Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Class 9: WebGL

WebGL (Web Graphics Library) is an application programming interface (Javascript API) within web browsers that make rendering 2D and 3D graphics possible. Because WebGL is integrated with compatible browsers, it allows rendering with no plug-ins needed allowing the GPU to have an easier time in handling the images and graphics . The compatible browsers include: Firefox,Chrome, Safari, Opera, and Internet Explorer. It uses control code consisting of Javascript which is then executed by the computers GPU or Graphics Processing Unit. It could also be combined within HTML elements and executed by other parts of the page or background.

WebGL is maintained by Khronos Group which is a non-profit organization and based in Beaverton, Oregon. History shows that it started off as Canvas 3D experiments carried out by Vladimir Vukićević of Mozilla. He first displayed a prototype in 2006 and by the end of the next year, Mozilla and Opera had carried out their own prototypes. A couple years later in 2009, Khronos Group created WebGL with the help and backing of other major companies. They are currently building the WebGL 2 specification which is slated to be released in 2013.

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