Microsoft DirectX is a collection of application programming interfaces (APIs) for handling tasks related to multimedia, especially game programming and video, on Microsoft platforms. Originally, the names of these APIs all began with Direct, such as Direct3D, DirectDraw, DirectMusic, DirectPlay, DirectSound, and so forth.

DirectX provides access to the capabilities of your display and audio cards, which enables programs to provide realistic three-dimensional (3-D) graphics and immersive music and audio effects. DirectX is a set of low-level Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that provides Windows programs with high-performance hardware-accelerated multimedia support.

DirectX enables the program to easily determine the hardware capabilities of your computer, and then sets the program parameters to match. This allows multimedia software programs to run on any Windows-based computer with DirectX compatible hardware and drivers and ensures that the multimedia programs take full advantage of high-performance hardware.   

DirectX contains a set of APIs that provide access to the advanced features of high-performance hardware, such as 3-D graphics acceleration chips and sound cards. These APIs control low-level functions, including two-dimensional (2-D) graphics acceleration; support for input devices such as joysticks, keyboards, and mice; and control of sound mixing and sound output. The low-level functions are supported by these components that make up DirectX.

At this year’s Build Developers Conference, Microsoft unveiled its latest version of DirectX, demonstrated the new "Tiled Resources" technique, and made the announcement that the update will be exclusive to Windows 8.1 and the Xbox One.

Microsoft has officially confirmed the start of work on new libraries supporting graphics rendering. First details on the new graphic librariesare already disclosed on March 20 at a conference during the Game DevelopersConference in San Francisco. Website announcing the event was enriched with logoXbox One can clearly reveal what Microsoft's plans.

All indications are that all the games that will be carried out in accordance with DirectX 12 will seamlessly run on Microsoft's latest console. Features of the new APIcan also be an impetus for developers to create their works on both PC and XboxOne. Currently pad DirectX 11.2, which is also used in Windows 8.1.

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