OpenGL and DirectX

Abstract

OpenGL and DirectX are different APIs for what is typically the same hardware. This course leverages the fact that if you know one of the two, you can quickly learn the other, including advanced features introduced in DirectX 11.1, OpenGL 4.3 and OpenGL ES 3.0. We will explore the similarities and differences between the APIs. This will allow someone familiar with one of the APIs to see what the other API has to offer and what they need to know to use it. It will also offer a different point of view on the same underlying hardware, and shed some light on the drivers. We will only be focusing on core OpenGL, and more specifically the approaches that resemble what's done in DirectX, such as immutable textures. This not only makes it easier to move between the APIs, but results in a focus on performant use. For DirectX we will focus on DirectX 11, including parts of 11.1 where it has converged with OpenGL and OpenGL ES in its approach.