3D Software Renderer built from scratch in C++
A software renderer is a programmatic approach to generating computer graphics entirely on the CPU, without relying on a GPU or external libraries like OpenGL or DirectX. Building one from scratch in C++ is both an educational and challenging endeavor that delves deep into the fundamentals of computer graphics, linear algebra, and system-level programming.
This software renderer is designed as a minimalistic yet powerful engine for rendering 3D graphics. It processes vertices, transforms geometry, and rasterizes pixels directly to an image buffer. By working at this low level, you gain complete control over the rendering pipeline, including transformations, shading, texture mapping, and lighting calculations.
Key Features: Customizable Rendering Pipeline: Implements essential stages such as vertex transformation, clipping, and pixel rasterization. Basic Shading Models: Supports flat shading for lighting effects. Texture Mapping: Handles texture sampling and mapping with interpolation techniques. Depth Buffering: Ensures correct pixel visibility using a z-buffer algorithm.
Developing a software renderer is a great way to:
- Understand the inner workings of modern graphics APIs like Vulkan or DirectX.
- Explore optimization techniques and data structures for high-performance computing.
- Dive into low-level concepts such as clipping, rasterization, and perspective correction.
| Scene | Details | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 00 - Empty | Empty scene just to make sure basic app functionality is working | |
| 01 - Points Cloud | Validate the ability to basic pixel drawing | |
| 02 - Triangle | Validate the ability to draw triangle to screen | multiple algorithms implemented, can only be switched by modifying SDL_Draw_Helper.cpp |
| 03 - Wireframe | Basic OBJ file parsing and 3D object rendering | |
| 04 - Flat Shading | Basic flat shading implementation | |
| 05 - Texture Mapping | Texture mapping implementation | |
| 06 - FPS Camera | Basic camera controls implementation | WASD Keys + Mouse look supported (hold right click) |
https://github.com/ssloy/tinyrenderer/wiki
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ih20l3pJoeU