Grafiikkaputkia

Grafiikkaputkia, or graphics pipelines, are a series of processing stages used in computer graphics to render a 2D or 3D scene into an image. The process typically begins with geometric data representing the scene's objects, such as vertices and polygons. This data is then processed through various stages, starting with the vertex shader, which manipulates the position and attributes of each vertex. Following this, the geometry shader can further process or generate geometric primitives.

After geometric transformations, the rasterization stage converts the geometric primitives into pixels that will be displayed on the screen. Each pixel's color is then determined by the fragment shader, which performs complex calculations, often involving textures and lighting. The fragment shader's output is then passed through a series of tests, such as depth testing and stencil testing, to ensure that only visible and correctly occluded fragments contribute to the final image.

Finally, the output merger stage combines the results of these tests with the existing frame buffer, often applying blending operations to achieve transparency. The entire graphics pipeline is highly optimized and often runs on specialized hardware called graphics processing units (GPUs) to achieve real-time rendering performance. Different graphics APIs, like OpenGL and DirectX, provide developers with ways to program and control these pipelines.