🎨 FractaVista

A modern, GPU-accelerated fractal explorer built with C++ and OpenGL.

Note: This is a work in progress. New features are being added and existing ones may be refined.

FractaVista is a high-performance, interactive desktop application for exploring the mesmerizing beauty of fractals. It leverages modern C++ and the power of GPU compute shaders to deliver a smooth, real-time exploration experience with an intuitive user interface.

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✨ Features

• GPU-Accelerated Rendering: Utilizes OpenGL compute shaders for blazingly fast fractal generation, allowing for deep, real-time exploration.
• Multiple Fractal Algorithms: Comes with several built-in fractal types:
  • Mandelbrot
  • Julia
  • Burning Ship
  • Cubic Mandelbrot
  • Tricorn
  • Newton
• Interactive Navigation: Smoothly pan and zoom into the intricate details of each fractal with simple mouse controls.
• Real-time Parameter Control: Tweak parameters like max iterations, zoom, position, and Julia set constants on the fly.
• High-Resolution Export: Save stunning, high-quality screenshots of your discoveries with built-in supersampling options (up to 8x).
• Modern & Modular Codebase: Written in clean, modern C++ with a strong emphasis on modularity.

🛠️ Technology Stack

• Language: C++ 17
• Graphics API: OpenGL 4.3+
• Dependency Management: vcpkg
• Windowing & Input: SDL3
• GUI: Dear ImGui (with Docking)
• OpenGL Loading: GLAD
• Image Loading/Saving: SDL3_image
• Math: GLM
• JSON Parsing: nlohmann/json
• File Dialogs: Native File Dialog Extended
• Logging: spdlog

🚀 Getting Started

This project uses CMake and vcpkg for dependency management to ensure a smooth build process.

Prerequisites

• A C++ compiler that supports C++ 17 or newer (GCC, Clang, MSVC)
• CMake (version 3.27 or higher)
• Git
• vcpkg

1. Install vcpkg

If you don't have vcpkg, you can install it with the following commands:

git clone https://github.com/microsoft/vcpkg.git
cd vcpkg
# For Windows
./bootstrap-vcpkg.bat
# For Linux/macOS
./bootstrap-vcpkg.sh
# Integrate with your build environment
./vcpkg integrate install

2. Install Dependencies

Use vcpkg to install all the required libraries. Be sure to specify the correct triplet for your target platform (e.g., x64-windows for 64-bit Windows).

vcpkg install sdl3 sdl3-image imgui[docking-experimental,opengl3-binding,sdl3-binding] glm nlohmann-json nativefiledialog-extended spdlog zlib libpng libjpeg-turbo --triplet x64-windows

3. Build FractaVista

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/Krish2882005/FractaVista.git
   cd FractaVista

2. Create a build directory:

   mkdir build
   cd build

3. Configure the project with CMake: Make sure to point CMake to the vcpkg toolchain file.

   # Replace [path-to-vcpkg] with the actual path to your vcpkg installation
   cmake .. -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=[path-to-vcpkg]/scripts/buildsystems/vcpkg.cmake

4. Build the project:

   cmake --build . --config Release

5. Run the application: The executable FractaVista will be located in the build/Release directory.

🕹️ How to Use

The user interface is fully dockable, allowing you to customize the layout to your preference.

• Viewport:

  • Pan: Click and drag with the left mouse button to move around the fractal.
  • Zoom: Use the mouse scroll wheel to zoom in and out. The zoom is centered on your mouse cursor.

• Menu Bar:

  • File: Save and load fractal parameter presets (.fracta files) or quit the application.
  • View: Toggle the visibility of the different control panels (Properties, Coloring, Export, Status Bar).
  • Help: View application information in the "About" modal.

• Properties Panel:

  • Algorithm: Switch between different fractal types (Mandelbrot, Julia, etc.).
  • Controls: Adjust core parameters like Max Iterations, Zoom, and Offset coordinates in real-time.
  • Julia Parameters: Appears when the Julia set is selected, allowing you to modify its unique constants.

• Coloring Panel:

  • Shading: Toggle smooth coloring and adjust the palette frequency.

  • Palette Gradient: A fully interactive gradient editor.

    • Left-click on the bar to add a new color stop.
    • Drag existing stops to change their position.
    • Right-click a stop to delete it.
    • Use the color pickers below to change the color of each stop.

• Export Panel:

  • Configure the Filename, Format (PNG, JPG, BMP), and Supersample factor for high-resolution screenshots.
  • Click Save to File to export the current view.

🔮 Future Roadmap

• Implement more fractal algorithms (e.g., Nova, Magnet).
• Implement keyframe animation to export videos of fractal zooms.
• Display performance metrics (render time, FPS) in the UI.

📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.