Can WPF run without DirectX?

Question

This might sound like a stupid question but ... will WPF stop running in absence of a DirectX/Direct3D capable graphics card/drivers or will it just run slower?

I know WPF is based on DirectX/Direct3D (even for simple controls) but I cannot find any reference on the topic which provides a good overview of borderline scenarios.

Any help appreciated!

Answer 1

WPF has a dependency on the DirectX runtime. However, both DirectX and WPF have their own software fallback modes so that, in the absence of suitable graphics hardware and/or drivers, software rendering will be used instead. Some graphically intensive features will also be unavailable when software rendering. WPF allows you to check the rendering tier that it's running under and tailor the UI to suit the current environment.