WebGL2RenderingContext: bufferData() method

{{APIRef("WebGL")}}{{AvailableInWorkers}}

The WebGL2RenderingContext.bufferData() method of the WebGL API creates and initializes the buffer object's data store.

Syntax

bufferData(target, size, usage)
bufferData(target, srcData, usage)
bufferData(target, srcData, usage, srcOffset)
bufferData(target, srcData, usage, srcOffset, length)

Parameters

• target

  • : A {{domxref("WebGL_API/Types", "GLenum")}} specifying the binding point (target). Possible values:
    • gl.ARRAY_BUFFER
      • : Buffer containing vertex attributes, such as vertex coordinates, texture coordinate data, or vertex color data.
    • gl.ELEMENT_ARRAY_BUFFER
      • : Buffer used for element indices.
    • gl.COPY_READ_BUFFER
      • : Buffer for copying from one buffer object to another.
    • gl.COPY_WRITE_BUFFER
      • : Buffer for copying from one buffer object to another.
    • gl.TRANSFORM_FEEDBACK_BUFFER
      • : Buffer for transform feedback operations.
    • gl.UNIFORM_BUFFER
      • : Buffer used for storing uniform blocks.
    • gl.PIXEL_PACK_BUFFER
      • : Buffer used for pixel transfer operations.
    • gl.PIXEL_UNPACK_BUFFER
      • : Buffer used for pixel transfer operations.

• size {{optional_inline}}

  • : A {{domxref("WebGL_API/Types", "GLsizeiptr")}} setting the size in bytes of the buffer object's data store. One of size and srcData must be provided.

• srcData {{optional_inline}}

  • : A {{jsxref("TypedArray")}} or a {{jsxref("DataView")}} that views an {{jsxref("ArrayBuffer")}} or {{jsxref("SharedArrayBuffer")}} that will be copied into the data store. If null, a data store is still created, but the content is uninitialized and undefined. One of size and srcData must be provided.

• usage

  • : A {{domxref("WebGL_API/Types", "GLenum")}} specifying the intended usage pattern of the data store for optimization purposes. Possible values:
    • gl.STATIC_DRAW
      • : The contents are intended to be specified once by the application, and used many times as the source for WebGL drawing and image specification commands.
    • gl.DYNAMIC_DRAW
      • : The contents are intended to be respecified repeatedly by the application, and used many times as the source for WebGL drawing and image specification commands.
    • gl.STREAM_DRAW
      • : The contents are intended to be specified once by the application, and used at most a few times as the source for WebGL drawing and image specification commands.
    • gl.STATIC_READ
      • : The contents are intended to be specified once by reading data from WebGL, and queried many times by the application.
    • gl.DYNAMIC_READ
      • : The contents are intended to be respecified repeatedly by reading data from WebGL, and queried many times by the application.
    • gl.STREAM_READ
      • : The contents are intended to be specified once by reading data from WebGL, and queried at most a few times by the application
    • gl.STATIC_COPY
      • : The contents are intended to be specified once by reading data from WebGL, and used many times as the source for WebGL drawing and image specification commands.
    • gl.DYNAMIC_COPY
      • : The contents are intended to be respecified repeatedly by reading data from WebGL, and used many times as the source for WebGL drawing and image specification commands.
    • gl.STREAM_COPY
      • : The contents are intended to be specified once by reading data from WebGL, and used at most a few times as the source for WebGL drawing and image specification commands.

• srcOffset {{optional_inline}}

  • : A {{domxref("WebGL_API/Types", "GLuint")}} specifying the element index offset where to start reading the buffer. Only allowed if srcData is provided.

• length {{optional_inline}}

  • : A {{domxref("WebGL_API/Types", "GLuint")}} defaulting to 0. Only allowed if srcOffset is given.

Return value

None ({{jsxref("undefined")}}).

Exceptions

• A gl.OUT_OF_MEMORY error is thrown if the context is unable to create a data store with the given size.
• A gl.INVALID_VALUE error is thrown if size is negative.
• A gl.INVALID_ENUM error is thrown if target or usage are not one of the allowed enums.

Specifications

{{Specifications}}

Browser compatibility

{{Compat}}

See also

• {{domxref("WebGLRenderingContext.bufferData()")}}
• {{domxref("WebGLRenderingContext.createBuffer()")}}
• {{domxref("WebGLRenderingContext.bufferSubData()")}}
• Other buffers: {{domxref("WebGLFramebuffer")}}, {{domxref("WebGLRenderbuffer")}}