The Khronos Group, the industry consortium behind the OpenGL graphics standard, has released the latest version of its API.

OpenGL 4.1 is designed to add cutting-edge functionality in terms of improving the flexibility of programmable shaders, as well as reducing compilation times and increasing rendering precision.

It also ensures cross- and backwards-compatibility between desktop and mobile applications, and older versions of the technology.

Specifically, this means there's full compatibility with the OpenGL ES 2.0 APIs, which are used in top-end mobile and portable games, as well as platforms such as PlayStation 3.

Sharper shaders

New functionality includes the ability to save the time taken to re-compilate shaders by querying and loading a binary for shader program objects, support for 64-bit floating-point component vertex shader inputs, ability to bind programs individually to a programmable stage, and support for multiple viewports when a rendering surface

In addition, OpenGL 4.1 includes the GLSL 4.10 update to the OpenGL Shading language, plus various other ARB extensions in terms of OpenGL compatibility and enhanced rendering.

The full specification is available for download here.