History of OpenGL: Difference between revisions
→OpenGL 4.3 (2012): Added links to the appropriate page sections. |
→OpenGL 4.2 (2011): Added links to the appropriate sections. |
||
Line 104: | Line 104: | ||
!Promoted from | !Promoted from | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Allows atomically incrementing/decrementing and fetching of buffer object memory locations from shaders | |Allows atomically [[Atomic_Counter|incrementing/decrementing and fetching of buffer object memory locations from shaders]] | ||
|[http://www.opengl.org/registry/specs/ARB/shader_atomic_counters.txt ARB_shader_atomic_counters] | |[http://www.opengl.org/registry/specs/ARB/shader_atomic_counters.txt ARB_shader_atomic_counters] | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Allows shaders to read and write images, | |Allows shaders to [[Image Load Store|read and write images]], with [[Memory_Model#Incoherent_memory_access|few but difficult restrictions]] | ||
|[http://www.opengl.org/registry/specs/ARB/shader_image_load_store.txt ARB_shader_image_load_store] | |[http://www.opengl.org/registry/specs/ARB/shader_image_load_store.txt ARB_shader_image_load_store] | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Allows texture objects to have [[Texture# | |Allows texture objects to have [[Texture Storage#Immutable storage|immutable storage, and allocating all mipmap levels and images in one call]]. The storage becomes immutable, but the contents of the storage are not | ||
|[http://www.opengl.org/registry/specs/ARB/texture_storage.txt ARB_texture_storage] | |[http://www.opengl.org/registry/specs/ARB/texture_storage.txt ARB_texture_storage] | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Allows instanced rendering of data written by transform feedback operations | |Allows [[Vertex_Rendering#Transform_feedback_rendering|instanced rendering of data written by transform feedback operations]] | ||
|[http://www.opengl.org/registry/specs/ARB/transform_feedback_instanced.txt ARB_transform_feedback_instanced] | |[http://www.opengl.org/registry/specs/ARB/transform_feedback_instanced.txt ARB_transform_feedback_instanced] | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Allows the setting of [[Uniform_Buffer_Object#Version_4.20_binding|Uniform Buffer Object]] and [[GLSL_Samplers#Verison_4.20_binding|sampler]] binding points directly from GLSL, among many | |Allows the setting of [[Uniform_Buffer_Object#Version_4.20_binding|Uniform Buffer Object]] and [[GLSL_Samplers#Verison_4.20_binding|sampler]] binding points directly from GLSL, among [[Type_Qualifier#Qualifier_order|many other]] small changes | ||
|[http://www.opengl.org/registry/specs/ARB/shading_language_420pack.txt ARB_shading_language_420pack] | |[http://www.opengl.org/registry/specs/ARB/shading_language_420pack.txt ARB_shading_language_420pack] | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Allows the use of certain advanced compression | |Allows the use of certain advanced compression formats | ||
|[http://www.opengl.org/registry/specs/ARB/texture_compression_bptc.txt ARB_texture_compression_BPTC] | |[http://www.opengl.org/registry/specs/ARB/texture_compression_bptc.txt ARB_texture_compression_BPTC] | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Allows instanced rendering with a starting instance value. | |Allows instanced rendering with a [[Vertex_Rendering#Instancing|starting instance value]]. | ||
|[http://www.opengl.org/registry/specs/ARB/base_instance.txt ARB_base_instance] | |[http://www.opengl.org/registry/specs/ARB/base_instance.txt ARB_base_instance] | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Allows the user to detect the maximum number of samples possible for a particular [[Image Format|image format]] and [[Texture#Theory|texture type]] | |Allows the user to [[Image_Format#Image_format_queries|detect the maximum number of samples possible]] for a particular [[Image Format|image format]] and [[Texture#Theory|texture type]] | ||
|[http://www.opengl.org/registry/specs/ARB/internalformat_query.txt ARB_internalformat_query] | |[http://www.opengl.org/registry/specs/ARB/internalformat_query.txt ARB_internalformat_query] | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 134: | Line 134: | ||
|[http://www.opengl.org/registry/specs/ARB/shading_language_packing.txt ARB_shading_language_packing] | |[http://www.opengl.org/registry/specs/ARB/shading_language_packing.txt ARB_shading_language_packing] | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Allows querying of the alignment for pointers returned from [[Buffer_Object#Mapping|buffer object mapping operations]] | |Allows querying of the [[Buffer Object#Alignment|alignment for pointers]] returned from [[Buffer_Object#Mapping|buffer object mapping operations]] | ||
