Simple DirectMedia Layer (SDL) is a cross-platform development library designed to provide low level access to audio, keyboard, mouse, joystick, and graphics hardware via OpenGL and Direct3D. It is used by video playback software, emulators, and popular games including Valve's award winning catalog and many Humble Bundle games.
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SDL supports Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, making it a versatile choice for developers targeting multiple platforms.
Utilizes OpenGL and Direct3D for hardware-accelerated rendering, ensuring high performance graphics.
Provides comprehensive audio support, including 3D sound effects and music playback.
Offers robust support for keyboard, mouse, joystick, and gamepad input, simplifying user interaction in applications.
Includes networking capabilities for multiplayer game development and other networked applications.
Supports multi-threading, allowing for concurrent processing and improved application performance.
Provides file input/output operations, essential for loading resources and saving game states.
Includes features for managing power consumption, important for mobile and portable devices.
Supports internationalization, making it easier to develop applications for a global audience.
Backed by a strong community of developers and users, offering extensive documentation, forums, and tutorials.
SDL is released under the zlib license, which allows for free use in both open-source and proprietary software.
The project welcomes contributions from the community, including code, documentation, and financial support.
Extensive documentation is available, including API references, tutorials, and guides for beginners and advanced users.
SDL is designed to be compatible with a wide range of hardware and software configurations, ensuring broad applicability.
Optimized for performance, SDL is capable of running demanding applications and games smoothly on supported platforms.
SDL includes features to help developers create secure applications, with attention to preventing common vulnerabilities.
Security headers report is a very important part of user data protection. Learn more about http headers for libsdl.org