A zero-dependencies, single-header 3D graphics library
- Single-header library written in C with no external dependencies
- Programmable shaders
- Perspective-correct texture support
- Point/Ambient/Directional lighting
- Materials with specular and diffuse properties
- Camera and backface culling
- z-Buffering
- Load OBJ/MTL files (in separate library)
To use zeroGL in your project, download zerogl.h from the releases page and include it in your project. You can find the documentation here. To run the demo, download the latest .zip file from the releases page, uncompress it and run.
Clone this repo with submodules:
$ git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/prcastro/zeroGL.gitBefore starting, you need to decide whether you are going to use the vendored SDL3 version (in the external/sdl3 directory) or if you're going to use the system SDL3 you've installed. The following instructions assume you're using the vendored SDL3 distribution. If you want to use the SDL system library, see the instructions here.
If you're not using CMake or Zig, you first need to build SDL3 from the external/sdl3 directory. If you're using CMake, the external/sdl3 will build automatically. If you're using Zig as the build system, we're using castholm/SDL as the SDL dependency, as it provides SDL integration with Zig's build system, so you don't even need to download the external/sdl3 git submodule.
Install Visual Studio Community 2022 (the C/C++ compilers may suffice) and CMake. This is the only option that doesn't require you to pre-build SDL3 before starting. Then, from the command-line run:
> cmake -B build/ -G "Visual Studio 17 2022"
> cmake --build build/ --config ReleaseThe binary will be written to build/Release/main.exe
To run the demo, just install zig (it's basically downloading a binary and adding it to your path) and then run:
> zig build run --release=fastInstall Visual Studio Community 2022 (the C/C++ compilers may suffice) and then double-click the build.bat file. Alternatively, from the command-line run:
> build.batThe binary will be written to build/main.exe
Install Visual Studio Community 2022 (the C/C++ compilers may suffice), then run:
> "c:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\VC\Auxiliary\Build\vcvarsall.bat" x86_amd64
> cl.exe /Zi /EHsc /O2 /nologo /Fobuild\obj\ /Febuild\main.exe main.c /I external\sdl3\include /link /LIBPATH:external\sdl3\build\RelWithDebInfo SDL3.lib
> copy external\sdl3\build\RelWithDebInfo\SDL3.dll build\SDL3.dllChange the vcvarsall.bat path according to your VS installation. The binary will be written to build/Release/main.exe.
If you're using Visual Studio Code, then you can install Visual Studio Community 2022 (the C/C++ compilers may suffice) and CMake. Also install the C/C++ extensions from Microsoft and the CMake Tools extension as well.
Open main.c on the editor and then click on ▶ on status bar at the bottom.
On Linux sytems where SDL3 is installed, the exemple main program can also be built by running (again, ):
gcc main.c -I./external/sdl3/include -Lexternal/sdl3/build/RelWithDebInfo -lSDL3 -lm -o build/main$ zig build run --release=fastTo run the demo, just install zig (it's basically downloading a binary and adding it to your path) and then run:
$ zig build run --release=fastIf you want to use the SDL library installed in your system, make sure you have version v3.2.8 (using apt or brew) and find the installed libraries. On every instruction, you can replace:
- Library path:
external/sdl3/build/RelWithDebInfowithusr/include/SDL3(or wherever you have the SDL3 headers installed) - Include path:
external/sdl3/includewithusr/local/lib(or wherever you have the SDL3 libraries installed)
If you're using CMake, simply set the USE_VENDORED_SDL3 to OFF during the configure step:
> cmake -DUSE_VENDORED_SDL3=OFF -B build/ -G "Visual Studio 17 2022"- No alpha compositing
- No multi-threading/SIMD
- Support only a subset of the OBJ specification