3d transformations on apple platforms

08 Dec, 2024

a brief look at the different helper classes/functions apple provides for managing 3-D graphics transformations, from oldest to newest:

• Core Animation (iOS 2+, macOS 10.3+)
  • CATransform3D
    • CATransform3DScale()
    • CATransform3DRotate()
    • CATransform3DTranslate()
    • etc
• GLKit (iOS 5+, macOS 10.8+)
  • GLKMatrix4
    • GLKMatrix4Scale()
    • GLKMatrix4Rotate()
    • GLKMatrix4Translate()
    • etc
• SceneKit (iOS 8.0+, macOS 10.8+)
  • SCNMatrix4
    • SCNMatrix4Scale()
    • SCNMatrix4Rotate()
    • SCNMatrix4Translate()
    • etc
• Spatial (iOS 16+, macOS 13+)
  • AffineTransform3D
    • .scaled(by:)
    • .rotated(by:)
    • .translated(by:)
    • etc
  • but also things like:
    • Pose3D
      • .translated(by:) etc
    • ScaledPose3D
      • .translated(by:) etc

i may well have missed some!