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Graphics pipeline
The computer graphics pipeline, also known as the rendering pipeline, or graphics pipeline, is a framework within computer graphics that outlines the necessary procedures for transforming a three-dimensional (3D) scene into a two-dimensional (2D) representation on a screen. Once a 3D model is generated, the graphics pipeline converts the model into a visually perceivable format on the computer display. Due to the dependence on specific software, hardware configurations, and desired display attributes, a universally applicable graphics pipeline does not exist. Nevertheless, graphics application programming interfaces (APIs), such as Direct3D, OpenGL and Vulkan were developed to standardize common procedures and oversee the graphics pipeline of a given hardware accelerator. These APIs provide an abstraction layer over the underlying hardware, relieving programmers from the need to write code explicitly targeting various graphics hardware accelerators like AMD, Intel, Nvidia, and others.
The model of the graphics pipeline is usually used in real-time rendering. Often, most of the pipeline steps are implemented in hardware, which allows for special optimizations. The term "pipeline" is used in a similar sense for the pipeline in processors: the individual steps of the pipeline run in parallel as long as any given step has what it needs.
The 3D pipeline usually refers to the most common form of computer 3-Dimensional rendering called 3D polygon rendering[citation needed], distinct from Raytracing and Raycasting. In Raycasting, a ray originates at the point where the camera resides, and if that ray hits a surface, the color and lighting of the point on the surface where the ray hit is calculated. In 3D polygon rendering the reverse happens – the area that is given the camera is calculated and then rays are created from every part of every surface given the camera and traced back to the camera.
A graphics pipeline can be divided into three main parts: Application, Geometry, and Rasterization.
The application step is executed by the software on the main processor (CPU). During the application step, changes are made to the scene as required, for example, by user interaction using input devices or during an animation. The new scene with all its primitives, usually triangles, lines, and points, is then passed on to the next step in the pipeline.
Examples of tasks that are typically done in the application step are collision detection, animation, morphing, and acceleration techniques using spatial subdivision schemes such as Quadtrees or Octrees. These are also used to reduce the amount of main memory required at a given time. The "world" of a modern computer game is far larger than what could fit into memory at once.
The geometry step (with Geometry pipeline), which is responsible for the majority of the operations with polygons and their vertices (with Vertex pipeline), can be divided into the following five tasks. It depends on the particular implementation of how these tasks are organized as actual parallel pipeline steps.
A vertex (plural: vertices) is a point in the world. Many points are used to join the surfaces. In special cases, point clouds are drawn directly, but this is still the exception.
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Graphics pipeline
The computer graphics pipeline, also known as the rendering pipeline, or graphics pipeline, is a framework within computer graphics that outlines the necessary procedures for transforming a three-dimensional (3D) scene into a two-dimensional (2D) representation on a screen. Once a 3D model is generated, the graphics pipeline converts the model into a visually perceivable format on the computer display. Due to the dependence on specific software, hardware configurations, and desired display attributes, a universally applicable graphics pipeline does not exist. Nevertheless, graphics application programming interfaces (APIs), such as Direct3D, OpenGL and Vulkan were developed to standardize common procedures and oversee the graphics pipeline of a given hardware accelerator. These APIs provide an abstraction layer over the underlying hardware, relieving programmers from the need to write code explicitly targeting various graphics hardware accelerators like AMD, Intel, Nvidia, and others.
The model of the graphics pipeline is usually used in real-time rendering. Often, most of the pipeline steps are implemented in hardware, which allows for special optimizations. The term "pipeline" is used in a similar sense for the pipeline in processors: the individual steps of the pipeline run in parallel as long as any given step has what it needs.
The 3D pipeline usually refers to the most common form of computer 3-Dimensional rendering called 3D polygon rendering[citation needed], distinct from Raytracing and Raycasting. In Raycasting, a ray originates at the point where the camera resides, and if that ray hits a surface, the color and lighting of the point on the surface where the ray hit is calculated. In 3D polygon rendering the reverse happens – the area that is given the camera is calculated and then rays are created from every part of every surface given the camera and traced back to the camera.
A graphics pipeline can be divided into three main parts: Application, Geometry, and Rasterization.
The application step is executed by the software on the main processor (CPU). During the application step, changes are made to the scene as required, for example, by user interaction using input devices or during an animation. The new scene with all its primitives, usually triangles, lines, and points, is then passed on to the next step in the pipeline.
Examples of tasks that are typically done in the application step are collision detection, animation, morphing, and acceleration techniques using spatial subdivision schemes such as Quadtrees or Octrees. These are also used to reduce the amount of main memory required at a given time. The "world" of a modern computer game is far larger than what could fit into memory at once.
The geometry step (with Geometry pipeline), which is responsible for the majority of the operations with polygons and their vertices (with Vertex pipeline), can be divided into the following five tasks. It depends on the particular implementation of how these tasks are organized as actual parallel pipeline steps.
A vertex (plural: vertices) is a point in the world. Many points are used to join the surfaces. In special cases, point clouds are drawn directly, but this is still the exception.