STL
Also known as: Stereolithography file
STL is a common 3D file format that describes an object's surface as a mesh of triangles, used as input for 3D printing.
An STL file represents a 3D model's surface geometry as a collection of connected triangles. It is the de facto standard handoff format: you design or download a model as an STL, then a slicer converts it into printer instructions.
STL stores only shape, not color or material. Because it describes a surface mesh, the resolution of that mesh affects how smooth the printed object looks, especially on curved surfaces.
Mesh
A mesh is a 3D model's surface represented as a network of connected vertices, edges, and faces — usually triangles.
Slicer
A slicer is software that converts a 3D model into the layer-by-layer instructions a 3D printer follows to build the object.
G-code
G-code is the set of text instructions, produced by a slicer, that tells a 3D printer exactly how to move, heat, and extrude.
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