OpenGL or Open Graphics Library is the standard application program interface (API) for writing applications that implement 2D and 3D computer graphics. OpenGL was developed by Silicon Graphics Inc. in 1992 and is widely used in CAD, virtual reality, flight simulation, scientific visualization and especially video games. Since 21 September 2006, Khronos Group (non-profit technology consortium) is in charge of developing and managing OpenGL.

OpenGL specifies a set of "commands" or immediately executed functions which directs a drawing action or causes special effects.

Newest version is OpenGL 3.0 released August 11, 2008, and requires the same level of hardware as is required for DirectX 10 support.
It is compatible with prior OpenGL versions: OpenGL 2.1 and OpenGL 2.0.

OpenGp 3.0 features:

• OpenGL Shading Language revision 1.30 (GLSL)
• Vertex Array Objects
• More flexible Framebuffer Objects
• 32-bit (single precision) floating-point textures and render buffers
• 16-bit (half precision) floating-point vertex and pixel data
• Texture arrays
• 32-bit (single precision) floating point depth buffer support
• Ability to render vertex transformations into a buffer