A rendering target is an area of computer memory where the next frame to be displayed is drawn, often located in a dedicated memory area on the graphics card near the GPU. It can be used to draw textures on objects and optimize the final display image. Multiple rendering targets can be used, and it is similar to the process used with double buffering. The graphics hardware, drivers, and libraries used can affect its operation.
In computer graphics programming, a rendering target is an area of computer memory where the next frame to be displayed is drawn. Most often used to increase rendering speed, the rendering target is usually located in a dedicated memory area on the graphics card near the graphics processing unit (GPU). While the concept is nearly the same, there are some minor differences in the implementation and naming conventions associated with a render target; these depend on the programming language or library used, with some languages calling it a back buffer, a framebuffer object, or a double buffer. It is also possible, especially in three-dimensional (3D) computer graphics, to use the render target to draw textures on objects to optimize the final display image when compiled. In some cases it is possible to have multiple rendering targets (MRT), with different parts of a frame drawn on different surfaces and then composited on the final target.
The idea of a render target is similar to the process used with double buffering. An image is essentially drawn on an off-screen surface, which is actually an area of memory, so that when it’s time to draw the next frame on a display device or screen, it can be done as quickly as possible because all of the drawing functions have already been performed. The difference with a rendering target in many implementations is that the area of memory used can be on the graphics card and managed through hardware or other aspects of the GPU, making it much more efficient and faster than a software-managed double-buffer design.
In the case of 3D computer graphics programming, a rendering target can be used to optimize the rendering of objects that use images for their surface textures. The rendering context is within the graphics hardware, so this can allow very fast rasterization of 3D objects. Special effects can also be drawn this way, making assembling the final scene on a back buffer very fast because most of the graphical information is only moved a short distance on the graphics card.
The graphics hardware, drivers and libraries used can make a difference in how a rendering target operates. One specific constraint is with the use of MRT, where the graphics card determines how many targets can be used simultaneously. Some cards also lack any hardware support for rendering goals, although similar functionality can generally be achieved through alternative means.
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