GLEW is a valuable tool for OpenGL developers, providing an efficient and platform-independent way to access OpenGL extensions and manage OpenGL versions in their applications.

Here's what GLEW does:

1. Extension Loading: GLEW handles the task of loading OpenGL extensions dynamically at runtime. This means that developers can utilize the latest OpenGL features without worrying about compatibility issues with older hardware or software versions.
2. Version Management: GLEW helps manage OpenGL versions by providing functions to check the availability of specific OpenGL features and extensions on the user's system.
3. Cross-Platform Compatibility: GLEW is designed to work on multiple platforms, including Windows, Linux, macOS, and various Unix-like systems. This makes it easier for developers to write OpenGL code that can run on different operating systems without modification.
4. Simplifying OpenGL Development: By abstracting away the low-level details of OpenGL extension loading, GLEW simplifies the development process for OpenGL applications, allowing developers to focus on implementing their graphics algorithms and effects.