Getting Started
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Glossary
N-Z Terms
OpenGL
3min
opengl (open graphics library) is a cross platform application programming interface (api) for rendering 2d and 3d graphics it is available for a wide range of platforms, including microsoft windows, macos, linux, android, ios, and even the nintendo switch opengl is a software library that provides a set of functions that can be used to render 2d and 3d graphics it is a low level api, which means that it provides direct access to the graphics hardware this makes opengl very powerful, but it can also be complex to use opengl is used by a wide variety of applications, including games, cad software, and 3d modeling software it is also used in a variety of other industries, such as medical imaging and scientific visualization here are some of the benefits of using opengl in computer graphics cross platform opengl is available for a wide range of platforms, which makes it a good choice for applications that need to be deployed on multiple platforms powerful opengl is a powerful api that provides direct access to the graphics hardware this makes it possible to create high performance graphics applications flexible opengl is a flexible api that can be used to create a wide variety of graphics applications here are some of the drawbacks of using opengl in computer graphics complexity opengl is a complex api that can be difficult to learn and use performance opengl can be slow on some platforms, especially on older hardware fragmentation there are a number of different versions of opengl available, which can make it difficult to create applications that are compatible with all platforms overall, opengl is a powerful and versatile api that can be used to create a wide variety of graphics applications however, it is important to be aware of the benefits and drawbacks of opengl before using it in an application here are some additional tips for using opengl in computer graphics use a consistent naming convention using a consistent naming convention for opengl functions and variables will make it easier to read and maintain your code use high quality shaders shaders are programs that can be used to modify the appearance of 3d objects using high quality shaders can improve the realism and visual appeal of your graphics applications use a graphics engine a graphics engine is a software library that provides a high level abstraction for rendering 2d and 3d graphics using a graphics engine can make it easier to create graphics applications, and it can also improve the performance of your applications use a debugger a debugger is a software tool that can be used to step through your code line by line using a debugger can help you to identify and fix bugs in your opengl applications use online resources there are a number of online resources available that can help you to learn opengl these resources include tutorials, documentation, and forums feedback please be sure to submit issues or feature requests through the embedded feedback form in the event it is a major issue please contact us directly through discord