What OpenGL provides

• Provides low level functions to send raw data (buffer of values) on your GPU memory (if available).
• • - You send your 3D model as buffer of coordinates and faces connectivity.
  • - Buffer = contiguous set of values in memory.

• Allows to manipulate your data via shaders
• • - Shaders = Programs written in GLSL (openGL Shading Language), executed on the GPU (in parallel)
  • - Shaders take as input your data, and output a colored image (by default displayed on screen).
  • - You code all needed computation (coordinate/camera transformation, illumination) on shaders

• Pro
• • Extremely fast: Direct communication CPU/GPU; only execute what you have coded.
  • Very generic: You compute what you want, not necessarily only graphics.

• Cons
• • Very low level: You code everything (time consuming, error prone).
  • May be tricky to setup (driver compatibility, OpenGL version, manual window handling, etc).