OpenGL

OpenGL

A diagram of how video games on Linux outsource real-time rendering calculations to a GPU using OpenGL.
Original author(s)	Silicon Graphics
Developer(s)	Khronos Group (formerly ARB)
Initial release	June 30, 1992 (1992-06-30)

Stable release	4.6 / 31 July 2017 (31 July 2017)

Written in	C
Successor	Vulkan
Type	3D graphics API
License	Open source license for use of the Sample Implementation (SI): This is a Free Software License B closely modeled on BSD, X, and Mozilla licenses. Trademark license for new licensees who want to use the OpenGL trademark and logo and claim conformance.
Website	opengl.org

OpenGL (Open Graphics Library) is a cross-language, cross-platform application programming interface (API) for rendering 2D and 3D vector graphics. The API is typically used to interact with a graphics processing unit (GPU), to achieve hardware-accelerated rendering.

Silicon Graphics, Inc. (SGI) began developing OpenGL in 1991 and released it on June 30, 1992. It is used for a variety of applications, including computer-aided design (CAD), video games, scientific visualization, virtual reality, and flight simulation. Since 2006, OpenGL has been managed by the non-profit technology consortium Khronos Group.