What is a "vertex" and how is it represented in file formats?

A vertex is a fundamental point in 3D models that defines shape, and in file formats, it is typically represented by numerical coordinates (e.g., X, Y, Z axes). It is the core unit of 3D meshes, carrying geometric position data and often additional attributes like color or texture coordinates. In common formats: OBJ lists vertices with "v" followed by XYZ values (text-based), while FBX may use binary encoding for efficiency. To see vertices visually, opening a basic OBJ file in a text editor reveals its coordinate structure clearly.