Opengl Programming Guide: The Official Guide to Learning Opengl, Version 1.1

OpenGL is a powerful software interface for graphics hardware that allows graphics programmers to produce high-quality color images of 3D objects. The functions in the OpenGL library enable programmers to build geometric models, view models interactively in 3D space, control color and lighting, manipulate pixels, and perform such tasks as alpha blending, antialiasing, creating atmospheric effects, and texture mapping.