An OpenGL renderer converts math, geometry, and texture information into an image for display. It can be customized to support unique hardware features, improve performance, or provide a debugging environment. It can also be used for software emulation in systems without graphics hardware.
An OpenGL® renderer is a software application, library, or abstract programming interface (API) designed to take math, geometry, and texture information from a program and display it on an output device. The job of an OpenGL® renderer is to bridge the gap between stored information about a three-dimensional (3D) object such as coordinates, vectors, and other numbers, and convert it into an image with the correct lighting, textures, and viewing angle. OpenGL® includes its own rendering implementation, but this can be overridden to improve existing algorithms or to support features that might not otherwise be supported with certain hardware configurations. Many programs that use 3D graphics often include an option to choose the type of renderer used, depending on what your hardware supports.
One use for an OpenGL® renderer is to provide a custom interface between the OpenGL® API and some proprietary or specialized hardware. This often occurs with mobile devices or custom displays that support unique features like 3D imaging. By customizing the rendering portion of an application, you can identify limitations or special capabilities of the output medium so that the program runs smoothly and displays the way you want.
Another application for an OpenGL® renderer is to help simplify functions so they run faster or differently than the default renderer. This can be seen with some video games where specific features and functions that are rarely used in non-game programs need to be further expanded to achieve high frame rates and consistent performance. A custom renderer can also be used during game development to provide a debugging environment when other rendering methods cause graphical issues.
There are some cases, such as in the security, transportation, or other embedded systems industry, where software may be written using OpenGL® to display real-time information, but ultimately the software may not run on a system that has Graphic card. An example of this is an aircraft display where software is developed and tested on a desktop computer. In this case, an OpenGL® renderer can be used to ensure that while the software uses standard function calls, none of the calls fail due to lack of graphics hardware. This is one way that standard programming libraries can be used anywhere through redirected software emulation.
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