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Learn OpenGL, extensive tutorial resource for learning Modern OpenGL

learnopengl.com

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Re: Learn OpenGL, extensive tutorial resource for learning Modern OpenGL

#81

Post by fsloth »

godwinson__4-8 wrote: post #80
anaisbetts wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've heard that learning WebGPU is a pretty decent alternative, it's cross-platform, has runners that are non-web, and has some of the niceties of Metal without being platform lock-in

Indeed, and a well regarded WebGPU guide is also trending on the front page at the same time :P The "universal" nature of WebGPU with the "web" focus feels a lot like the graphics API equivalent of WASM. In that regard there are also some interesting projects/opportunities.

"The "universal" nature of WebGPU with the "web" focus feels a lot like the graphics API equivalent of WASM"

Having shipped non-trivial WASM code in two projects That's not a positive thing. WASM is stuck in zone between living and the dead - just good enough (barely) to merit creating production code when you need the perf in browser but not good enough to register as industrial quality tool as it's not possible really to debug a WASM application.

If you really, really need the perf in your browser app, WASM may be the only option, but it's not really a good one.

Re: Learn OpenGL, extensive tutorial resource for learning Modern OpenGL

#82

Post by unclad5968 »

coffeeaddict1 wrote: post #44
vblanco wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Im the author of vkguide.dev and i disagree. I wrote that tutorial specifically for people that have already gone through learnopengl and want to learn vulkan. The core problem with the modern apis is that they are so incredibly complicated that they will kill any newbie on the spot. When the student still doesnt really know what a mesh is, having them setup GPU side memory allocators and graphics compute pipelines i…

> The core problem with the modern apis is that they are so incredibly complicated that they will kill any newbie on the spot. I would agree if by modern you mean DX12 or Vulkan, but WebGPU (and maybe even Metal) are quite decent.

Webgpu is the worst of both worlds. Significantly more complicated than opengl yet not capable of many "essential" modern techniques like bindless resources.

If you must use a modern api to learn for whatever reason, go with vulkan and use dynamic rendering and buffer device addressing.

Re: Learn OpenGL, extensive tutorial resource for learning Modern OpenGL

#83

Post by fasterik »

the__alchemist wrote: post #7

In 2026: Please don't learn this; it's obsolete. Learn Vulkan (Or another modern API; or how to build engines on top of them; or how to write shaders; or how to do GPU compute using CUDA etc)

OpenGL is arguably still better for learning the fundamentals of computer graphics. All you really want early on is a simple vertex and fragment shader up and running so that you can learn how to move a camera around, transform objects, basic lighting and texturing, etc. Vulkan is overkill for that. If you follow the LearnOpenGL tutorials you'll get as far as HDR lighting and shadows. At that point you'll be better equipped to understand an API like Vulkan and probably a lot more successful at porting an engine over to it.

Re: Learn OpenGL, extensive tutorial resource for learning Modern OpenGL

#84

Post by fsloth »

anaisbetts wrote: post #78
cyber_kinetist wrote: post #27

The one and only Holy Bible of Graphics Programming. If you're starting to learn computer graphics, just study through the entire site and do the examples one by one. It doesn't matter one bit that it uses a slightly outdated API called OpenGL - you're supposed to learn how to render things first, not about some weird obscure hardware / driver details! After you've learned it, you can start learning CUDA if you want…

I've heard that learning WebGPU is a pretty decent alternative, it's cross-platform, has runners that are non-web, and has some of the niceties of Metal without being platform lock-in

" it's cross-platform"

Nothing in real time graphics _actually_ is cross platform. You are always programming a vendor hardware.

"Cross platform" really has no value in graphics programming, honestly, when discussing the lowest level programmable api.

You always need to explicitly say which platforms you target, and then test on those platforms.

The main questions should be "on which platform will my users run it" and "can I debug and test this".

So if you are starting out - pick out the easiest api for you. Don't go looking for universality as a value on it's owm (if you want universal rendering, choose CPU rendering. if you want high perf - choose your GPU platform(s) explicitly).

Re: Learn OpenGL, extensive tutorial resource for learning Modern OpenGL

#86

Post by jplusequalt »

cyber_kinetist wrote: post #27

The one and only Holy Bible of Graphics Programming. If you're starting to learn computer graphics, just study through the entire site and do the examples one by one. It doesn't matter one bit that it uses a slightly outdated API called OpenGL - you're supposed to learn how to render things first, not about some weird obscure hardware / driver details! After you've learned it, you can start learning CUDA if you want…

>The one and only Holy Bible of Graphics Programming.

The textbooks Real Time Rendering and Physically Based Rendering are far more deserving of such claims.

Re: Learn OpenGL, extensive tutorial resource for learning Modern OpenGL

#87

Post by jplusequalt »

the__alchemist wrote: post #7

In 2026: Please don't learn this; it's obsolete. Learn Vulkan (Or another modern API; or how to build engines on top of them; or how to write shaders; or how to do GPU compute using CUDA etc)

Trying to learn Vulkan as a first API is doable, but you'll probably burn yourself out by the time you've gotten a triangle on the screen (unless you vibe code everything, in which case, you're lame).

Re: Learn OpenGL, extensive tutorial resource for learning Modern OpenGL

#88

Post by jplusequalt »

throwaway2046 wrote: post #48
raincole wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's so much easier than Vulkan or writing shaders Even if you use OpenGL you still need to write shaders.

> Even if you use OpenGL you still need to write shaders. Not in OpenGL 1.x

OpenGL 1.x is older than the hills.

Re: Learn OpenGL, extensive tutorial resource for learning Modern OpenGL

#89

Post by jplusequalt »

raincole wrote: post #49
troupo wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> You will never get the same quality of fundamental material If you're looking for fundamental material, the last thing you want is learning a very (not slightly) outdated and weird API. > Vulkan and DX12 are currently flawed APIs that are unnecessarily complex and doesn't even match the performance characteristics of current-gen hardware And OpneGL is worse

Have you actually read the linked site beyond its name? The site is about fundamentals. Yes, it contains OpenGL code, but what it covers is the fundamentals of real time graphics, not just OpenGL API.

>covers is the fundamentals of real time graphics

It does not cover all the fundamentals. It hardly explains the necessary math.

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