier(descriptor:)`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeGeometryModifier(descriptor:)-307ec). Blocks the current thread until compilation completes. [`func makeGeometryModifier(descriptor: LowLevelMaterialResource.GeometryModifier.Descriptor) async throws -> sending LowLevelMaterialResource.GeometryModifier`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeGeometryModifier(descriptor:)-9tq7q) Asynchronously creates a geometry modifier from a user-authored Metal function described by the given descriptor. [`func makeDefaultGeometryModifier() -> sending LowLevelMaterialResource.GeometryModifier`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeDefaultGeometryModifier()) Returns a pass-through geometry modifier that performs no vertex transformation. ### Synchronizing command buffers [`func waitForCommandBuffer(any MTLCommandBuffer)`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/waitForCommandBuffer(_:)) Adds a command buffer that the renderer should wait on before using resources for rendering. ### Instance Properties [`var lighting: any LowLevelRenderContextLighting`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/lighting) The lighting function creation interface for this context. ### Instance Methods [`func makeGeometryModifier(descriptor:)`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeGeometryModifier(descriptor:)) Synchronous variant of [`makeGeometryModifier(descriptor:)`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeGeometryModifier(descriptor:)). Blocks the current thread until compilation completes. [`func makeMaterialResource(descriptor:)`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeMaterialResource(descriptor:)) Synchronous variant of [`makeMaterialResource(descriptor:)`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeMaterialResource(descriptor:)). Blocks the current thread until compilation completes. [`func makeRenderPipelineState(descriptor:)`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeRenderPipelineState(descriptor:)) Synchronous variant of [`makeRenderPipelineState(descriptor:)`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeRenderPipelineState(descriptor:)). Blocks the current thread until compilation completes. [`func makeSimpleSurfaceShader(descriptor:)`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeSimpleSurfaceShader(descriptor:)) Synchronous variant of [`makeSimpleSurfaceShader(descriptor:)`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeSimpleSurfaceShader(descriptor:)). Blocks the current thread until compilation completes. [`func makeSurfaceShader(descriptor:)`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeSurfaceShader(descriptor:)) Synchronous variant of [`makeSurfaceShader(descriptor:)`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContext/makeSurfaceShader(descriptor:)). Blocks the current thread until compilation completes. ## Relationships ### Conforming Types [`LowLevelRenderContextStandalone`](/documentation/RealityKit/LowLevelRenderContextStandalone) --- Copyright © 2026 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. | [Terms of Use](https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/terms/site.html) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.apple.com/privacy/privacy-policy)