Metal
Metal is a low-level, high-performance graphics and compute framework developed by Apple for iOS, macOS, tvOS, and visionOS. It provides near-direct access to the GPU, enabling developers to create advanced 2D/3D graphics, machine learning, and parallel computing applications with minimal overhead. It serves as the foundation for higher-level frameworks like MetalKit, SceneKit, and ARKit.
Developers should learn Metal when building performance-critical graphics or compute applications on Apple platforms, such as games, AR/VR experiences, video processing tools, or machine learning inference engines. It's essential for maximizing GPU efficiency and achieving console-quality graphics on iOS/macOS devices, especially when standard APIs like OpenGL or Core Graphics are insufficient.