Release 1.9.2609

This release is focused on the Vulkan SDK.

Schedule

• 09/15/2026 - Release branch forks from main
  • After this point, changes must be cherry-picked into the release branch.
• 09/15/2026 - Release Candidate 1 (begin Ask Mode[^1] for the release branch)
  • After this point, cherry-picked changes must be approved by @microsoft/hlsl-release.
• 09/18/2026 - Final Release Candidate
• 09/29/2026 - Target Release Date

Tasks

Before Fork

• Update the release notes on main
• Update version numbers in utils/version/latest-release.json and utils/version/version.inc
• Create the release branch from main
• Configure internal branches and build pipelines
  • Verify GitHub release zip files build
  • Verify the NuGet package builds
  • Verify the VPack builds
• Update SPIRV-Headers and SPIRV-Tools to the revisions for the Vulkan SDK
• Final merge of main into the release branch

After Fork

• Update README.md if necessary
• Create the draft GitHub release

Quality Sign-off

• Microsoft testing sign-off (@damyanp)
• NVIDIA testing sign-off (@dnovillo / @pow2clk)
• LunarG SPIR-V validation

Release

• Tag the final release and publish the GitHub binaries
• Publish the NuGet package
• Complete the Direct3D and OS VPack rollout
• Add the compiler to Compiler Explorer

[^1]: Ask Mode means that changes require approval before they can merge. For DXC, approval must come from @microsoft/hlsl-release.

Begin with the release checklist, then inspect utils/version/latest-release.json, utils/version/version.inc, README.md, and the release-branch workflow. Track the Vulkan SDK, SPIRV-Headers, SPIRV-Tools, package, pipeline, testing, and sign-off tasks listed there; done means the final tag, binaries, NuGet package, VPack rollout, and Compiler Explorer update are complete.