Glide (API)

{{Short description|3D graphics API developed by 3dfx Interactive}}

{{refimprove|date=August 2017}}

{{Infobox software

| name = Glide

| logo =

| caption =

| author = 3dfx Interactive

| latest_release_version = 3.10.00.30303

| latest_release_date = {{Start date and age|2003|09|02}}

| latest preview version =

| latest preview date =

| operating_system = Cross-platform

| programming_language = Assembly, C

| genre = 3D graphics API

| license = GNU General Public License{{citation needed|date=April 2015}}
3DFX GLIDE Source Code General Public License{{cite web|url=https://github.com/sezero/glide/blob/glide-devel-sezero/LICENSE|title=3DFX GLIDE Source Code General Public License|work=GitHub|publisher=3dfx|date=1999-12-06|access-date=2024-08-28|archive-date=December 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211205083752/https://github.com/sezero/glide/blob/glide-devel-sezero/LICENSE|url-status=live}}

| website = {{URL|https://sourceforge.net/projects/glide/}}

}}

Glide is a 3D graphics API developed by 3dfx Interactive for their Voodoo Graphics 3D accelerator cards. It started as a proprietary API, and was later open sourced by 3dfx.{{cite web|url=http://www.ohloh.net/licenses/3DFX%20GLIDE%20Source%20Code%20General%20Public%20License|title=The 3DFX GLIDE Source Code General Public License|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210005257/http://www.ohloh.net/licenses/3DFX%20GLIDE%20Source%20Code%20General%20Public%20License|archive-date=2009-02-10}}{{cite press release|url=http://www.3dfx.com/comp/press/rel-dec06.html|title=3dfx Open Sources Glide API And Releases Hardware Specifications|publisher=3dfx|date=1999-12-06|access-date=2024-08-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000303174313/http://www.3dfx.com/comp/press/rel-dec06.html|archive-date=2000-03-03|url-status=dead}} It was dedicated to rendering performance, supporting geometry and texture mapping primarily, in data formats identical to those used internally in their cards.{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/sim_electronic-news_1995-11-06_41_2090/page/n85|url-access=registration|title=Startup 3Dfx Eyes 3D Graphics Arena|last=MacLellan|first=Andrew|magazine=Electronic News|date=1995-11-06|access-date=2024-08-24|volume=41|issue=2090|page=84}}{{cite web|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/3dfx-open-sources-glide/1100-2447156/|title=3dfx Open Sources Glide|last=Ajami|first=Amer|work=GameSpot|date=1999-12-06|access-date=2024-08-28|archive-date=December 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211205083752/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/3dfx-open-sources-glide/1100-2447156/|url-status=live}} Wide adoption of 3Dfx led to Glide being extensively used in the late 1990s, but further refinement of Microsoft's Direct3D and the appearance of full OpenGL implementations from other graphics card vendors, in addition to growing diversity in 3D hardware, eventually caused it to become superfluous.