Editing Simple DirectMedia Layer (section)

== History ==
[[Sam Lantinga]] created the library, first releasing it in early 1998, while working for [[Loki Entertainment|Loki Software]]. He got the idea while porting a Windows application to Macintosh. He then used SDL to port ''[[Doom (1993 video game)|Doom]]'' to [[BeOS]] (see [[Doom source port]]s).<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030511174315/http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/library/l-making-linux-fun/|url=http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/library/l-making-linux-fun/|title=SDL: Making Linux fun|first=Sam|last=Lantinga|author-link=Sam Lantinga|date=1999-09-01|access-date=2023-12-15|archive-date=11 May 2003|website=[[IBM]]|url-status=live}}</ref> Around the time of its creation, SDL was regarded as a simple alternative to DirectX.<ref>{{cite web |title=Articles relating to SDL |url=https://www.libsdl.org/articles.php |website=Simple DirectMedia Layer |access-date=22 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031009043921/http://www.libsdl.org/articles.php |archive-date=9 Oct 2003 |url-status=dead}} Search with the keywords "alternative", "simple" or "DirectX" in the page.</ref> Several other free libraries were developed to work alongside SDL, such as [[SMPEG]] and {{Clarification needed span|[[OpenAL]]|date=January 2025|reason=alternative implementation of OpenAL?}}. He also founded Galaxy Gameworks in 2008 to help commercially support SDL, although the company plans are currently on hold due to time constraints.<ref>{{cite web |title=Exploring the Galaxy | url=http://slouken.blogspot.com/2011/04/exploring-galaxy.html | date=6 April 2011| access-date=30 January 2012}}</ref>

Soon after putting Galaxy Gameworks on hold, Lantinga announced that SDL 1.3 (which would then later become SDL 2.0) would be licensed under the [[zlib License]].<ref name=SDL1.3zLib>[http://forums.libsdl.org/viewtopic.php?t=7148 SDL 1.3 to be zLib Licensed], SDL Mailing List, 7 April 2011</ref> Lantinga announced SDL 2.0 on 14 July 2012, at the same time announcing that he was joining [[Valve Corporation|Valve]], the first version of which was announced the same day he joined the company.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=MTE0MDU | title=SDL 2.0 Is Coming Very Soon With New Features | access-date=17 August 2012}}</ref> Lantinga announced the stable release of SDL 2.0.0 on 13 August 2013.<ref name=Announcing-SDL2.0.0>[http://forums.libsdl.org/viewtopic.php?p=38569&sid=9efbea827cdebd71ee430cda823bcdc7#38569 Announcing SDL 2.0.0], SDL Mailing List, 13 August 2013</ref>

SDL 2.0 is a major update to the SDL 1.2 [[codebase]] with a different, not [[backward compatibility|backwards-compatible]]<ref>[https://wiki.libsdl.org/moin.cgi/MigrationGuide#Backward-compatibility MigrationGuide - SDL Wiki']. Wiki.libsdl.org (21 November 2013). Retrieved on 2013-12-08.</ref> [[API]]. It replaces several parts of the 1.2 API with more general support for multiple input and output options. Some feature additions include multiple window support, hardware-accelerated 2D graphics, and better [[Unicode]] support.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wiki.libsdl.org/moin.cgi/Roadmap |title=SDL 1.3 Roadmap|date=14 June 2011 |access-date=25 July 2011}}</ref>

Support for [[Mir (software)|Mir]] and [[Wayland (display server protocol)|Wayland]] was added in SDL 2.0.2<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2014/02/mir-sdl-support |title=Some of Linux's Most Popular Games Will Run Natively On Mir |first=Joey-Elijah |last=Sneddon |date=5 February 2014 |access-date=19 March 2014}}</ref> and enabled by default in SDL 2.0.4.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hg.libsdl.org/SDL/file/release-2.0.4/WhatsNew.txt#l65|title=SDL 2.0.4 Changelog|first=Sam|last=Lantinga|date=2 January 2016|access-date=6 January 2016|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304094856/https://hg.libsdl.org/SDL/file/release-2.0.4/WhatsNew.txt#l65|url-status=dead}}</ref> Version 2.0.4 also provided better support for Android.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wiki.libsdl.org/SDL_SysWMinfo|title = SDL_SysWMinfo}}</ref>

In 2024, the stable preview of SDL 3.1.3 was released (and in January 2025 3.2.0 was released as stable). It makes the API more consistent and allows access to more parts of the device, along with other features.<ref>{{cite web |title=SDL 3.1.3 Stable ABI Preview Release |url=https://www.phoronix.com/news/SDL-3.1.3-Released |website=Phoronix |access-date=13 November 2024}}</ref>