DirectX 12 API

DirectX 12 (DX12) is a low-level graphics API for Windows (and Xbox) that provides direct control over GPU hardware. Unlike higher-level APIs like DirectX 11 or OpenGL, DX12 exposes the GPU's internal architecture, allowing developers to eliminate driver overhead and parallelize work across CPU cores. A DX12 application records GPU commands into command lists (potentially in parallel across threads), then submits them to the GPU queue. The GPU executes these commands at its own pace. Developers manage memory, synchronization, and scheduling—giving them control but also responsibility.