|[http://www.opengl.org/registry/specs/ARB/map_buffer_alignment.txt ARB_map_buffer_alignment] | |[http://www.opengl.org/registry/specs/ARB/map_buffer_alignment.txt ARB_map_buffer_alignment] | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Allows explicitly defining how a fragment shader will modify the depth value, so that the system can optimize these cases better | |Allows explicitly defining how a [[Fragment_Shader#Outputs|fragment shader will modify the depth value]], so that the system can optimize these cases better | ||
|[http://www.opengl.org/registry/specs/ARB/conservative_depth.txt ARB_conservative_depth] | |[http://www.opengl.org/registry/specs/ARB/conservative_depth.txt ARB_conservative_depth] | ||
|- | |- |
Revision as of 07:37, 13 February 2013
Overview
OpenGL was first created as an open and reproducable alternative to Iris GL which had been the proprietary graphics API on Silicon Graphics workstations. Although OpenGL was initially similar in some respects to IrisGL the lack of a formal specification and conformance tests made Iris GL unsuitable for broader adoption. Mark Segal and Kurt Akeley authored the OpenGL 1.0 specification which tried to formalize the definition of a useful graphics API and made cross platform non-SGI 3rd party implementation and support viable. One notable omission from version 1.0 of the API was texture objects. IrisGL had definition and bind stages for all sorts of objects including materials, lights, textures and texture environments. OpenGL eschewed these objects in favor of incremental state changes with the idea that collective changes could be encapsulated in display lists. This has remained the philosophy with the exception that texture objects (glBindTexture) with no distinct definition stage are a key part of the API.
OpenGL has been through a number of revisions which have predominantly been incremental additions where extensions to the core API have gradually been incorporated into the main body of the API. For example OpenGL 1.1 added the glBindTexture extension to the core API.
OpenGL 2.0 incorporates the significant addition of the OpenGL Shading Language (also called GLSL), a C like language with which the transformation and fragment shading stages of the pipeline can be programmed.
OpenGL 3.0 adds the concept of deprecation: marking certain features as subject to removal in later versions. GL 3.1 removed most deprecated features, and GL 3.2 created the notion of core and compatibility OpenGL contexts.
Official versions of OpenGL released to date are 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, 1.2.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 2.0, 2.1, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3.
Summary of version changes
This is summary of all changes made in OpenGL specifications through its development. More information about changes may be obtained in OpenGL specification for the version. (In appendix.)
Almost all additions are promoted from some extensions.
OpenGL 4.3 (2012)
Links:
- OpenGL 4.3 Core Profile Specification
- OpenGL 4.3 Compatibility Profile Specification
- OpenGL Shading Language 4.30 Specification
OpenGL 4.2 (2011)
Links:
- OpenGL 4.2 Core Profile Specification
- OpenGL 4.2 Compatibility Profile Specification
- OpenGL Shading Language 4.20.6 Specification
OpenGL 4.1 (2010)
Addition | Promoted from |
---|---|
Query and load a binary blob for program objects | ARB_get_program_binary |
Ability to bind programs individually to programmable stages | ARB_separate_shader_objects |
Pulling missing functionality from OpenGL ES 2.0 into OpenGL | ARB_ES2_compatibility |
Documents precision requirements for several FP operations | ARB_shader_precision |
Provides 64-bit floating-point component vertex shader inputs | ARB_vertex_attrib_64_bit |
Multiple viewports for the same rendering surface, or one per surface | ARB_viewport_array |
Links:
- OpenGL 4.1 Core Profile Specification
- OpenGL 4.1 Compatibility Profile Specification
- OpenGL Shading Language 4.10.6 Specification
OpenGL 4.0 (2010)
Addition | Promoted from |
---|---|
Shading language 4.00 | ARB_texture_query_lod, ARB_gpu_shader5, ARB_gpu_shader_fp64, ARB_shader_subroutine, ARB_texture_gather |
Individual blend equations for each color output | ARB_draw_buffers_blend |
