Instead of building and maintaining OS-specific printer drivers, we implemented a standards-compliant IPP Everywhere printer using PAPPL, allowing the system to see our service as a real printer, not a virtual driver.
Replacing Virtual Printer Drivers with a Cross-Platform IPP Printer Service
The IPP approach for virtual printer development allows the replacement of traditional virtual printer drivers (V3/V4 on Windows, CUPS backends on macOS, and custom filters on Linux) with a cross-platform C-based IPP printer service.
Instead of building and maintaining OS-specific printer drivers, we implemented a standards-compliant IPP Everywhere printer using PAPPL, allowing the system to see our service as a real printer, not a virtual driver.
The result:
- One codebase (C/C++)
- Works on macOS, Windows, Linux
- No driver installation
- No deprecated APIs
- No UI automation
- No Windows V3/V4 driver model
- Fully aligned with Apple’s modern print guidance
- Fully compatible with Windows IPP Class Driver
This approach replaces fragile driver stacks with a future-proof, protocol-level integration.
The Problem with Virtual Printer Drivers
Traditional virtual printers require:
On Windows
- V3 / V4 driver models
- Print processors
- Driver packaging
- Admin installation
- Risk of deprecation (V3/V4 servicing changes)
- Incompatibility with Windows Protected Print Mode
On macOS
- CUPS backends
- PPD files
- Filter chains
- Increasingly deprecated driver workflows
- Tighter system security constraints
On Linux
- CUPS filters
- Distribution-specific packaging
- Permission management
This leads to:
- Three separate implementations
- OS-specific bugs
- Security review complexity
- Deployment friction
- Risk from OS roadmap changes
Architectural Shift: IPP Instead of Drivers
Rather than integrating at the driver layer, integrate at the protocol layer.
IPP (Internet Printing Protocol) is the modern foundation of printing on:
- macOS (AirPrint / driverless printing)
- Windows (Microsoft IPP Class Driver)
- Linux (CUPS IPP Everywhere)
Instead of writing a driver, we wrote a real IPP printer.
Advantages Over Driver-Based Approach
Feature |
Driver Model |
IPP Service Model |
|---|---|---|
Cross-platform |
❌ |
✅ |
Single codebase |
❌ |
✅ |
Future-proof |
❌ |
✅ |
Admin driver install |
Required |
Not required |
Driver signing |
Required |
Not required |
OS deprecation risk |
High |
Very low |
Aligns with Apple guidance |
❌ |
✅ |
Works with Windows modern stack |
❌ |
✅ |
Security & Isolation
Benefits:
- Runs in user space
- No kernel code
- No driver attack surface
- No elevated spooler hooks
- Can sandbox processing logic
Supports:
- TLS (
ipps://)- Authentication if needed
- Firewall isolation
Why This Is Future-Proof
IPP is:
- IETF standardized
- Used by AirPrint
- Used by enterprise fleet printers
- Used by Windows modern print
- Used by CUPS driverless printing
Operating systems are moving toward IPP, not away.
Drivers are being reduced.
Protocol-level printing is being standardized.
Business Impact
By moving to IPP:
- Reduced maintenance cost
- Eliminated OS-specific code
- Avoided Windows driver roadmap changes
- Avoided macOS deprecation risks
- Simplified CI/CD
- Enabled faster feature rollout
Strategic Summary
This approach delivered: A full printer emulation implemented once in C++, running unchanged across macOS, Windows, and Linux.
It:
- Replaces virtual printer drivers
- Matches Apple’s modern driverless direction
- Works across Windows versions without moving to legacy driver APIs
- Avoids dependency on deprecated print driver stacks
It is not a workaround.
It is a protocol-native architecture aligned with where all desktop operating systems are going.
Get more info about Virtual Printer Driver development.
