GLEW: The OpenGL Extension Wrangler Library

Latest Release: 2.3.1
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Last Update: 01-24-2026
| # The OpenGL Extension Wrangler Library (GLEW) The OpenGL Extension Wrangler Library (GLEW) is a cross-platform open-source C/C++ extension loading library. GLEW provides efficient run-time mechanisms for determining which OpenGL extensions are supported on the target platform. OpenGL core and extension functionality is exposed in a single header file. GLEW has been tested on a variety of operating systems, including Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, FreeBSD, Irix, and Solaris. ## Downloads GLEW is distributed as source and precompiled binaries. The latest release is 2.3.1[01-10-2026]:
| Source |  | ZIP | TGZ |
| Binaries |  | Windows 32-bit and 64-bit |
An up-to-date copy is also available using git: github `git clone https://github.com/nigels-com/glew.git glew` ## Supported Extensions The latest release contains support for OpenGL 4.6, compatibility and forward-compatible contexts and the following extensions: OpenGL extensions WGL extensions GLX extensions EGL extensions ## News [01-03-2025] GLEW 2.3.1 minor bug fixe [12-27-2025] GLEW 2.3.0 new extensions and minor bug fixes [03-15-2020] GLEW 2.2.0 new extensions and minor bug fixes [07-31-2017] GLEW 2.1.0 adds support for OpenGL 4.6, new extensions and minor bug fixes [07-24-2016] GLEW 2.0.0 adds support for forward-compatible contexts, adds new extensions, OSMesa and EGL support, MX discontinued and minor bug fixes [08-10-2015] GLEW 1.13.0 adds support for new extensions, fixes minor bugs [26-01-2015] GLEW 1.12.0 fixes minor bugs and adds new extensions [08-11-2014] GLEW 1.11.0 adds support for OpenGL 4.5, new extensions [07-22-2013] GLEW 1.10.0 adds support for OpenGL 4.4, new extensions [08-06-2012] GLEW 1.9.0 adds support for OpenGL 4.3, new extensions [07-17-2012] GLEW 1.8.0 fixes minor bugs and adds new extensions [08-26-2011] GLEW 1.7.0 adds support for OpenGL 4.2, new extensions, fixes bugs [04-27-2011] GLEW 1.6.0 fixes minor bugs and adds eight new extensions [01-31-2011] GLEW 1.5.8 fixes minor bugs and adds two new extensions [11-03-2010] GLEW 1.5.7 fixes minor bugs and adds one new extension [09-07-2010] GLEW 1.5.6 adds support for OpenGL 4.1, fixes bugs [07-13-2010] GLEW 1.5.5 fixes minor bugs and adds new extensions [04-21-2010] GLEW 1.5.4 adds support for OpenGL 3.3, OpenGL 4.0 and new extensions, fixes bugs [02-28-2010] GLEW 1.5.3 fixes minor bugs and adds three new extensions [12-31-2009] GLEW 1.5.2 adds support for OpenGL 3.1, OpenGL 3.2 and new extensions [11-03-2008] GLEW 1.5.1 adds support for OpenGL 3.0 and 31 new extensions [12-27-2007] GLEW 1.5.0 is released under less restrictive licenses [04-27-2007] GLEW 1.4.0 is released [03-08-2007] GLEW is included in the NVIDIA OpenGL SDK [03-04-2007] GLEW 1.3.6 is released [02-28-2007] Repository is migrated to SVN [02-25-2007] GLEW is included in the OpenGL SDK [11-21-2006] GLEW 1.3.5 adds OpenGL 2.1 and NVIDIA G80 extensions [03-04-2006] GLEW 1.3.4 adds support for five new extensions [05-16-2005] GLEW 1.3.3 is released [03-16-2005] GLEW 1.3.2 adds support for GL_APPLE_pixel_buffer [02-11-2005] gljava and sdljava provide a Java binding to OpenGL via GLEW [02-02-2005] GLEW 1.3.1 adds support for GL_EXT_framebuffer_object [01-04-2005] GLEW 1.3.0 adds core OpenGL 2.0 support plus many enhancements [12-22-2004] GLEWpy Python wrapper announced [12-12-2004] Mailing lists created on sourceforge [12-06-2004] GLEW 1.2.5 adds new extensions and support for FreeBSD ## Links OpenGL Software Development Kit OpenGL Extension Registry OpenGL Wiki: Extensions NVIDIA OpenGL Extension Specifications