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This Was Last Updated In: March 2011

OpenGL is an open-source graphics API that allows developers to create 2D and 3D graphics across operating systems and hardware. It provides built-in capabilities for effects like hidden surface removal, blending, and texture mapping. Originally developed by Silicon Graphics, OpenGL is now supported by many companies and offers cross-platform graphics without requiring developers to rewrite code for each system.

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caroline zimbangu
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26 views

This Was Last Updated In: March 2011

OpenGL is an open-source graphics API that allows developers to create 2D and 3D graphics across operating systems and hardware. It provides built-in capabilities for effects like hidden surface removal, blending, and texture mapping. Originally developed by Silicon Graphics, OpenGL is now supported by many companies and offers cross-platform graphics without requiring developers to rewrite code for each system.

Uploaded by

caroline zimbangu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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OpenGL (Open Graphics Library) is the computer industry's standard application

program interface ( API ) for defining 2-D and 3-D graphic images. Prior to OpenGL,
any company developing a graphical application typically had to rewrite the graphics part
of it for each operating system platform and had to be cognizant of the graphics hardware
as well. With OpenGL, an application can create the same effects in any operating system
using any OpenGL-adhering graphics adapter.

OpenGL specifies a set of "commands" or immediately executed functions. Each


command directs a drawing action or causes special effects. A list of these commands can
be created for repetitive effects. OpenGL is independent of the windowing characteristics
of each operating system, but provides special "glue" routines for each operating system
that enable OpenGL to work in that system's windowing environment. OpenGL comes
with a large number of built-in capabilities requestable through the API. These include
hidden surface removal, alpha blending (transparency), antialiasing , texture
mapping, pixel operations, viewing and modeling transformations, and atmospheric
effects (fog, smoke, and haze).

Silicon Graphics, makers of advanced graphics workstation s, initiated the development


of OpenGL. Other companies on the industry-wide Architecture Review Board include
DEC, Intel, IBM, Microsoft, and Sun Microsystems. There is no cost (other than
learning) to developing an application using the OpenGL API. Microsoft offers free
downloads of the OpenGL libraries for its Windows systems. Although OpenGL is not
itself a development "toolkit," such toolkits are available, including Silicon
Graphics object-oriented programming 3D graphics toolkit, Open Inventor.

This was last updated in March 2011

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