Revision 705408784 of "YafaRay" on enwiki

{{Infobox software
| name = YafaRay
| logo =
| screenshot = Engine movingparts.jpg
| caption = A YafaRay rendering of [[piston engine]] parts modelled in [[Blender (software)|Blender]]
| developer = YafaRay developers
| latest_release_version = 0.1.5
| latest_release_date = {{release date and age|2013|05|11}}
| programming language   = [[C++]], [[Python (programming language)|Python]]
| operating_system = <!--OS-independent-->
| platform = [[Blender (software)|Blender]]
| genre = [[Raytracer]], [[plug-in (computing)|plug-in]]
| license = [[GNU Lesser General Public License|LGPL]]
| website = {{URL|yafaray.org}}
}}

'''YafaRay''' is a [[free software|free]], [[open source]] [[Ray tracing (graphics)|ray tracing]] program that uses an [[XML]] scene description language. It has been integrated into the 2.49 version of the 3D modelling software [[Blender (software)|Blender]], but required an exporter for the redesigned 2.5 version of Blender. It now has an addon to integrate it into blender 2.73. 

It is licensed under the [[GNU Lesser General Public License]] (LGPL).

==History==

YafaRay's predecessor '''YafRay''' ('''Y'''et '''A'''nother '''F'''ree '''Ray'''tracer) was written by Alejandro Conty Estévez, and was first released in July 2002. The last version of YafRay was YafRay 0.0.9, released in 2006. Due to limitations of the original design, the raytracer was completely rewritten by Mathias Wein. The first stable version of the new raytracer, YafaRay 0.1.0, was released in October 2008.

==Features==

===Rendering===
;Global Illumination
:YafaRay uses [[global illumination]] to produce realistically lit renderings of 3D scenes, using [[Monte Carlo method|Montecarlo]]-derived approximations.

;Skydome Illumination	
:This illumination system is based mainly on light coming from an emitting sky, taking into account the soft shadows calculations also involved. The illumination can be obtained from a [[High dynamic range imaging|high dynamic range image]].

;Caustics
:YafaRay uses [[photon mapping]] that allows for [[Caustic (optics)|caustic]] (light distortion produced by reflection or transmission such as through a [[burning-glass]]). For simulating translucent materials there is also a [[subsurface scattering]] shader under development.

;Depth of field	
:The effects of a focus [[depth of field]] can be reproduced using this feature. With a point in the scene fixed, further objects will be out of focus.

;Blurry reflections
:If a surface is not a perfect [[Reflection (physics)|reflector]], distortion arises in the reflected light. This distortion will grow bigger as the reflecting object is taken further away. YafaRay can simulate this phenomenon.

===Architecture===
;Modular framework
:YafaRay features a modular structure, with a [[kernel (computer science)|kernel]] with which the rest of the render elements connect: scene loader, lights and shaders. This together with an [[Application Programming Interface|API]], allows development of rendering plug-ins, for using YafaRay from any program or 3D suite. Supported suites include [[Blender (software)|Blender]], [[Wings 3D]] and Aztec.

;Cross-platform
:YafaRay has been fully developed using [[C++]]. This makes for good portability and there are precompiled [[binaries]] for the most common platforms: [[GNU]]/[[Linux]], [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] 9x/2000/XP/7/8.1, [[Mac OS X]] and [[Irix]]. YafaRay can be used as a stand-alone render engine, using its own scene description format. This way it can be used from the [[command line]] directly, by a script, etc. There are also provisions for [[parallel computing|parallel]] or [[Distributed computing|distributed]] rendering.

==See also==
{{Portal|Free software}}

* [[POV-Ray]], another popular, gratis ray tracer.
* [[LuxRender]], an unbiased rendering system
* [[Kerkythea]], a freeware rendering program that supports raytracing

==External links==
{{Commons category|YafaRay}}
* [http://www.yafaray.org Official website]
* [https://github.com/YafaRay Source code]
* [http://yafaray.manojky.net/legacy/index_Rate.php Material Library]
* [http://yafaray.manojky.net Material Search]

{{3D software}}
{{Software in the Public Interest}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yafaray}}
[[Category:Free 3D graphics software]]
[[Category:Global illumination software]]
[[Category:Rendering systems]]
[[Category:Free software programmed in C++]]
[[Category:3D rendering software for Linux]]