DirectX 12 is a collection of APIs for Microsoft Windows that facilitate access to system hardware to facilitate multimedia tasks, including video game programming, released for Windows 10 and Xbox One.
DirectX is a collection of APIs for Microsoft Windows that facilitate access to system hardware such as the video card, sound card, and peripherals to facilitate multimedia tasks, including video game programming. Version 12 of DirectX was released on July 29, 2015 for Windows 10 and Xbox One.