DirectDraw Surface (.dds)
The DirectDraw Surface (DDS) file extension is used primarily for storing graphical textures and cubic environment maps in the field of computer technology. Introduced by Microsoft with DirectX 7.0, DDS files facilitate efficient loading and storage of texture data, crucial for rendering 3D graphics in real-time applications like video games and simulation software. These files support both uncompressed and compressed formats, leveraging S3 Texture Compression (S3TC) to optimize memory usage and performance. DDS files are indispensable in modern graphics programming, enabling quick texture manipulation and robust graphical asset management.