List of 3D graphics APIs

3D graphics have become so popular, particularly in computer games, that specialized APIs (application programming interfaces) have been created to ease the processes in all stages of computer graphics generation. These APIs have also proved vital to computer graphics hardware manufacturers, as they provide a way for programmers to access the hardware in an abstract way, while still taking advantage of the special hardware of any specific graphics card.

These APIs for 3D computer graphics are particularly popular:

• OpenGL and the OpenGL Shading Language
• OpenGL ES 3D API for embedded devices
• Direct3D (a subset of DirectX)
• RenderMan
• RenderWare
• Glide API
• TruDimension LC Glasses and 3D monitor API
• QuickDraw 3D developed by Apple Computer starting in 1995, abandoned in 1998

There are also higher-level 3D scene-graph APIs which provide additional functionality on top of the lower-level rendering API. Such libraries under active development include:

• QSDK
• Quesa
• Java 3D
• JSR 184 (M3G)
• Vega Prime by Presagis
• NVidia Scene Graph
• OpenGL Performer
• OpenSceneGraph
• OpenSG
• OGRE
• CrystalSpace
• JMonkey Engine
• Irrlicht Engine
• Hoops3D
• UGS DirectModel (aka JT)

See also

• Graphics library
• Game engine
• 3d computer graphics software

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