Is Oryol still being developed?

No, the author has stated that Oryol is not actively maintained, with focus shifted to other projects like Sokol headers. This makes it risky for new projects needing updates or bug fixes.

How does Oryol compare to Sokol headers?

Oryol is a structured framework with modules, while Sokol is a set of single-file headers that are actively maintained. For new lightweight graphics projects, Sokol might be preferable due to ongoing development.

What platforms can I target with Oryol?

Oryol runs on OSX, Linux, Windows, iOS, Android, and emscripten from the same C++ code, offering broad portability for desktop, mobile, and web applications.

How to build Oryol on Windows?

Use the provided fips build system with cmake and python, as outlined in BUILD.md. However, since documentation is outdated, you might encounter setup issues or need to adapt to newer toolchains.

Can Oryol handle 3D model loading?

Yes, through extension modules like the asset tools, but these are separate repositories and may not be fully maintained or integrated, requiring additional effort.

What is the performance like in Oryol?

Oryol is designed for minimal overhead and good performance, but being lightweight, it may lack optimizations found in larger engines; specific benchmarks are not provided in the documentation.

Open-Awesome

Oryol

MITC++

A small, portable and extensible C++ 3D coding framework for cross-platform graphics applications.

GitHub

2.1k stars203 forks0 contributors

What is Oryol?

Oryol is a small, portable, and extensible C++ 3D coding framework designed for building cross-platform graphics applications. It enables developers to write once and deploy across multiple platforms, including desktop, mobile, and web, while maintaining minimal executable sizes. The framework abstracts rendering APIs like OpenGL, Metal, and Direct3D, allowing consistent shader code across different backends.

Target Audience

C++ developers creating 3D applications, games, or visualizations that need to run on diverse platforms such as Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and web browsers via WebGL/emscripten.

Value Proposition

Developers choose Oryol for its emphasis on simplicity, portability, and small binary sizes, making it ideal for web deployments and resource-constrained environments. Its extensible module system and Orthodox C++ design offer a clean, maintainable alternative to heavier graphics engines.

Overview

A small, portable and extensible C++ 3D coding framework

Use Cases

Best For

Building lightweight 3D applications for the web with emscripten/WebGL
Developing cross-platform games targeting desktop and mobile devices
Creating embedded graphics applications on Raspberry Pi or similar hardware
Prototyping 3D visualizations with minimal overhead and fast iteration
Educational projects learning graphics programming with a simple C++ framework
Integrating third-party libraries via modular extensions for UI or audio

Not Ideal For

Projects requiring Vulkan or DirectX 12 rendering backend support
Teams that need active framework maintenance and regular updates
Applications demanding built-in, high-level features like physics engines or advanced UI systems
Developers seeking a large community or extensive third-party ecosystem

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cross-Platform Rendering

Supports GL, GLES2, WebGL, Metal, and D3D11 from the same shader source, enabling consistent graphics across diverse platforms without rewriting code.

Minimal Executable Sizes

Produces compact binaries, with emscripten WebGL demos starting around 100 KB, making it ideal for web deployments and resource-constrained environments.

Orthodox C++ Design

Follows clean, maintainable coding practices as per Orthodox C++ guidelines, ensuring the codebase is easy to understand and extend for developers.

Extensible Module System

Allows integration of external code modules via git repositories, facilitating customization and use of third-party libraries like Dear ImGui or audio systems.

Cons

Inactive Maintenance

The project is explicitly not actively maintained, with last updates in 2017, leading to potential compatibility issues and lack of support for modern developments.

Missing Modern APIs

Lacks support for newer graphics APIs like Vulkan and DirectX 12, which are mentioned as not yet implemented, limiting its use in cutting-edge applications.

Complex Build Setup

Relies on the custom fips build system with cmake and python, which can be non-standard and more challenging to configure compared to common build tools.

Frequently Asked Questions

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