Windows Advanced Rasterization Platform (WARP)[1] is asoftware rasterizer and a component ofDirectX graphics runtime inWindows 7 and later. It is available forWindows Vista andWindows Server 2008 throughplatform update for Windows Vista.
WARP can be used when no compatible hardware is available, inkernel mode applications or in aheadless environment, or for remote rendering ofDirect2D/DirectWrite forRemote Desktop Connection clients.
WARP is a full-featuredDirect3D 10.1 renderer device with performance on par with current low-endgraphics cards, such as IntelGMA 3000,[2] when running on multi-core CPUs.[3] To achieve this level of rendering performance, WARP employs advanced techniques such asjust-in-time compilation tox86machine code and support for advanced vector extensions such asSSE2 andSSE4.1.
WARP supportsDirect3D 11 runtime and is compatible withfeature levels 10_1, 10_0, 9_3, 9_2, and 9_1; inDirect3D 11.1 runtime, WARP additionally supports feature levels 11_0 and 11_1.[4]
In Windows 8, WARP provides functionality for the "Microsoft Basic Render Driver" which replaces kernel-modeVGA driver. In Windows 8.1, WARP has been updated to supportfeature level 11_1 and tiled resources.[5]
In Windows 10, WARP has been updated to supportDirect3D 12 atfeature level 12_1; under Direct3D 12, WARP also replaces the Reference rasterizer.
In Windows 11, WARP was updated to support feature level 12_2 (DirectX 12 Ultimate) with variable rate shading, sampler feedback, mesh shaders, andDirectX Raytracing. Microsoft releases recent versions ofd3d10warp.dll as a downloadableNuGet package,[6] which can be side-loaded by applications and can work with the redistributable Direct3D 12 runtime (Agility SDK).[7]
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