Graphics Capabilities

OpenGL provides a wide range of graphics functions: from rendering a simple geometric point, line, or filled polygon, to texture mapping NURBS curved surfaces.

• Geometric primitives (points, lines, and polygons)
• Raster primitives (bitmaps and pixel rectangles)
• RGBA or color index mode
• Display list or immediate mode
• Viewing and modeling transformations
• Hidden Surface Removal (depth buffer)
• Alpha Blending (transparency)
• Antialiasing
• Texture Mapping
• Atmospheric Effects (fog, smoke, and haze)
• Polynomial Evaluators (to support Non-uniform rational B-splines)
• Pixel Operations (storing, transforming, mapping, zooming)
• Accumulation Buffer
• Stencil Planes
• Feedback, Selection, and Picking

The OpenGL functions described are provided on every OpenGL implementation to make applications written with OpenGL easily portable between platforms. All licensed OpenGL implementations are required to pass the Conformance Tests, and come from a single specification and language binding document.