JOGL allows access to most OpenGL features available to C language programs through the use of the Java Native Interface (JNI).

It offers access to both the standard GL* functions along with the GLU* functions; however the OpenGL Utility Toolkit (GLUT) library is not available for window-system related calls, as Java has its own windowing systems: Abstract Window Toolkit (AWT), Swing, and some extensions.

Indeed, most of the JOGL code is autogenerated from the OpenGL C header files via a conversion tool named GlueGen, which was programmed specifically to facilitate the creation of JOGL.

As of 2023[update], JOGL provides full access to the OpenGL 4.5 specification as well as almost all vendor extensions (and OpenCL, OpenMAX and OpenAL).

[4] The 2.5.0 version is the reference implementation for JSR-231 (Java Bindings for OpenGL).