DirectX API Reference
Welcome to the DirectX API Reference on the MSDN Community. This section provides comprehensive documentation for the DirectX family of APIs, enabling developers to create high-performance graphics and multimedia applications on Windows.
Overview
DirectX is a collection of application programming interfaces (APIs) for handling tasks related to multimedia, especially game programming and video, on Microsoft platforms. It includes Direct3D for 3D graphics rendering, Direct2D for 2D graphics, DirectSound for audio, and DirectInput for input devices.
Key Components
Explore the documentation for core DirectX components:
- Direct3D: The primary API for hardware-accelerated 3D graphics. Covers versions from Direct3D 9 up to the modern Direct3D 12, offering unparalleled control and performance.
- Direct Graphics Infrastructure (DXGI): Provides the foundational services that enable Direct3D applications to interact with the graphics hardware.
- Direct2D: A high-performance, hardware-accelerated, and immediate-mode 2D API that provides better performance and visual quality for 2D graphics and text rendering.
- DirectWrite: A high-performance, hardware-accelerated text layout and rendering API that provides a unified API for text rendering across the Windows platform.
- DirectSound: An API for playing and capturing sound.
- DirectInput: An API for interacting with input devices like keyboards, mice, and game controllers.
Commonly Used Functions
Here are some frequently referenced functions and structures:
| Name | Description | Module |
|---|---|---|
| D3D11CreateDevice | Creates a Direct3D 11 device and its associated Direct3D 11 device context. | D3D11.dll |
| CreateDXGIFactory | Creates a DXGI factory. | DXGI.dll |
| D2DCreateFactory | Creates an ID2D1Factory object, which is the starting point for using the Direct2D API. | D2D1.dll |
| DWriteCreateFactory | Creates an IDWriteFactory object, which is used to create other DirectWrite objects. | DWrite.dll |
| DirectSoundCreate | Creates a DirectSound object. | DSound.dll |
Getting Started
To begin developing with DirectX, you'll need the Windows SDK installed. The SDK provides header files, libraries, and sample code to help you get started. For new projects, Direct3D 12 is recommended for the latest features and performance.
For more in-depth tutorials and best practices, please visit the Windows Development section.