Graphical Kernel System
first ISO standard for low-level computer graphics, introduced in 1977, ratified in 1985; provides drawing features for 2D vector graphics suitable for charting etc.; commonly used in computer workstations in the 1980s and early 1990s
The Graphical Kernel System (GKS) is a 2D computer graphics system using vector graphics, introduced in 1977. It was suitable for making line and bar charts and similar tasks. A key concept was cross-system portability, based on an underlying coordinate system that could be represented on almost any hardware. GKS is best known as the basis for the graphics in the GEM GUI system used on the Atari ST and as part of Ventura Publisher.
A draft international standard was circulated for review in September 1983. Final ratification of the standard was achieved in 1985, making it the first ISO graphics standard.
A 3D system modelled on GKS was introduced as PHIGS, which saw some use in the 1980s and early 1990s.
Overview
GKS provides a set of drawing features for two-dimensional vector graphics suitable for charting and similar duties. The calls are designed to be portable across different programming languages, graphics devices and hardware, so that applications written to use GKS will be readily portable to many platforms and devices.
GKS was fairly common on computer workstations in the 1980s and early 1990s.
This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Graphical Kernel System” as first ISO standard for low-level computer graphics, introduced in 1977, ratified in 1985; provides drawing features for 2D vector graphics suitable for charting etc.; commonly used in computer workstations in the 1980s and early 1990s. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.
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Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jun 3, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q1543343. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1977, 1983 and 1985.
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This entry incorporates text from “Graphical Kernel System” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.