The name RenderMan can cause confusion because it has been used to refer to different things developed by Pixar:
- The RenderMan Interface Specification (RISpec), Pixar's technical specification for a standard communications protocol (or interface) between 3D computer graphics programs and rendering programs.
- RenderMan Shading Language.
- PhotoRealistic RenderMan (PRMan), a RenderMan Interface Specification-compliant rendering software system developed by Pixar based on their own interface specification.
- RenderMan is also commonly used to refer to other renderers because of their compliance with the RenderMan standard.
