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# MTLBufferLayoutDescriptor

A description of how a compute function fetches input data for an attribute.

```
class MTLBufferLayoutDescriptor
```

## Topics

### Describing fetch behavior

[`stride`](/documentation/Metal/MTLBufferLayoutDescriptor/stride)

The number of bytes from one buffer entry to the next.

[`stepFunction`](/documentation/Metal/MTLBufferLayoutDescriptor/stepFunction)

Determines how and when compute functions fetch data.

[`stepRate`](/documentation/Metal/MTLBufferLayoutDescriptor/stepRate)

How frequently the step function should load data.

[`MTLStepFunction`](/documentation/Metal/MTLStepFunction)

The frequency and locations at which a function fetches attribute data.


---

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