Editing Portal:Graphics Programming (section)

=== Cairo and modern 2D graphics ===

'''Cairo''' is a 2D vector graphics library with support for multiple output backends. MetaCPAN describes the Perl `Cairo` module as Perl bindings for the Cairo vector graphics library, supporting output targets including PNG, PDF, and SVG.<ref>MetaCPAN, “Cairo,” https://metacpan.org/pod/Cairo, accessed July 3, 2026.</ref>

Cairo is significant because it provides a more modern drawing model than older simple raster libraries. It can target screen displays, images, PDF documents, and SVG output. That makes it useful for report generation, diagrams, vector graphics, print output, and GUI drawing.

In Perl, Cairo has often been associated with GNOME/Gtk-related graphics, PDF/SVG generation, and lower-level drawing. It is useful when the goal is not only image manipulation but controlled drawing across multiple output formats.

Cairo-style graphics are useful for:

* PDF report graphics;
* SVG output;
* anti-aliased drawing;
* charts and diagrams;
* vector shapes;
* text and glyph rendering;
* GUI graphics;
* print-oriented output.