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Metal (API)

Metal is a low-level, low-overhead hardware-accelerated 3D graphic and compute shader API created by Apple, debuting in iOS 8. Metal combines functions similar to OpenGL and OpenCL in one API. It is intended to improve performance by offering low-level access to the GPU hardware for apps on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS and visionOS (though not watchOS). It…

History, Supported GPUs & Overview

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Developer
Apple Inc.
License
Proprietary
Operating system
iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS and visionOS
Release
June 2014; 12 years ago (2014-06)
Stable release
4 / June 2025; 1 year ago (2025-06)
Type
3D graphics and compute API

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Overview

Features

History

Supported GPUs

Adoption

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Map overview Semantic statistics

Metal (API)

Nodes74
Edges73
Triples14
Avg. degree1.97
Density0.027027
Components1

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Metal (API)

Top relations

Developer · 1
Metal (API) → Apple Inc.
License · 1
Metal (API) → Proprietary
Operating system · 1
Metal (API) → iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS and visionOS
Release · 1
Metal (API) → June 2014; 12 years ago (2014-06)
Stable release · 1
Metal (API) → 4 / June 2025; 1 year ago (2025-06)
Type · 1
Metal (API) → 3D graphics and compute API
Website · 1
Metal (API) → developer.apple.com/metal/
Written in · 1
Metal (API) → Metal Shading Language (C++14-based in Metal 1–3, C++17-based in Metal 4), Metal GPU Drivers: C/C++, Metal Runtime: Objective-C, C/C++, Metal API: Objective-C, Swift, C++ (bindi…

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Important terminology

metal apple gpu macos api ios announced low-level wwdc developers ipados application using graphics cpu tvos command version execution shaders

Entity relationships Subject–Predicate–Object triples

SubjectPredicateObjectConfidenceSrc
Metal (API)DeveloperApple Inc.1.00infobox
Metal (API)LicenseProprietary1.00infobox
Metal (API)Operating systemiOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS and visionOS1.00infobox
Metal (API)ReleaseJune 2014; 12 years ago (2014-06)1.00infobox
Metal (API)Stable release4 / June 2025; 1 year ago (2025-06)1.00infobox
Metal (API)Type3D graphics and compute API1.00infobox
Metal (API)Websitedeveloper.apple.com/metal/1.00infobox
Metal (API)Written inMetal Shading Language (C++14-based in Metal 1–3, C++17-based in Metal 4), Metal GPU Drivers: C/C++, Metal Runtime: Objective-C, C/C++, Metal API: Objective-C, Swift, C++ (bindi…1.00infobox
Vulkaninstance ofIt is similar to low-level APIs on other platforms0.80text
DirectX 12.Metal is an object-oriented API that can be invoked using the Swiftinstance ofIt is similar to low-level APIs on other platforms0.80text
Objective-C or Cinstance ofIt is similar to low-level APIs on other platforms0.80text
buffersinstance ofimplemented using Clang and LLVM.Metal allows application developers to create Metal resources0.80text

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