OpenGL is a graphics standard and API which targets the desktop, workstation and mobile segments. OpenGL is used for applications like CAD software and computer games. It is also cross-platform and with bindings for several programming languages. Use this tag together with the appropriate language tag for code that uses OpenGL libraries; add the 'glsl' tag for questions which include GLSL shader code.
OpenGL (or Open Graphics Library) is a cross-language, multi-platform application programming interface (API) specification for 2D and 3D graphics rendering. It is designed to be easy to accelerate with dedicated computer hardware, and hence most implementations give greatly improved performance over traditional software rendering. The API is typically used to interact with a graphics processing unit (GPU), to achieve hardware-accelerated rendering.
Silicon Graphics Inc. (SGI) started developing OpenGL circa 1991 and released the first implementation in 1992. The specification is currently at version 4.6 (July 2017). Applications use it extensively in the fields of CAD, virtual reality, scientific and data visualization, flight simulation and video games. OpenGL is now managed by the non-profit technology consortium Khronos Group.
Reference sites:
OpenGL.org, the home of OpenGL.
The Wikipedia page on OpenGL.
Introduction and tutorials at OpenGLBook.com.
Another collection of tutorials targeting major OSes.
Questions including code that uses the OpenGL API should use this tag. This not only applies to the C version of the API, but to any language that has bindings to OpenGL.
For questions that also include GLSL shader code, add the glsl tag as well.
