GLARBvertexprogram

GLARBvertexprogram is a deprecated OpenGL extension that allowed for programmable vertex processing. It enabled developers to write custom vertex shaders, which are small programs executed on the graphics processing unit (GPU) for each vertex. This provided greater flexibility and control over vertex transformations, lighting, and other per-vertex operations compared to the fixed-function pipeline.

The extension was part of the GL_ARB_vertex_program extension specification. Vertex programs were written in an assembly-like language, allowing for operations such as matrix transformations, vector arithmetic, and conditional logic. This was a significant step towards modern shader programming, offering a bridge between the fixed-function era and the more powerful shader models that followed.

While GLARBvertexprogram was influential, it has largely been superseded by more advanced and standardized shader languages like GLSL (OpenGL Shading Language) and HLSL (High-Level Shading Language). Modern OpenGL versions and graphics APIs provide more robust and feature-rich shader capabilities, making GLARBvertexprogram obsolete for new development. However, understanding its principles is valuable for comprehending the evolution of graphics programming.