Windows Driver Development Documentation

Welcome to Windows Driver Development

This is the central hub for all information related to developing device drivers for the Windows operating system. Whether you're new to driver development or an experienced professional, you'll find the resources you need here.

Getting Started

Embark on your driver development journey with our introductory guides. Learn about the fundamental concepts, development environments, and the essential tools you'll need.

Key Concepts:

Driver Architecture
Windows Driver Model (WDM)
Windows Driver Frameworks (WDF) - KMDF & UMDF
INF Files

We recommend starting with the WDF Fundamentals tutorial.

Kernel-Mode Drivers

Kernel-mode drivers operate in the privileged kernel space and have direct access to hardware. This section covers the intricacies of developing secure and efficient kernel-mode drivers.

Topics:

Kernel Mode Architecture
Interrupt Handling
DMA (Direct Memory Access)
Power Management
Plug and Play

Explore the Kernel-Mode Driver Sample Pack for practical examples.

Example Code Snippet (Conceptual):


// Example: Simple Io Control Handler
NTSTATUS MyDeviceControl(
    PDEVICE_OBJECT DeviceObject,
    PIRP Irp
) {
    PIO_STACK_LOCATION irpSp = IoGetCurrentIrpStackLocation(Irp);
    ULONG ioControlCode = irpSp->Parameters.DeviceIoControl.IoControlCode;

    switch (ioControlCode) {
        case IOCTL_MY_CUSTOM_COMMAND:
            // Handle custom command
            // ...
            break;
        default:
            // Unknown IOCTL
            Irp->IoStatus.Status = STATUS_INVALID_DEVICE_REQUEST;
            break;
    }
    // Complete the IRP
    return STATUS_SUCCESS;
}

User-Mode Drivers

User-mode drivers run in the less privileged user space, offering increased stability and security. This section details how to leverage UMDF for modern driver development.

Benefits of UMDF:

Improved Stability
Enhanced Security
Simplified Debugging
Easier Memory Management

Learn more about User-Mode Driver Framework (UMDF).

Driver Samples

Practical, well-commented driver samples are crucial for learning. Browse our extensive collection of samples covering various driver types and functionalities.

Download the latest Windows Driver Samples on GitHub.

Tools & Debugging

Master the essential tools for building, testing, and debugging your Windows drivers.

Key Tools:

Visual Studio with Windows SDK
Driver Verifier
WinDbg (Kernel Debugger)
TraceView and ETW (Event Tracing for Windows)
Logman

Refer to our Debugging Techniques Guide for advanced strategies.