This provides significantly boosted performance for applications that intend to subsequently use the results of queries on the GPU, such as dynamic quality reduction strategies based on performance metrics. Significantly enhances memory flexibility and efficiency through explicit control over the position of buffers in the graphics and system memory, together with cache behavior control - including the ability of the CPU to map a buffer for direct use by a GPU.Įfficient Asynchronous Queries (GL_ARB_query_buffer_object)īuffer objects can be the direct target of a query to avoid the CPU waiting for the result and stalling the graphics pipeline. New functionality in the OpenGL 4.4 specification includes:īuffer Placement Control (GL_ARB_buffer_storage) "The OpenGL ARB is committed to continue to deepen communications with the developer community so we can continue to build OpenGL functionality that creates real-world business opportunities for the 3D industry." "The delivery of conformance tests for OpenGL 4.4 is a significant milestone - as it is vital for developers to be able to rely on the API they are trusting to accelerate their content across multiple platforms," said Barthold Lichtenbelt, OpenGL ARB working group chair. This will help reduce differences between multiple vendors' OpenGL drivers, resulting in enhanced portability for developers.
Khronos will offer certification of drivers from version 3.3, and full certification is mandatory for OpenGL 4.4 and onwards. In addition to the OpenGL 4.4 specification, the OpenGL ARB (Architecture Review Board) Working Group at Khronos has created the first set of formal OpenGL conformance tests since OpenGL 2.0.
The full specification and reference materials are available for immediate download here. Also, OpenGL 4.4 defines new functionality to streamline the porting of applications and titles from other platforms and APIs. OpenGL 4.4 unlocks capabilities of today's leading-edge graphics hardware while maintaining full backwards compatibility, enabling applications to incrementally use new features while portably accessing state-of-the-art graphics processing units (GPUs) across diverse operating systems and platforms. Posts that are caused by verified bugs should be marked solved.The Khronos Group today announced the immediate release of the OpenGL 4.4 specification, bringing the very latest graphics functionality to the most advanced and widely adopted cross-platform 2D and 3D graphics API (application programming interface).