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Windows Advanced Rasterization Platform
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<p>Windows Advanced Rasterization Platform (WARP) is a <a href="/facts/Software_rendering/NzSxPkSP">software rasterizer</a> and a component of <a href="/facts/DirectX/jyy75wVN">DirectX</a> graphics runtime in <a href="/facts/Windows_7/tldLdbnX">Windows 7</a> and later. It is available for <a href="/facts/Windows_Vista/IASEUCTB">Windows Vista</a> and <a href="/facts/Windows_Server_2008/hrcPjTCH">Windows Server 2008</a> through <a href="/facts/Windows_Vista/IASEUCTB">platform update for Windows Vista</a>. </p><p>WARP can be used when no compatible hardware is available, in <a href="/facts/Kernel_mode/27y4kjHs">kernel mode</a> applications or in a <a href="/facts/Headless_system/p6MAkkou">headless</a> environment, or for remote rendering of <a href="/facts/Direct2D/2wyAQnIz">Direct2D</a>/<a href="/facts/DirectWrite/nSP4w7pj">DirectWrite</a> for <a href="/facts/Remote_Desktop_Connection/4b05uM5B">Remote Desktop Connection</a> clients. </p><p>WARP is a full-featured <a href="/facts/Direct3D/WHJ6DTcv">Direct3D</a> 10.1 renderer device with performance on par with current low-end <a href="/facts/Graphics_card/bcKfPyFt">graphics cards</a>, such as Intel <a href="/facts/GMA_3000/wXGK293M">GMA 3000</a>, when running on multi-core CPUs. To achieve this level of rendering performance, WARP employs advanced techniques such as <a href="/facts/Just-in-time_compilation/rEYDsd8l">just-in-time compilation</a> to <a href="/facts/X86/Kypq5fgu">x86</a> <a href="/facts/Machine_code/bgdQ1Fxf">machine code</a> and support for advanced vector extensions such as <a href="/facts/SSE2/cheNDPSK">SSE2</a> and <a href="/facts/SSE4.1/Tnxrl7Ph">SSE4.1</a>. </p><p>WARP supports <a href="/facts/Direct3D_11/WHJ6DTcv">Direct3D 11</a> runtime and is compatible with <a href="/facts/Direct3D/WHJ6DTcv">feature levels</a> 10_1, 10_0, 9_3, 9_2, and 9_1; in <a href="/facts/Direct3D_11.1/WHJ6DTcv">Direct3D 11.1</a> runtime, WARP additionally supports feature levels 11_0 and 11_1. </p><p>In Windows 8, WARP provides functionality for the "Microsoft Basic Render Driver" which replaces kernel-mode <a href="/facts/VGA/8GGsGTSc">VGA</a> driver. In Windows 8.1, WARP has been updated to support <a href="/facts/Direct3D_feature_levels/WHJ6DTcv">feature level 11_1</a> and tiled resources. </p><p>In Windows 10, WARP has been updated to support <a href="/facts/Direct3D_12/WHJ6DTcv">Direct3D 12</a> at <a href="/facts/Direct3D_feature_levels/WHJ6DTcv">feature level 12_1</a>; under Direct3D 12, WARP also replaces the Reference rasterizer. </p><p>In Windows 11, WARP was updated to support feature level 12_2 (<i><a href="/facts/DirectX_12_Ultimate/jyy75wVN">DirectX 12 Ultimate</a></i>) with variable rate shading, sampler feedback, mesh shaders, and <a href="/facts/DirectX_Raytracing/s7vskcXP">DirectX Raytracing</a>. Microsoft releases recent versions of d3d10warp.dll as a downloadable <a href="/facts/NuGet/EzKUx5B2">NuGet</a> package, which can be side-loaded by applications and can work with the redistributable Direct3D 12 runtime (Agility SDK). </p>