rasterminal is a terminal-based 3D model viewer that renders models in real time using the CPU. It lets users inspect three-dimensional objects without a conventional graphical desktop or a GPU.
The application uses a software rasterisation pipeline that handles geometry, materials, textures, lighting and transparency. It supports common model formats directly and uses Assimp to load a wider collection of 3D files.
rasterminal automatically selects a suitable terminal graphics backend, taking advantage of pixel graphics where available while retaining a text-based fallback. This makes it useful for examining models on remote systems over SSH as well as on a local machine.
This is free and open source software.
Key Features
- Real-time CPU rendering with perspective-correct rasterisation, depth testing, near-plane clipping and backface culling.
- Native support for OBJ, PLY, STL and glTF/GLB files, with additional formats handled through Assimp.
- Three shading modes: wireframe, flat shading and Phong shading.
- Supports textures, material colours, normal maps, ambient occlusion and Blinn-Phong lighting.
- Accurate transparency rendering using a per-pixel A-buffer, including intersecting and double-sided surfaces.
- Automatically detects kitty graphics, sixel or Unicode half-block output, with manual backend selection available.
- Interactive keyboard and mouse controls for rotating models, zooming and changing the viewing angle.
- Automatic model rotation with configurable speed and direction.
- First-person camera mode for moving through geometry instead of orbiting around an object.
- Adjustable lighting, background colours, wireframe colours and surface rendering options.
- Configurable frame rate and worker-thread count, plus a headless rendering benchmark.
- Cross-platform support – runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows.
Website: github.com/PavolUlicny/rasterminal
Support:
Developer: Pavol Uličný
License: MIT License
rasterminal is written in C++. Learn C++ with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
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Read our verdict in the software roundup.
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