What does viewport mean?
A viewport is the visible portion of a display or the region in which a digital image or simulated scene is presented. On a website, the viewport determines how much of a page a visitor can see at once, so its width and height affect responsive design, navigation, and the placement of content. In computer graphics, a viewport is the area into which a three-dimensional scene is rendered; it may differ from the scene's full dimensions, allowing the same virtual world to appear from different angles or at different scales. The term is therefore more precise than “window,” which can refer to the surrounding application frame as well as the visible content. It should not be confused with “viewpoint,” which denotes a perspective or opinion. Though primarily technical, viewport is now common in discussions of websites, displays, rendering systems, and virtual environments.
nounThe visible area of a display on which an application, webpage, or other content appears. In computer graphics, it can also mean the region into which a scene is rendered for display.
- The visible rectangular area of a display on which an application, webpage, or other content is shown.
- In computer graphics, the region into which a scene is rendered for display, distinguished from the scene itself.
"The interface automatically rearranges itself to fit the dimensions of the viewport."
"Resize the browser window until the image fits within the viewport."
"The virtual camera uses an off-screen viewport to render the scene from another angle."
The plural is standard in technical writing, especially when several displays, browser windows, or rendering regions are being discussed.
"The designer resized the viewports on the wide-screen displays."
In digital graphics, a viewport is not merely the window through which you look: it is the bounded slice of the virtual world your device lets you see.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of viewport
The compound was formed in the twentieth century from “view” and “port,” using “port” in its older sense of an opening or frame through which something can be seen. In this sense, “port” comes from Latin “porta,” meaning “gate” or “door,” and is also the source of words such as “portal” and “portico.” “Viewport” was adopted in computing and graphics for the bounded area through which a display or simulated scene is seen.
Related word forms
How viewport is actually used
The term is chiefly used in computing, user-interface design, and computer graphics. It is technical rather than conversational, though it is widely understood among web designers, developers, and digital artists.
Easily confused with viewport
A viewport is the visible area or rendering region of a display, whereas a viewpoint is a perspective, position, or opinion from which something is considered.