Graphics library

A graphics library is a library which provides basic functions for graphics output to a program. The best-known groups of such functions are:

  • OpenGL, a standardized programming interface for 3D graphics
  • Sprites, dating from the origins of computer games method, each moving object on the screen to assign a sprite, and determine collisions between them
  • Geometric features, such as circle, ellipse, filled rectangles, lines
  • Window systems, menus, dialog boxes, buttons,
  • Magazine issue

Most of the programmer interacts with abstract objects, which are then implemented by the respective library on pixels, the group of 3D graphics, in contrast to the 2D counterparts before or converted into voxels or Texel.

Especially the latter have learned its meaning from the games area, but also professional image processing, medical systems, pattern recognition and design processes ( CAD) have been crucial to the development of many graphics functions.

Graphics libraries are distinguished from stand-alone applications to display images ( image processing), data and functions ( function plotter ). Theoretically, these applications consist only of a graphical user interface is accessed through the modules on a graphics library; historically but libraries and applications have mostly evolved independently.

Examples of graphics libraries

Historic Libraries:

  • Borland Graphics Interface (BGI, part of Turbo Pascal )

Multimedia libraries (also included sound, network, and input functions ):

  • DirectX - a collection of proprietary programming interfaces; Implementations are part of Microsoft Windows; a free implementations will be developed within the Wine project
  • Simple DirectMedia Layer (SDL )

2D graphics:

  • Cairo

3D graphics:

  • Mesa 3D - a free implementation of OpenGL, OpenGL ES, OpenVG, EGL and libwayland - EGL, GLX and Glide (as well as some free device drivers )
  • Wine - a free implementation of the Win32 API, which also includes an implementation of Direct3D Version 9

Widget libraries:

  • Qt
  • Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC)
  • Java Swing
  • Graphics library
Sprite (computer graphics) Image editing Cairo (graphics) Mesa (computer graphics)
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