portablegl ☆

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Description:
Implementation of OpenGL 3.x-ish in clean C

Type: Formula | Tracked Since: Dec 28, 2025

Links: Homepage | formulae.brew.sh

Category: Developer tools

Tags: opengl graphics software-rendering c-library embedded

Install: brew install portablegl

About:
PortableGL is a lightweight, header-only implementation of core OpenGL 3.x functionality written in clean, portable C. It provides a software-based rendering pipeline, allowing developers to run OpenGL code on platforms without native hardware-accelerated drivers. Its main value proposition is enabling graphics development in constrained environments or for educational purposes without external dependencies.

Key Features:

Header-only library for easy integration
Software rendering pipeline (CPU-based)
Supports core OpenGL 3.x profile
No external dependencies

Use Cases:

Embedded systems development without GPU access
Educational graphics programming
Unit testing graphics code without a display server

Alternatives:

Mesa 3D – Mesa is a full-featured, mature implementation but is much larger and more complex to integrate than the single-header PortableGL.

Version History

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