Design Features

In this section we highlight the general features of OpenGL's design and provide illustratations and justifications of each using specific examples.

• Based on IRIS GL
• Low-Level
  • The OpenGL Utility Library
• Fine-Grained Control
  • Vertices and Associated Data
• Modal
  • The Matrix Stack
  • State Queries and Attribute Stacks
• Framebuffer
  • Multipass Algorithms
  • Invariance
• Not Programmable
  • The Graphics Pipeline and Per-Fragment Operations
• Geometry and Images
  • Texture Mapping
• Immediate Mode and Display Lists
  • Display List Optimization
  • Display List Hierarchies
• Depth buffer
• Local Shading
• Rendering Only
  • Integration in X
• API not Protocol