Microsoft has released the February 2026 update to its open-source DirectX Shader Compiler (DXC), featuring significant SPIR-V backend improvements. Key changes include better layout and ABI correctness, expanded type system support, improved code generation correctness, and ongoing debug enhancements. These updates improve interoperability with Vulkan drivers and tooling while aligning behavior more closely with HLSL and DXIL semantics. The release also includes various fixes across HLSL/DXIL/SPIR-V paths, stability improvements during shader compilation, and production support for Shader Model 6.9. This work is part of Microsoft's broader effort toward Shader Model 7 and SPIR-V adoption in DirectX.

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