From Java and ActiveX to Flash, Houdini, and Direct3D, these 1996 releases shaped how we build apps, sites, and games today.

Since 2013, there have been metaphorically for programmers to build annual rankings of the world’s most popular programming languages. The rankings have traditionally relied on public signals such as ...

DirectX12 shipped in 2015 with a simple goal: give developers more control so games run faster, look better, and scale across Windows PC and console. Over the last decade, DirectX 12 delivered on that ...

Did you know that, between 1976 and 1978, Microsoft developed its own version of the BASIC programming language? It was initially called Altair BASIC before becoming Microsoft BASIC, and it was ...

Hi everyone, I'm experiencing a problem with the Windows application 3D Cubes Unlimited. It seems the program does not recognize newer versions of DirectX - even though I have the latest DirectX ...

TL;DR: Real-time ray tracing is now standard in AAA games, with Path Tracing emerging as the next visual breakthrough, enabled by technologies like DLSS, Neural Rendering, and DirectX Raytracing 1.2.

Back in March at the Game Developers Conference 2025 (GDC 2025), Microsoft unveiled DirectX Raytracing (DXR) 1.2, which introduces Opacity Micromaps (OMM). The Redmond giant has now announced the ...

Some programming languages helped send humans to the moon, some are cooking up new leukemia drugs, and some exist just to fuck with you. Brainfuck is a minimalist “esoteric language,” or “esolang,” ...

As modern .NET applications grow increasingly reliant on concurrency to deliver responsive, scalable experiences, mastering asynchronous and parallel programming has become essential for every serious ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about innovation, the future of work and remote work. The future of programming and AI is more nuanced than headlines ...