4 Design Features

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

• 4.1 Based on IRIS GL
• 4.2 Low-Level
  • 4.2.1 The OpenGL Utility Library
• 4.3 Fine-Grained Control
  • 4.3.1 Vertices and Associated Data
• 4.4 Modal
  • 4.4.1 The Matrix Stack
  • 4.4.2 State Queries and Attribute Stacks
• 4.5 Framebuffer
  • 4.5.1 Multipass Algorithms
  • 4.5.2 Invariance
• 4.6 Not Programmable
  • 4.6.1 The Graphics Pipeline and Per-Fragment Operations
• 4.7 Geometry and Images
  • 4.7.1 Texture Mapping
• 4.8 Immediate Mode and Display Lists
  • 4.8.1 Display List Optimization
  • 4.8.2 Display List Hierarchies
• 4.9 Depth buffer
• 4.10 Local Shading
• 4.11 Rendering Only
  • 4.11.1 Integration in X
• 4.12 API not Protocol