DirectX

Microsoft DirectX is a collection of <a href="/facts/Application_programming_interface/GMlN4vUr">application programming interfaces</a> (APIs) for handling tasks related to <a href="/facts/Multimedia/PtJteq27">multimedia</a>, especially <a href="/facts/Game_programming/toeTt0Nd">game programming</a> and video, on <a href="/facts/Microsoft/nGIDDXdx">Microsoft</a> platforms. Originally, the names of these APIs all began with "Direct", such as <a href="/facts/Direct3D/WHJ6DTcv">Direct3D</a>, <a href="/facts/DirectDraw/abGMNIlP">DirectDraw</a>, <a href="/facts/DirectMusic/P5oLems1">DirectMusic</a>, <a href="/facts/DirectPlay/gRafV8vw">DirectPlay</a>, <a href="/facts/DirectSound/PHnM8BYK">DirectSound</a>, and so forth. The name DirectX was coined as a shorthand term for all of these APIs (the X standing in for the particular API names) and soon became the name of the collection. When Microsoft later set out to develop a <a href="/facts/Video_game_console/K72D1NSS">gaming console</a>, the X was used as the basis of the name <a href="/facts/Xbox_(console)/2FuQrJeX">Xbox</a> to indicate that the console was based on DirectX technology. The X initial has been carried forward in the naming of APIs designed for the Xbox such as <a href="/facts/DirectInput/FXQWGmgy">XInput</a> and the <a href="/facts/Cross-platform_Audio_Creation_Tool/WHJYzhnu">Cross-platform Audio Creation Tool</a> (XACT), while the DirectX pattern has been continued for Windows APIs such as <a href="/facts/Direct2D/2wyAQnIz">Direct2D</a> and <a href="/facts/DirectWrite/nSP4w7pj">DirectWrite</a>.
Direct3D (the 3D graphics API within DirectX) is widely used in the development of <a href="/facts/Video_game/vmTdNASJ">video games</a> for <a href="/facts/Microsoft_Windows/bwhAhuSL">Microsoft Windows</a> and the <a href="/facts/Xbox/c4vCQ0kC">Xbox</a> line of consoles. Direct3D is also used by other <a href="/facts/Software/RP79lVSW">software</a> applications for visualization and graphics tasks such as CAD/CAM engineering. As Direct3D is the most widely publicized component of DirectX, it is common to see the names "DirectX" and "Direct3D" used interchangeably.
The DirectX <a href="/facts/Software_development_kit/2Hkk6Hbs">software development kit</a> (SDK) consists of <a href="/facts/Runtime_library/TJjgyw3t">runtime libraries</a> in redistributable binary form, along with accompanying documentation and <a href="/facts/Include_directive/fg3KEG4V">headers</a> for use in coding. Originally, the runtimes were only installed by games or explicitly by the user. <a href="/facts/Windows_95/1E1L93qC">Windows 95</a> did not launch with DirectX, but DirectX was included with Windows 95 OEM Service Release 2. <a href="/facts/Windows_98/6qtq4oJm">Windows 98</a> and <a href="/facts/Windows_NT_4.0/EcKYxrkx">Windows NT 4.0</a> both shipped with DirectX, as has every version of Windows released since. The SDK is available as a free download. While the runtimes are proprietary, closed-source software, source code is provided for most of the SDK samples. Starting with the release of Windows 8 Developer Preview, DirectX SDK has been integrated into Windows SDK.

DirectX open-in-new

DirectX