The OpenGL Shading Language (GLSL) Version 4.0 brings unprecedented power and flexibility to programmers interested in creating modern, interactive, graphical programs. It allows us to harness the power of modern Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) in a straightforward way by providing a simple, yet powerful, language and API.

The OpenGL 4.0 Shading Language Cookbook will provide easy-to-follow examples that start by walking you through the theory and background behind each technique. It then goes on to provide and explain the GLSL and OpenGL code needed to implement them. Beginning through to advanced techniques are presented, including topics such as texturing, screen-space techniques, lighting, shading, tessellation shaders, geometry shaders, and shadows.

This hands-on guide cuts short the preamble and gets straight to the point – actually creating graphics, instead of just theoretical learning. Each recipe is specifically tailored to satisfy your appetite for producing real-time 3-D graphics using GLSL 4.0. If you are an OpenGL programmer looking to use the modern features of GLSL 4.0 to create real-time, three-dimensional graphics, then this book is for you. Familiarity with OpenGL programming, along with the typical 3D coordinate systems, projections, and transformations is assumed. It can also be useful for experienced GLSL programmers who are looking to implement the techniques that are presented here.