The Glide 2.2 Programming Guide attempts to introduce a knowledgeable graphics programmer to the capabilities of the Voodoo Graphics subsystem through the Glide interface.
The subroutines are introduced in a logical progression:

• initialization and termination requirements are first,
• then simple rendering capabilities,
• followed by more and more complex function.

The audience for this manual is the application programmer who just took delivery on a Voodoo Graphics subsystem and wants to port existing applications or develop new applications in Glide. The experienced Glide programmer will use the Glide Reference Manual to research specific Glide functions, but will reach for this manual when trying out new features.

Chapter 2.   , Glide in Style, describes data types, data formats, and programming model used in Glide and the Voodoo Graphics subsystem.

Chapter 3.   , Getting Started, describes the display buffers and the initialization and termination requirements for Glide and the graphics hardware and includes a very simple but complete program that clears the screen.

Chapter 4.   , Rendering Primitives, describes the functions that draw points, lines, triangles, and convex polygons in both aliased and anti-aliased forms. In addition, clipping and backface culling are discussed.

Chapter 5.   , Color and Lighting, describes the functions that control the Voodoo Graphics color and alpha combine unit, which can produce effects that run the gamut from simple Gouraud shading to diffuse ambient lighting with specular highlights and other complex lighting models.

Chapter 6.   , Using the Alpha Component, describes the various ways to utilize the alpha channel: alpha blending, alpha buffering, and alpha testing.

Chapter 7.   , Depth Buffering, presents the two flavors of depth buffers.

Chapter 8.   , Special Effects, describes other special rendering effects that can be produced in the pixel pipeline: atmospheric effects like fog, haze, and smoke; transparent objects implemented with chroma-keying; stippling; color dithering; alpha masking.

Chapter 9.   , Texture Mapping, describes the texture pipeline and texture mapping while Chapter 10, Managing Texture Memory, describes the process of downloading textures into texture memory.

Chapter 11.   , Accessing the Linear Frame Buffer, describes the Glide functions that provide a path for reading and writing the frame buffer directly.

Chapter 12.   , Housekeeping Routines, and Chapter Chapter 13. , Glide Utilities, describes the routines in Glide and the Glide Utilities Library that haven’t been discussed already.

Chapter 14, Programming Tips and Techniques, give some hints about how to head off trouble and get the best performance from your Voodoo Graphics hardware.

The Glide Programming Guide concludes with two appendices, one containing a non-trivial example, and the other summarizing the Glide constants used to set state variables.

There is also a Glossary of frequently used terms and comprehensive Index.