What is DirectX computer graphics? DirectX is an application program interface (API) for creating and managing graphic images and multimedia effects in applications such as games or active Web pages that will run in Microsoft’s Windows operating systems. … DirectX is part of Microsoft’s larger vision of an object-oriented development environment.

DirectX is an application program interface (API) for creating and managing graphic images and multimedia effects in applications such as games or active Web pages that will run in Microsoft’s Windows operating systems. (Such an application program might be written in C++, or Visual C/C++, or Java.) The capability to “play” DirectX applications comes as an integrated part of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer Web browser. (A 3-D player is optionally downloadable.)

The DirectX Software Development Kit (SDK) includes tools that let a developer create or integrate graphic images, overlays, sprites, and other game elements, including sound. There is also a Driver Development Kit (DDK) that lets developers create drivers for display, audio, and other I/O devices.

DirectX is part of Microsoft’s larger vision of an object oriented development environment. For example, a sprite is created as an instance of a sprite class. Developers can also take advantage of Microsoft’s set of prepackaged routines or small programs that are part of the Microsoft Foundation Class Library.

DirectX is designed so that some functions can be performed on a graphics accelerator card freeing the microprocessor for other work. The accelerator manufacturer provides a driver especially for DirectX.

What is the use of DirectX?

DirectX, simply put, is software developed by Microsoft that talks to a PC’s hardware components. Specifically, it’s a collection of application programming interfaces, or APIs, designed to handle tasks related to rendering 2D and 3D vector graphics, rendering video and playing audio on the Windows platform.

COMPONENTS OF DIRECTX

DirectX consists of five components:

• DirectDraw, an interface that lets you define two-dimensional images, specify textures, and manage double buffers (a technique for changing images)
• Direct3D, an interface for creating three-dimensional images
• DirectSound, an interface for integrating and coordinating sound with the images
• DirectPlay, a plug-in for end users, is also used by developers to test their application
• DirectInput, an interface for input from I/O devices

FEATURES OF DIRECTX

A Single Graphics Interface for Windows
DirectX provides the interface to access the frame buffer and advanced features of the graphics card, which are not provided in the standard Windows GDI graphics interface. When DirectX was introduced, vendors quickly developed drivers that exposed low-level functions of their graphics hardware to the application.

Emulate Graphics Functions in Software
Through the Hardware Emulation Layer (HEL), DirectX is capable of emulating graphics functions in software that are not built into the graphics card.

Which DirectX is best for gaming?

We at the DirectX team designed DirectX 11 to be the best API for game developers to use in their engines. Even though we shipped DX11 a decade ago, for many games it’s still a great option. Having said that, DX12 has several advantages over DX11.

DIRECTX GRAPHICS INFRASTRUCTURE

DirectX Graphics Infrastructure (DXGI) is a user-mode component of Microsoft Windows (for Windows Vista and above) which provides a mapping between particular graphics APIs such as Direct3D 10.0 and above (known in DXGI parlance as producers) and the graphics kernel, which in turn interfaces with the user-mode Windows Display Driver Model driver. DXGI provides objects to handle tasks such as enumerating graphics adapters and monitors, enumerating display modes, choosing buffer formats, sharing resources between processes (such as between applications and the Desktop Window Manager), and presenting rendered frames to a window or monitor for display.

ADVANTAGES OF DIRECTX

First, DirectX is continuely evolving. Updates are usually every two months while other competitors release new updates every six to twelve months. DirectX contains 2D/3D rendering, input and sound support. Upcoming APIs included with DirectX include better networking services. It has loads of documentation, samples, etc. and is currently the forefront of Windows (and XBox) gaming. So, not only will it help you get your game done faster with all the helper libraries etc. that it gives you, but you’ll surely land yourself a career with it later down the road if that is a goal of yours. Other competitors aren’t focusing on games, so most companies tend to use DirectX since it’s integrated nicely into the Windows platform, and it’s simply prefered by Microsoft for your gaming solutions on their platform. Oh, and the tools are grrrrrrreat! I hope that helps a tad.

DIRECTX GRAPHICS INFRASTRUCTURE