OpenGL ES 3.0: Programming Guide, Second Edition (2014)
Foreword
Five years have passed since the OpenGL ES 2.0 version of this reference book helped alert developers everywhere that programmable 3D graphics on mobile and embedded systems had not just arrived, but was here to stay.
Five years later, more than 1 billion people around the world use OpenGL ES every day to interact with their computing devices, for both information and entertainment. Nearly every pixel on nearly every smartphone screen has been generated, manipulated, or composited by this ubiquitous graphics API.
Now, OpenGL ES 3.0 has been developed by Khronos Group and is shipping on the latest mobile devices, continuing the steady flow of advanced graphics features into the hands of consumers everywhere—features that were first developed and proven on high-end systems shipping with desktop OpenGL.
In fact, OpenGL is now easily the most widely deployed family of 3D APIs, with desktop OpenGL and OpenGL ES being joined by WebGL to bring the power of OpenGL ES to web content everywhere. OpenGL ES 3.0 will be instrumental in powering the evolution of WebGL, enabling HTML5 developers to tap directly into the power of the latest GPUs from the first truly portable 3D applications.
OpenGL ES 3.0 not only places more graphics capabilities into the hands of developers across a huge range of devices and platforms, but also enables faster, more power-efficient 3D applications that are easier to write, port, and maintain—and this book will show you how.
There has never been a more fascinating and rewarding time to be a 3D developer. My thanks and congratulations go to the authors for continuing to be a vital part of the evolving story of OpenGL ES, and for working hard to produce this book that helps ensure developers everywhere can better understand and leverage the full power of OpenGL ES 3.0.
—Neil Trevett
President, Khronos Group
Vice President Mobile Ecosystem, NVIDIA
Praise for OpenGL® ES™ 3.0 Programming Guide, Second Edition
“As a graphics technologist and intense OpenGL ES developer, I can honestly say that if you buy only one book on OpenGL ES 3.0 programming, then this should be the book. Dan and Budirijanto have written a book clearly by programmers for programmers. It is simply required reading for anyone interested in OpenGL ES 3.0. It is informative, well organized, and comprehensive, but best of all practical. You will find yourself reaching for this book over and over again instead of the actual OpenGL ES specification during your programming sessions. I give it my highest recommendation.”
—Rick Tewell, Graphics Technology Architect, Freescale
“This book provides outstanding coverage of the latest version of OpenGL ES, with clear, comprehensive explanations and extensive examples. It belongs on the desk of anyone developing mobile applications.”
—Dave Astle, Graphics Tools Lead, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., and Founder, GameDev.net
“The second edition of OpenGL® ES™ 3.0 Programming Guide provides a solid introduction to OpenGL ES 3.0 specifications, along with a wealth of practical information and examples to help any level of developer begin programming immediately. We’d recommend this guide as a primer on OpenGL ES 3.0 to any of the thousands of developers creating apps for the many mobile and embedded products using our PowerVR Rogue graphics.”
—Kristof Beets, Business Development, Imagination Technologies
“This is a solid OpenGL ES 3.0 reference book. It covers all aspects of the API and will help any developer get familiar with and understand the API, including specifically the new ES 3.0 functionality.”
—Jed Fisher, Managing Partner, 4D Pipeline
“This is a clear and thorough reference for OpenGL ES 3.0, and an excellent presentation of the concepts present in all modern OpenGL programming. This is the guide I’d want by my side when diving into embedded OpenGL.”
—Todd Furlong, President & Principal Engineer, Inv3rsion LLC