DirectWrite

DirectWrite is a text layout and glyph rendering API by Microsoft. It was designed to replace GDI/GDI+ and Uniscribe for screen-oriented rendering and was first shipped with Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, as well as Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 (with Platform Update installed). DirectWrite is hardware-accelerated (using the GPU) when running on top of Direct2D, but can also use the CPU to render on any target, including a GDI bitmap.

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DirectWrite (DWrite) - Win32 apps | Microsoft Learn

Today's applications must support high-quality text rendering, resolution-independent outline fonts, and full Unicode text and layout support. DirectWrite, a [DirectX](../directx.md) API, provides these features and more.

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Today's applications must support high-quality text rendering, resolution-independent outline fonts, and full Unicode text and layout support. DirectWrite, a DirectX API, provides these features and more. A device-independent text layout system that improves text readability in documents and in UI. High-quality, sub-pixel, Microsoft ClearType text rendering that can use GDI , Direct2D , or application-specific rendering technology. Hardware-accelerated text, when used with Direct2D . Support for multi-format text. Support for the advanced typography features of OpenType fonts. Support for the layout and rendering of text in all supported languages. GDI -compatible layout and rendering. The API supports measuring, drawing, and hit-testing of multi-format text. DirectWrite handles text in all supported languages for global and localized applications, building on the key language infrastructure found in Windows 7. DirectWrite also provides a low-level glyph rendering API for developers who want to perform their own layout and Unicode-to-glyph processing. Windows App SDK introduces a new version of DirectWrite—called DWriteCore—that runs on versions of Windows down to Windows 8, and opens the door for you to use it cross-platform. For more details, see DWriteCore overview . What's new in DirectWrite Here are some of the new additions to DirectWrite. Programming Guide The following topics provide an overview of the DirectWrite API. API Reference Describes the DirectWrite API. Sample Code This section contains information about sample programs for DirectWrite. 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.

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Features
DWriteCore
Uses
See also
References

== Features == Comprehensive support for Unicode, with over 20 scripts providing layout and rendering of every language supported in Windows. DirectWrite supports measuring, drawing, and hit-testing of multi-format text. Supported Unicode features include BIDI, line breaking, surrogates, UVS, language-guided script itemization, number substitution, and glyph shaping. Sub-pixel ClearType font rendering with bi-directional antialiasing which can interoperate with GDI/GDI+, Direct2D/Direct3D and any application-specific technology. When using with Direct2D, text rendering can be hardware-accelerated or can use WARP software rasterizer when hardware acceleration is not available. Supports advanced typographic features of OpenType, such as stylistic alternates and swashes, which were never supported in GDI and WinForms. These features were demoed at DirectWrite's launch (at PDC2008) using the Gabriola font, itself also introduced with Windows 7. Provides a low-level glyph rendering API for those who employ proprietary text layout and Unicode-to-glyph processing.