#Xinput test linux how to
#Xinput test linux drivers

4 axes and 10 buttons, two triggers, and D-pad for XInput), which comes in handy for complex simulation games, such as flight simulators and some racing games, where people build complex cockpit control setups.

#Xinput test linux how to

Related: How to Connect an Xbox Wireless Controller to a PCĪlso, DirectInput supports more inputs than XInput (8 axes, 128 buttons, and POV for DirectInput vs. One reason why is because there's a large installed base of legacy controllers out there that some people still like to use.

Related: What Is an API, and How Do Developers Use Them?Įven though XInput has been around now for 17 years, some modern games still support DirectInput controllers. In the section below, we'll compare and contrast the two standards in more detail. Still, DirectInput supports some features that XInput does not, which is partially why the standard is still in use. The two APIs do similar things, but DirectInput is older than XInput and has been deprecated by Microsoft. This means they will work with games programmed to use Xinput. XInput originated as an Xbox controller-exclusive API, but many third-party controllers (not made by Microsoft) now also support it. Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S controllers also currently use XInput on Windows. XInput: This API launched in 2005 as a way to support Xbox 360 controllers on Windows.It's a legacy interface supported by many PC game controllers released before 2005, and also some controllers (and retro controller adapters) after that time.

DirectInput: This gaming input API first appeared in 1995 as part of DirectX 1.0 for gaming on Windows 95, then supported on subsequent versions of Windows.

Here's a quick look at the origins of each one: If the game expects XInput but the controller only 'speaks' DirectInput, that controller won't work with that game, and vice-versa. Some controllers can only speak one 'language' (XInput or DirectInput), while others can 'speak' both APIs in different modes. To put it another way, these APIs are like two different languages that a game controller might speak. The two main gaming input APIs in Windows are called DirectInput and XInput. Related: How to Connect an Xbox One Controller to Windows with Bluetooth

#Xinput test linux drivers

This lets Windows games easily support many different types of controllers instead of having a patchwork of custom controller drivers and interfaces.

In this case, when you hook a controller up to your PC, Windows makes the connection to the controller hardware, then the API allows a game to read the controller's inputs in a standardized way. In computing, an API is an Application Programming Interface, which is a standardized way that two programs can talk to each other.