apitrace

Free plan LinuxMacWindows

What apitrace is

apitrace is a free, open-source tool for recording OpenGL, Direct3D, and DirectDraw API calls to trace files. Those traces can be replayed on another machine; OpenGL traces can also be replayed on another operating system. Its tools let users examine call data and graphics state, inspect framebuffers and textures, edit trace files, and profile performance. API coverage varies by task and spans OpenGL 1.0–4.5, OpenGL ES 1.0–3.0, Direct3D 7–11.x, and DirectDraw. Command-line profiling can capture frame, GPU, CPU, and pixels-drawn data. The operating-system matrix lists Linux, OS X, and Windows for tracing, replay, command-line, and graphical use. Windows and Linux binaries are available for x86_64 and Arm64, with Windows x86 binaries also listed. The project is hosted on GitHub under the MIT license. Programmatic Direct3D capture interfaces are a stated limitation. The project is maintained, though its maintainer says patches, issues, and requests are addressed as time permits.

Who it suits

It suits developers who need to capture and inspect graphics API calls or profile traces on Linux, OS X, or Windows. Its varied API coverage can be useful when replay or inspection needs differ by graphics API.

What it does well

Records OpenGL, Direct3D, and DirectDraw calls.
Traces can be replayed on another machine.
Tools inspect graphics state, framebuffers, and textures.
Command-line profiling captures frame, GPU, and CPU data.
Linux, OS X, and Windows are listed.

What to know first

Programmatic Direct3D capture interfaces are unsupported.
API coverage varies by operation and graphics API.
The maintainer has limited time for patches and requests.

Limits

Programmatic Direct3D capture interfaces are unsupported. Support for tracing, replay, inspection, and profiling varies across the listed APIs.

Plans

Plan	Billed and limits	Price
Open-source apitrace	source clone; binaries for Windows and Linux architectures	Free

As apitrace.github.io lists them, read 1 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.

Getting started

Visit the apitrace website.
Choose a Windows or Linux binary for a listed architecture, or clone the source from GitHub with its submodules.
Use the command-line or graphical tools on Linux, OS X, or Windows.
Record API calls to a trace file, then replay or inspect the trace.

Verdict

apitrace combines graphics-call capture with replay, inspection, editing, and profiling tools. Check the feature matrix for the specific API and task, particularly if you need programmatic Direct3D capture.

Questions

How much does apitrace cost?

The listed Open-source apitrace plan is free.

Which operating systems does it support?

The OS matrix lists Linux, OS X, and Windows for tracing, replay, command-line, and graphical use.

Which graphics APIs does it cover?

Its feature matrix covers OpenGL 1.0–4.5, OpenGL ES 1.0–3.0, Direct3D 7–11.x, and DirectDraw, with varying support across operations.

Is apitrace open-source?

Yes. The GitHub repository identifies its license as MIT.

Can traces be replayed on another operating system?

Recorded calls can be replayed on any machine; OpenGL traces can also be replayed on any operating system.

Where can I get help?

The website links to a manual, bug-reporting guide, source-hacking guide, wiki, and mailing list.

Facts from apitrace's own pages

Analysis: The tools inspect state, view framebuffers and textures, view call data, edit trace files, and profile trace performance. · apitrace.github.io, 1 Oct 2026
Annotations: OpenGL traces can use several debug and marker extensions, including GL_KHR_debug and GL_EXT_debug_marker. · github.com, 1 Oct 2026
API coverage: The feature matrix covers OpenGL 1.0–4.5, OpenGL ES 1.0–3.0, Direct3D 7–11.x, and DirectDraw with varying trace, replay, inspection, and profiling support. · apitrace.github.io, 1 Oct 2026
Backtrace capture: Call-stack capture for OpenGL calls is available on Android and Linux. · github.com, 1 Oct 2026
Downloads: The project provides latest Windows and Linux binaries for x86_64 and Arm64, plus Windows x86 binaries. · apitrace.github.io, 1 Oct 2026
Known limitation: Programmatic Direct3D capture interfaces are currently unsupported. · github.com, 1 Oct 2026
License: The GitHub repository identifies the project license as MIT. · github.com, 1 Oct 2026
Maintenance: The project says it is maintained, but the maintainer has very little time and addresses patches, issues, and requests as time permits. · apitrace.github.io, 1 Oct 2026
Operating systems: The OS matrix lists Linux, OS X, and Windows for tracing, replay, CLI, and GUI use. · apitrace.github.io, 1 Oct 2026
Profiling: Command-line profiling can record frame, GPU, CPU, and pixels-drawn data, with shader-profile formatting available through a script. · github.com, 1 Oct 2026
Purpose: apitrace traces OpenGL, Direct3D, and DirectDraw API calls to files. · apitrace.github.io, 1 Oct 2026
Remote replay: qapitrace has rudimentary support for replaying traces on a remote target device. · github.com, 1 Oct 2026
Replay: Recorded calls can be replayed on any machine and, for OpenGL, on any operating system. · apitrace.github.io, 1 Oct 2026
Source availability: apitrace is open-source, hosted on GitHub, and can be cloned with its submodules. · apitrace.github.io, 1 Oct 2026
Support: The homepage links to a manual, bug-reporting guide, source-hacking guide, wiki, and mailing list. · apitrace.github.io, 1 Oct 2026

Where apitrace stands on Freedom251

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