Teaching Legacy: Why OpenGL ES 3.0 Still Has a Place in Computer Graphics Education

In the rapidly evolving landscape of computer graphics, where new APIs emerge with promises of greater performance and control, Elias Farhan's decision to continue teaching OpenGL ES 3.0 in his Introduction to Computer Graphics module at SAE Institute Geneva might seem counterintuitive. Yet, as he explains in his recent blog post, this seemingly outdated API continues to serve as an effective teaching tool that prioritizes understanding core graphics concepts over chasing the latest technological trends.

The Cross-Platform Imperative

Farhan's primary argument for maintaining OpenGL ES 3.0 in his curriculum centers on its remarkable cross-platform compatibility. This 2012 API enables students to run the same C++ programs across multiple platforms with minimal modifications:

• Windows: While encountering some driver issues, OpenGL ES 3.0 remains compatible with OpenGL 4.3
• Linux: Provides valuable cross-compilation experience with different compilers
• Android: Though requiring Java integration to boot native applications
• Nintendo Switch: Functions well with devkits after replacing OpenGL loading libraries
• WebGL2: Through Emscripten compilation, allowing students to showcase their work on personal websites

This versatility stands in stark contrast to more modern APIs like Vulkan or DirectX 12, which often require platform-specific code and additional abstraction layers. For educational purposes, this cross-platform nature allows students to focus on graphics programming rather than platform-specific intricacies.

Pedagogical Value Over Technological Hype

The fundamental question Farhan asks is whether transitioning to modern APIs would provide sufficient educational benefit to justify the substantial effort required. "If there is a transition to be made, it needs to be really worth it compare to OpenGL ES 3.0," he notes.

His course focuses on implementing specific 3D scenes rather than building generic renderers, which aligns well with OpenGL ES 3.0's approach. The API's relative simplicity allows students to concentrate on core concepts like:

• Shader programming and the graphics pipeline
• Vertex and fragment processing
• Texture mapping and filtering
• Framebuffer operations and multi-pass rendering
• Basic lighting and post-processing techniques

Modern APIs introduce additional layers of complexity—synchronization, pipeline state objects, explicit memory management—that might distract from these fundamental concepts. As Farhan explains, "OpenGL handles synchronization automatically, reducing boilerplate code and allowing students to focus on graphics programming rather than API intricacies."

Technical Trade-offs

OpenGL ES 3.0 does come with limitations that Farhan openly acknowledges. The API lacks several features found in more modern graphics APIs:

• SSBO (Shader Storage Buffer Objects): Available in OpenGL 4.3 and ES 3.1 but not in ES 3.0
• Compute Shaders: Only available in OpenGL ES 3.1 and later
• SPIR-V Support: Beginning with OpenGL 4.6
• Bindless Rendering: Through ARB_bindless_texture extension
• Indirect Drawing: Available since OpenGL 4.0 and ES 3.1

These missing features represent trade-offs that Farhan considers acceptable for an introductory course. The article includes examples of student work demonstrating complex graphics techniques implemented successfully within the constraints of OpenGL ES 3.0, including deferred rendering with G-buffers and various post-processing effects.

{{IMAGE:1}} The school devkit with the rotating cubes running

Industry Relevance and Student Preparedness

A common counterargument to using older APIs in education is that they may not prepare students for industry demands. However, Farhan points out that even industry professionals still utilize older OpenGL versions. The Teardown game originally worked with OpenGL 3.3, while X-Plane's rendering engine used OpenGL 2.1 before their transitions to more modern APIs.

This suggests that understanding OpenGL remains valuable for maintaining existing codebases and provides a foundation for learning more modern APIs. As Farhan notes, "This course has allowed throughout the years all of my students to discover how graphics programming work. For some of them, it was their first step in their computer graphics career."

The Web Integration Advantage

One particularly compelling advantage of OpenGL ES 3.0 is its WebGL2 compatibility through Emscripten. This allows students to easily port their projects to run in web browsers, providing a straightforward way to showcase their work in portfolios. This capability becomes increasingly valuable in an era where online presence matters for career opportunities.

{{IMAGE:2}} Showing rotating cubes on Android

Balancing Tradition and Innovation

Farhan's approach represents a thoughtful balance between teaching established fundamentals and acknowledging technological evolution. While he plans to write another post addressing why the course hasn't transitioned to Vulkan—mentioning concerns about synchronization, pipeline state objects, and driver complexity—he doesn't dismiss modern APIs entirely.

Instead, his position suggests that different educational objectives may warrant different tools. For learning core graphics concepts, OpenGL ES 3.0 provides a stable, well-documented foundation. For advanced topics or industry-specific training, more modern APIs may become appropriate.

Conclusion

As computer graphics continues to advance with technologies like hardware ray tracing and increasingly sophisticated rendering techniques, educators face the challenge of deciding what knowledge to impart to students. Farhan's experience suggests that the answer isn't simply to chase the latest API but to consider what educational objectives the technology serves.

OpenGL ES 3.0, despite its age, continues to offer significant advantages for introductory computer graphics education: cross-platform compatibility, reduced boilerplate code, and a focus on fundamental concepts. These benefits, Farhan argues, outweigh the limitations and missing features when the goal is to help students understand how graphics programming works at its core.

In the end, the decision to continue teaching OpenGL ES 3.0 reflects a philosophy that prioritizes deep understanding of fundamental principles over familiarity with the latest API syntax—a philosophy that continues to serve Farhan's students well as they begin their graphics programming careers.