What are the differences between DirectX and OpenGL?
Firstly let me say that both are very useful to know. DirectX is a collection of APIs including APIs for graphics, music, audio, input, networking and multimedia. OpenGL is dedicated to graphics. So to compare the two makes no sense, we can however (tentatively) compare OpenGL with Direct3D: • Most people find OpenGL easier to learn to start with • OpenGL uses standard C interfaces. • Direct3D has a steeper initial learning curve and is based on C++ interfaces (COM). • It is more difficult using OpenGL to do lower level operations than Direct3D, however this does mean you are less likely to crash an OpenGL app than a Direct3D one. • The vast majority of PC games are written using Direct3D. • OpenGL can run on multiple platforms where as Direct3D is Windows based. • Direct3D is updated frequently (every 2 months), allowing a standard interface to new features sooner than they appear in core OpenGL. However, OpenGL has an extension mechanism allowing immediate access to new features as g
