So what are the upsides to OpenGL if it's the API we look more in-depth at for the course, albeit briefly?
motoole2
One of the key advantages of both OpenGL and Vulkan (compared to DirectX and Metal) is that they both run on multiple platforms, including Windows, Linux, and Macs. This wiki page highlights a number of advantages of Vulkan over OpenGL, including Vulkan's better performance since the drivers have less overhead (less burden on the CPU). The advantage of OpenGL is that it is a higher-level API than Vulkan, making development with OpenGL easier and faster for most graphics applications. Disclosure: I personally have only worked with OpenGL and DirectX, so I do not have first-hand experience with Vulkan. I would be interested in hearing other opinions on how these different graphic APIs compare. :-)
OtB_BlueBerry
What about Linux systems? They mostly only support OpenGL, don't they?
motoole2
I suppose this depends a bit on who you ask. :-) Linux systems support both OpenGL and Vulkan. The OpenGL API is a bit dated when it comes to exposing the full capabilities of modern graphics hardware, making room for a more modern API like Vulkan. For high-end graphics development (e.g., triple-A game titles), Vulkan performs better than OpenGL. But, I would say the choice between OpenGL and Vulkan depends on the application.
So what are the upsides to OpenGL if it's the API we look more in-depth at for the course, albeit briefly?
One of the key advantages of both OpenGL and Vulkan (compared to DirectX and Metal) is that they both run on multiple platforms, including Windows, Linux, and Macs. This wiki page highlights a number of advantages of Vulkan over OpenGL, including Vulkan's better performance since the drivers have less overhead (less burden on the CPU). The advantage of OpenGL is that it is a higher-level API than Vulkan, making development with OpenGL easier and faster for most graphics applications. Disclosure: I personally have only worked with OpenGL and DirectX, so I do not have first-hand experience with Vulkan. I would be interested in hearing other opinions on how these different graphic APIs compare. :-)
What about Linux systems? They mostly only support OpenGL, don't they?
I suppose this depends a bit on who you ask. :-) Linux systems support both OpenGL and Vulkan. The OpenGL API is a bit dated when it comes to exposing the full capabilities of modern graphics hardware, making room for a more modern API like Vulkan. For high-end graphics development (e.g., triple-A game titles), Vulkan performs better than OpenGL. But, I would say the choice between OpenGL and Vulkan depends on the application.