SDL Alternatives

SDL is described as 'Simple DirectMedia Layer is a cross-platform multimedia library designed to provide low level access to audio, keyboard, mouse, joystick, 3D hardware via OpenGL, and 2D video framebuffer. It is used by MPEG playback software, emulators, and many popular games, including the' and is an app in the development category. There are more than 25 alternatives to SDL for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Linux, Mac, Android and Web-based apps. The best SDL alternative is Godot Engine, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like SDL are Vulkan, Redot Engine, Bevy Game Engine and microStudio.

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Alternatives list

  1. NasNas icon
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    NasNas is a lightweight modular 2D game framework with a focus on pixel art style games. It is entirely written in modern C++17, and doesn't have any dependency other than SFML2. It provides a clean and easy to use API.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
     
  2. Metal icon
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    Metal provides near-direct access to the graphics processing unit (GPU), enabling you to maximize the graphics and compute potential of your apps on iOS, macOS, and tvOS. Building on an approachable, low-overhead architecture with precompiled GPU shaders, fine-grained resource...

    Cost / License

    • Pay once
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
     
    • Metal is the most popular commercial alternative to SDL.

    • Metal is Paid and ProprietarySDL is Free and Open Source
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    Crystal Space is a mature, full-featured Software Development Kit (SDK) providing real-time 3D graphics for applications such as games and virtual reality. It is free (LGPL) and cross-platform (Windows, GNU/Linux, Mac OS X).

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
     
  4. Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Build 3D apps with near-native 3D performance that run on mobile, desktop and XR.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Mac
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • Flatpak
     
  5. Drag[en]gine icon
     1 like
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    A free software game engine focusing on developing games faster, more modular and stable with true -1 day portability support.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Windows
    • Haiku
     
  6. LunarEngine icon
     1 like
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    LunarEngine (formerly Librebox) is an open-source game engine powered by Luau. It delivers a sandbox-style API and development model inspired by popular sandbox engines, so existing Luau code runs with minimal changes.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Windows
     
  7. WADE icon
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    A unique combination of a powerful JS framework + an amazing set of authoring tools, WADE doesn't force you to do things one way or another - you are in charge!

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Google Chrome
     
  8. GDI icon
     3 likes
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    GDI++.dll is a replacement for the Windows default font rasterizer, which gives you a better font-smoothing capability, just like Mac OS X.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Windows
     
  9. FlyStrings icon
     2 likes
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    FlyStrings is a powerful software localization solution. Translate apps, games, websites or other software in the easiest way.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Proprietary

    Platforms

    • Online
     
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    1
    Comments about FlyStrings as an Alternative to SDL
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    Negative
    0

    This is an alternative to "SDL FreeTranslation", not the SDL graphics framework.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    SDL Icon
    FlyStrings icon
    • FlyStrings is Freemium and ProprietarySDL is Free and Open Source
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