Simple DirectMedia Layer is a cross-platform development library designed to provide low-level access to audio, keyboard, mouse, joystick and graphics hardware via OpenGL/Direct3D/Metal/Vulkan. It is used by video playback software, emulators, and popular games including Valve's award-winning catalog and many Humble Bundle games.
SDL officially supports Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, as well as many other platforms.
SDL is written in C, runs natively in C++, and has interfacing for many other languages including C#, Python, and Rust.
SDL is distributed under the zlib license. This license allows you to use SDL freely in any software.
SDL main website: libsdl.org
You can access the different versions of SDL from the following links:
SDL 2.30.9 (Stable version)
SDL version 3.1.6 Stable ABI Preview
- Cross-platform: It can run on many different operating systems such as Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS. In this way, it is possible to transfer a developed application to different platforms with minimum changes.
- Simplicity: SDL abstracts complex operating system calls, allowing developers to focus on basic tasks.
- Speed: It allows the development of high-performance applications thanks to its low-level optimizations.
- Flexibility: It offers a wide range of features and can be customized according to your needs.
- Open source: It can be used and developed for free. Supported by a large community.
- Game development: SDL is one of the most popular libraries for game development. It is used in many projects such as 2D and 3D games, demo applications and game engines.
- Simulations: It is also preferred in areas such as physics simulations, scientific visualizations and virtual reality applications.
- Multimedia applications: It is used in the development of applications such as music players, video players and graphic editing programs.
- Rapid development: It is possible to develop applications in a shorter time thanks to SDL.
- Better performance: High-performance applications are obtained thanks to low-level optimizations.
- Reaching a wider audience: Thanks to its cross-platform feature, the developed application can reach a wider user audience.
- A large community: SDL's large user community makes it easier to find solutions to problems and learn new features.
