Windows API
Microsoft's core set of application programming interfaces on Windows / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dear Wikiwand AI, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:
Can you list the top facts and stats about Win32?
Summarize this article for a 10 year old
The Windows API, informally WinAPI, is the foundational application programming interface (API) that allows a computer program to access the features of the Microsoft Windows operating system in which the program is running.
Developer(s) | Microsoft |
---|---|
Initial release | November 20, 1985; 38 years ago (1985-11-20) |
Operating system | Microsoft Windows, OS/2 |
Predecessor | DOS API |
Type | API |
License | Proprietary |
Website | https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/ |
Each major version of the Windows API has another name that identifies a compatibility aspect of that version. For example, Win32 is the major version of Windows API that runs on 32-bit systems. The name, Windows API, collectively refers to all versions of this capability of Windows.
Microsoft provides developer support via a software development kit, Microsoft Windows SDK, which includes documentation and tools for building software based on the Windows API.