Overview of GDI+

Windows GDI+ is the subsystem of the Windows XP operating system or Windows Server 2003 that is responsible for displaying information on screens and printers. GDI+ is an API that is exposed through a set of C++ classes.

As its name suggests, GDI+ is the successor to Windows Graphics Device Interface (GDI), the graphics device interface included with earlier versions of Windows. Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 supports GDI for compatibility with existing applications, but programmers of new applications should use GDI+ for all their graphics needs because GDI+ optimizes many of the capabilities of GDI and also provides additional features.

A graphics device interface, such as GDI+, allows application programmers to display information on a screen or printer without having to be concerned about the details of a particular display device. The application programmer makes calls to methods provided by GDI+ classes and those methods in turn make the appropriate calls to specific device drivers. GDI+ insulates the application from the graphics hardware, and it is this insulation that allows developers to create device-independent applications.