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How to Install Mesa (OpenGL) on Linux Mint

Mesa is an open-source implementation of the OpenGL specification - a system for rendering interactive 3D graphics. Technically, OpenGL is just a specification, implemented by your graphics driver. There's no such thing like an OpenGL SDK...

Part 1 of 3:

Preparing Your Linux Mint Operating System for OpenGL Development

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    Open a terminal and enter the following commands to install the necessary libraries for OpenGL development:
    1. Enter sudo apt-get update
    2. Enter sudo apt-get install freeglut3
    3. Enter sudo apt-get install freeglut3-dev
    4. Enter sudo apt-get install binutils-gold
    5. Enter sudo apt-get install g++ cmake
    6. Enter sudo apt-get install libglew-dev
    7. Enter sudo apt-get install g++
    8. Enter sudo apt-get install mesa-common-dev
    9. Enter sudo apt-get install build-essential
    10. Enter sudo apt-get install libglew1.5-dev libglm-dev
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    Get information about the OpenGL and GLX implementations running on a given X display. To do this, enter glxinfo .
Part 2 of 3:

Creating Your First OpenGL Program

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    Open up a terminal. Make a directory, change into the directory and use your favorite text editor such as nano or gedit to create your OpenGL source code. Enter the following commands below.
    1. Enter mkdir Sample-OpenGL-Programs
      1. This will create a directory to hold your OpenGL programs.
    2. Enter cd Sample-OpenGL-Programs
      1. This will change you into your directory.
    3. Enter nano main.c OR gedit main.c
  2. Copy and paste OR type the code: 
    #include  #include  void renderFunction() { glClearColor(0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 0.0); glClear(GL_COLOR_BUFFER_BIT); glColor3f(1.0, 1.0, 1.0); glOrtho(-1.0, 1.0, -1.0, 1.0, -1.0, 1.0); glBegin(GL_POLYGON); glVertex2f(-0.5, -0.5); glVertex2f(-0.5, 0.5); glVertex2f(0.5, 0.5); glVertex2f(0.5, -0.5); glEnd(); glFlush(); } int main(int argc, char** argv) { glutInit(&argc, argv); glutInitDisplayMode(GLUT_SINGLE); glutInitWindowSize(500,500); glutInitWindowPosition(100,100); glutCreateWindow("OpenGL - First window demo"); glutDisplayFunc(renderFunction); glutMainLoop(); return 0; }
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    Save the file and exit.
Part 3 of 3:

Compiling and Running Your OpenGL Application

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    Enter the Sample-OpenGL-Programs directory. While there, run the following command:
    1. g++ main.c -lglut -lGL -lGLEW -lGLU -o OpenGLExample
      1. This command will compile and link your OpenGL libraries.
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    Run the program. To do this, type the following:
    1. Enter ./OpenGLExample
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    Wait for a result. If you did everything right, a window will open. It will show a white square on a black background. The window will be titled "OpenGL - First window demo".

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