Draw instanced arrays indirect | ARB_draw_indirect |
Request minimum number of fragment inputs | ARB_sample_shading |
Tessellation control and evaluation shaders | ARB_tessellation_shader |
Buffer Texture formats RGB32F, RGB32I, RGB32UI | ARB_texture_buffer_object_rgb32 |
Cube map array textures | ARB_texture_cube_map_array |
Transform Feedback objects and multiple feedback stream output. | ARB_transform_feedback2, ARB_transform_feedback3 |
Links:
- OpenGL 4.0 Core Profile Specification
- OpenGL 4.0 Compatibility Profile Specification
- OpenGL Shading Language 4.00.9 Specification
OpenGL 3.3 (2010)
Addition | Promoted from |
---|---|
Shading language 3.30 | ARB_shader_bit_encoding |
Dual-source blending. | ARB_blend_func_extended |
Shader-defined locations for attributes and fragment shader outputs. | ARB_explicit_attrib_location |
Simple boolean Occlusion Query | ARB_occlusion_query2 |
Sampler objects | ARB_sampler_objects |
A new texture format for unsigned 10.10.10.2 | ARB_texture_rgb10_a2ui |
Texture swizzle | ARB_texture_swizzle |
Timer queries | ARB_timer_query |
Instanced arrays | ARB_instanced_arrays |
Vertex attributes 2.10.10.10 | ARB_vertex_type_2_10_10_10_rev |
Links:
- OpenGL 3.3 Core Profile Specification
- OpenGL 3.3 Compatibility Profile Specification
- OpenGL Shading Language 3.30.9 Specification
- OpenGL 3.3 Reference Pages
- Official feedback on OpenGL 3.3 thread
OpenGL 3.2 (2009)
- Core and compatibility profiles
- Shading language 1.50
Addition | Promoted from |
---|---|
D3D compatible color vertex component ordering | ARB_vertext_array_bgra |
Drawing command allowing modification of the base vertex index | ARB_draw_elements_base_vertex |
Shader fragment coordinate convention control | ARB_fragment_coord_conventions |
Provoking vertex control | ARB_provoking_vertex |
Seamless cube map filtering | ARB_seamless_cube_map |
Multisampled textures and texture samplers for specific sample locations | ARB_texture_multisample |
Fragment depth clamping | ARB_depth_clamp |
Geometry Shaders, as well as input/output Interface Blocks | ARB_geometry_shader4, though heavily modified. |
Fence sync objects | ARB_sync |
Links:
- OpenGL 3.2 Core Profile Specification
- OpenGL 3.2 Compatibility Profile Specification
- OpenGL Shading Language 1.50.11 Specification
- Official feedback on OpenGL 3.2 thread
OpenGL 3.1 (2009)
- All features deprecated in OpenGL 3.0 are removed except wide lines
- Shading language 1.40
- SNORM texture component formats
Addition | Promoted from |
---|---|
Instanced rendering with a per instance counter accessible to vertex shaders | ARB_draw_instanced |
Data copying between buffer objects | EXT_copy_buffer |
Primitive restart | NV_primitive_restart |
Buffer Textures | ARB_texture_buffer_object |
Rectangle Textures | ARB_texture_rectangle |
Uniform Buffer Objects | ARB_uniform_buffer_object |
Links:
- OpenGL 3.1 Specification
- OpenGL 3.1 Specification with GL_ARB_compatibility extension
- OpenGL Shading Language 1.40.08 Specification
- Official feedback on OpenGL 3.1 thread
OpenGL 3.0 (2008)
- New context creation mechanism
- Full and forward compatible context
- Profiles
- Mapping buffer subranges into client space
- Single- and double-channel (R and RG) internal formats for textures and renderbuffers
Addition | Promoted from |
---|---|
Conditional Rendering | NV_conditional_render |
Floating-point color and depth internal formats for textures and render buffers | ARB_color_buffer_float, NV_depth_buffer_float, ARB_texture_float, EXT_packed_float, EXT_texture_shared_exponent |
Framebuffer Objects, along with blitting, Multisample Renderbuffer Objects, and packed depth/stencil image formats | ARB_framebuffer_object |
Half-float (16-bit) vertex array and pixel data formats | NV_half_float, EXT_half_float_pixel |
Integral Image Formats, which can be fetched as integers rather than being converted to normalized floats. | EXT_texture_integer |
Array Textures | EXT_texture_array |
Per-color-attachment blend enables and color writemasks | EXT_draw_buffers2 |
Red Green Texture Compression | EXT_texture_compression_rgtc |
Transform Feedback | ARB_transform_feedback |
Vertex Array Objects | ARB_vertex_array_object |
sRGB framebuffer mode | EXT_framebuffer_sRGB |
Deprecation Model
OpenGL 3 specification marks many features as deprecated, which will be removed in next versions. This features include:
- Application-generated object names
- Color index mode
- Shading language 1.10 and 1.20
- Begin/End primitive specification
- Edge flags
- Fixed function vertex processing!
