Direct2D

Direct2D is a hardware-accelerated, immediate-mode, 2-D graphics API that provides high performance and high-quality rendering for 2-D geometry, bitmaps, and text. The Direct2D API is designed to interoperate well with GDI, GDI+, and Direct3D. Windows 7 or Windows Vista with Service Pack 2 (SP2) and Platform Update for Windows Vista and later. Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows Server 2008 with Service Pack 2 (SP2) and Platform Update for Windows Server 2008 and later. The Platform Update for Windows Vista and Platform Update for Windows Server 2008 are a set of run-time libraries that enables developers to target applications to Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 R2, and Windows Server 2008. These updates will be available to all Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 customers through Windows Update. Third-party applications that require Platform Update for Windows Vista or Platform Update for Windows Server 2008 can have Windows Update detect whether the required updated is installed; if it is not, Windows Update will download and install it in the background. What's new in Direct2D Here are some of the new additions to Direct2D. About Direct2D Introduces Direct2D, an API that provides Win32 developers with the ability to perform 2-D graphics rendering tasks with superior performance and visual quality. Direct2D quickstart for Windows 8 Summarizes the steps required to draw with Direct2D and provides example code. Getting Started with Direct2D Describes how to get started creating Direct2D applications and provides example code. Programming Guide This section contains conceptual programming topics that describe how to use the Direct2D API. Direct2D reference Describes the Direct2D API in detail. Tools and Utilities Tools and utilities provided for Direct2D. Samples Sample applications that demonstrate the Direct2D API. Direct2D Glossary Describes terms commonly used by the Direct2D documentation. Want to try using Ask Learn to clarify or guide you through this topic? Ask Learn is an AI assistant that can answer questions, clarify concepts, and define terms using trusted Microsoft documentation.