栅格化是将矢量图形格式表示的图像转换成位图以用于显示器或者打印机输出的过程。

总体上来说，栅格化这个术语可以用于任何将矢量图形转换成位图的过程。

在通常的应用中，这个术语用来表示在计算机上显示三维形状的流行渲染算法。栅格化目前是生成实时三维计算机图形最流行的算法。实时应用需要立即响应用户输入，并且通常需要至少每秒 24 帧的速率。

与辐射着色、光线跟踪等其它渲染技术不同，栅格化的速度非常快，但是由于它不是根据光传输的物理规律进行处理的，所以无法正确模拟许多复杂真实光照环境。

Rasterisation (or rasterization) is the task of taking an image described in a vector graphics format (shapes) and converting it into a raster image (pixels or dots) for output on a video display or printer, or for storage in a bitmap file format.

In normal usage, the term refers to the popular rendering algorithm for displaying three-dimensional shapes on a computer. Rasterisation is currently the most popular technique for producing real-time 3D computer graphics. Real-time applications need to respond immediately to user input, and generally need to produce frame rates of at least 30 frames per second to achieve smooth animation.