- Client vertex arrays
- Rectangles
- Current raster position
- Two-sided color selection
- Non-sprite points
- Wide lines and line stripple
- Quadrilateral and polygon primitives
- Separate polygon draw mode
- Polygon stripple
- Pixel transfer modes and operations
- Pixel drawing
- Bitmaps
- Legacy OpenGL 1.0 pixel formats
- Legacy pixel formats
- Depth texture mode
- Texture wrap mode CLAMP
- Texture borders
- Automatic mipmap generation
- Fixed function fragment processing
- Alpha test
- Accumulation buffers
- Context framebuffer size queries
- Evaluators
- Selection and feedback mode
- Display lists
- Hints
- Attribute stacks
- Unified extension string
Links:
- OpenGL 3.0 Specification
- OpenGL Shading Language 1.30.10 Specification
- Official feedback on OpenGL 3.0 thread
OpenGL 2.1 (2006)
Core features:
Addition | Promoted from |
---|---|
Pixel buffer objects | ARB_pixel_buffer_object |
sRGB textures | EXT_texture_sRGB |
Shading language 1.20:
- Non-square matrices in GLSL.
Links:
OpenGL 2.0 (2004)
Addition | Promoted from |
---|---|
Shader objects | ARB_shader_objects, heavily modified |
Shader programs | ARB_vertex_shader, ARB_fragment_shader, heavily modified |
Shading language 1.10 | ARB_shading_language_100, heavily modified |
Multiple render targets | ARB_draw_buffers |
Non-power-of-two textures | ARB_texture_non_power_of_two |
Point sprites | ARB_point_sprite |
Separate stencil | ATI_separate_stencil, EXT_stencil_two_side |
OpenGL 1.5 (2003)
Addition | Promoted from |
---|---|
Buffer objects | ARB_vertex_buffer_object |
Occlusion query | ARB_occlusion_query |
Shadow functions | EXT_shadow_funcs |
OpenGL 1.4 (2002)
Addition | Promoted from |
---|---|
Automatic mipmap generation | SGIS_generate_mipmap |
Blend squaring | NV_blend_equare |
Depth textures and shadows | ARB_depth_texture, ARB_shadow |
Fog coordinate | EXT_fog_coord |
Multiple draw arrays | EXT_multi_draw_arrays |
Point parameters | ARB_point_parameters |
Secondary color | EXT_secondary_color |
Separate blend functions | EXT_blend_func_separate |
Stencil wrap | EXT_stencil_wrap |
Texture crossbar env mode | ARB_texture_env_crossbar |
Texture LOD bias | EXT_texture_lod_bias |
Texture mirrored repeat | ARB_texture_mirrored_repeat |
Window raster position | ARB_window_pos |
OpenGL 1.3 (2001)
Addition | Promoted from |
---|---|
Compressed textures | ARB_texture_compression |
Cube map textures | ARB_texture_cube_map |
Multisample | ARB_multisample |
Multitexture | ARB_multitexture |
Texture add env mode | ARB_texture_env_add |
Texture combine env mode | ARB_texture_env_combine |
Texture dot3 env mode | ARB_texture_env_dot3 |
Texture border clamp | ARB_texture_border_clamp |
Transpose matrix | ARB_transpose_matrix |
OpenGL 1.2.1 (1998)
This version defines ARB extensions concept. ARB extensions are not required to be supported by a conformant OpenGL implementation, but are expected to be widely available; they define functionality that is likely to move into the required feature set in a future revision of the specification.
GL implementations of such later revisions should continue to export the name strings of promoted extensions in the EXTENSIONS string, and continue to support the ARB-affixed versions of functions and enumerants as a transition aid.
OpenGL 1.2 (1998)
Addition | Promoted from |
---|---|
3D textures | EXT_texture3D |
BGRA pixel formats | EXT_bgra |
Packed pixel formats | EXT_packed_pixels |
Normal rescaling | EXT_rescale_normal |
Separate specular color | EXT_separate_specular_color |
Texture coordinate edge clamping | SGIS_texture_edge_clamp |
Texture LOD control | SGIS_texture_lod |
Vertex array draw element range | EXT_draw_range_elements |
Imaging subset (optional)
Addition | Promoted from |
---|---|
Color Tables | EXT_color_table, EXT_color_subtable |
Convolution | EXT_convolution, EXT_convolution_border_modes |
Color matrix | EXT_color_matrix |
Pixel data statistics | EXT_histogram |
Constant blend color | EXT_blend_color |
New blending equations | EXT_blend_minmax, EXT_blend_substract |
OpenGL 1.1 (1997)
Addition | Promoted from |
---|---|
Vertex arrays | EXT_vertex_array |
Polygon offset | EXT_polygon_offset |
Logical operation | EXT_blend_logic_op |
Internal texture formats | EXT_texture |
GL_REPLACE texture env | EXT_texture |
Texture proxy | EXT_texture |
Copy texture and subtexture | EXT_copy_texture, EXT_subtexture |
Texture objects | EXT_texture_object |
OpenGL 1.0 (1992)
First release.