win2d-development

name	win2d-development
description	Design, implement, review, debug, and optimize GPU-accelerated 2D graphics with Win2D in WinUI 3 / Windows App SDK applications. Use for CanvasControl, CanvasAnimatedControl, CanvasVirtualControl, CanvasSwapChain, CanvasDevice, bitmaps, geometry, text, effects, DPI, resource lifecycle, device-lost recovery, threading, performance, and Direct2D/Direct3D interop.

Win2D Development

Use this skill for production Win2D work in modern Windows App SDK / WinUI 3 applications.

Treat Win2D as an immediate-mode GPU rendering API layered over Direct2D. Keep rendering architecture, resource ownership, device lifecycle, DPI, and threading explicit.

Reference documents

This skill is split across modular reference files in references/. Load only the document(s) relevant to the current task.

Reference	Contents	Load when
references/overview.md	Source-authority policy; establishing the project/package baseline.	Starting any Win2D work; orientation.
references/surface-and-architecture.md	Choosing the rendering surface; separating model state, render description, and GPU resources.	Selecting a control/surface; structuring render code.
references/resource-lifecycle.md	CreateResources, async loading, device/DPI/size resource ownership.	Managing Win2D resource lifecycle.
references/drawing-and-device.md	CanvasDrawingSession ownership; device-lost recovery.	Drawing sessions and device recovery.
references/dpi-and-caching.md	DPI/DIPs/physical pixels; rendering and caching rules.	DPI handling; performance caching.
references/animation-and-threading.md	CanvasAnimatedControl game-loop threading; CanvasVirtualControl.	Animated or virtualized rendering.
references/formats-effects-text.md	Pixel formats/alpha; effects; text; geometry.	Bitmaps, effects, text, or vector geometry.
references/interop-and-winui.md	Direct2D/Direct3D interop; WinUI 3 integration and cleanup.	Native interop; navigable-page cleanup.
references/performance-and-debugging.md	Performance workflow; debugging workflow.	Optimizing or debugging rendering.
references/testing.md	Unit/integration testing, code review checklist, anti-patterns.	Testing and reviewing Win2D code.
references/workflow.md	Step-by-step implementation workflow.	Implementing a new or changed rendering feature.

How to use

1. Read references/overview.md for the source-authority policy and baseline.
2. Read the specific references/*.md documents for the task (surface selection, resources, effects, interop, performance, etc.).
3. Apply the guidance to the host project, preserving its existing abstractions and conventions.