Windows Driver Development
The Windows Driver Kit (WDK) is integrated with Microsoft Visual Studio and Debugging Tools for Windows. This integrated environment provides the tools you need to develop, build, package, deploy, test, and debug drivers. You can run many basic certification tests in the integrated environment. The WDK includes templates for several different technologies and driver models, including Windows Driver Frameworks (WDF), Universal Serial Bus (USB), print, networking, and file system filters.
How to get Windows Driver Kit (WDK) 8.1 Preview
Windows Driver Kit (WDK) 8.1 Preview is integrated with Microsoft Visual Studio 2013 Preview. First install Visual Studio 2013 Preview, and then install WDK 8.1 Preview.
Note Debugging Tools for Windows is included in WDK 8.1 Preview, so you don't need to download it separately.
Run-time requirements for WDK 8.1 Preview
You can use WDK 8.1 Preview to develop drivers that run on the these operating systems:
| Windows 8.1 Preview | Windows Server 2012 R2 Preview |
| Windows 8 | Windows Server 2012 |
| Windows 7 | Windows Server 2008 R2 |
You can run WDK 8.1 Preview, integrated with Visual Studio 2013 Preview on these operating systems:
| Windows 8.1 Preview | Windows Server 2012 R2 Preview |
| Windows 8 | Windows Server 2012 |
| Windows 7 | Windows Server 2008 R2 |
How to get Windows Driver Kit (WDK) 8
If you need to build a driver that runs on Windows Vista, get version 8.0 of the WDK. Windows Driver Kit (WDK) 8 is integrated with Microsoft Visual Studio 2012. First install Visual Studio 2012, and then install WDK 8. For more info, see Downloads for Windows Hardware Development.
Note Debugging Tools for Windows is included in WDK 8, so you don't need to download it separately.
Run-time requirements for WDK 8
You can use WDK 8 to develop drivers that run on the these operating systems:
| Windows 8 | Windows Server 2012 |
| Windows 7 | Windows Server 2008 R2 |
| Windows Vista | Windows Server 2008 |
You can run WDK 8, integrated with Visual Studio 2012 on these operating systems:
| Windows 8.1 Preview | Windows Server 2012 R2 Preview |
| Windows 8 | Windows Server 2012 |
| Windows 7 | Windows Server 2008 R2 |
How to get WDK 7.1
If you need to build a driver that runs on Windows XP, get version 7.1 of the WDK. For more info, see Windows Driver Kit Version 7.1.0.
In this section
- What's New in the Windows Driver Kit
- Getting Started with Windows Drivers
- Concepts for All Driver Developers
- Developing, Testing, and Deploying Drivers
- Windows Driver Frameworks
- Device and Driver Technologies
- Device and Driver Installation
- Kernel-Mode Driver Architecture
- Device and Driver Development Tools
- Hypervisor
- Glossary
- Windows Driver Samples
Related topics
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Build date: 7/9/2013
