| Feature | WDK 7.1 | WDK 8.1 | WDK 10 | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Build.exe (CLI) | MSBuild (VS Integrated) | MSBuild (VS Integrated) | | IDE | Standalone | Visual Studio 2013 | Visual Studio 2015+ | | Target OS | XP, Vista, Win 7 | Win 7, Win 8, Win 8.1 | Win 7 - Win 11 | | Universal Drivers | No | Initial Support | Fully Realized | | Installation | Single ISO | Separate installer | VS Installer "Workload" |
It respects the classic KMDF syntax that most senior devs know by heart, but it adds just enough modern convenience (trace logging, better verifier) to make debugging bearable. windows driver kit 8.1
Microsoft requires and EV Certificates with cross-signing. While WDK 8.1 supports SHA-2 (via updates), it does not support the modern attestation signing process required for Windows 10 1809+. | Feature | WDK 7