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Technical Q&As
Mac OS X provides programming interfaces that work together to create a seamless visual environment. There are three main technologies: Quartz 2D, the graphics library that leverages the PDF drawing model; a platform-optimized OpenGL stack that handles three-dimensional graphics; and Quartz Extreme, the unique Mac OS X windowing system that brings together 2D and 3D graphics and composites 2D images, 3D images, and video in real time.
Graphics & Imaging Resources
A guided introduction and learning path for developers new to Mac OS X graphics and imaging.  
Graphics & Imaging Topics
Carbon
A set of C programming interfaces for implementing graphics features in Carbon applications. 		 
Cocoa
A set of object-oriented APIs for implementing graphics features in Cocoa applications. 		 
ColorSync
The color management system from Apple that provides essential services for fast, consistent, and accurate color management.
Games
Programming interfaces that support the optimized display of high-quality 2D and 3D visual content for games. 		 
Hardware
Programming interfaces to control video and graphics hardware and query it for information. 		 
Java
Tools, techniques, and programming libraries for implementing graphics features in Java applications.
OpenGL
A C programming interface used to control graphics hardware. With OpenGL, developers can create portable, interactive 2D and 3D graphics applications for both Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X. 		 
Performance
Tools, techniques, and programming interfaces for measuring, evaluating, and improving graphics performance. 		 
Printing
Graphics technologies that help developers to implement high-quality, device-independent printing features in their Mac OS X applications.
Quartz
The graphics system that forms the foundation of the imaging model for Mac OS X. Quartz includes a modern 2D drawing API and an advanced windowing environment. 		 
QuickTime
High-level graphics capabilities in QuickTime and support for rendering of QuickTime visual output to graphics and imaging layers such as Quartz and OpenGL. 		 
Typography
Resources for managing the display and arrangement of printed characters.
View legacy technologies, including technologies, features, products, APIs, and programming techniques that are no longer supported or have been superseded.