Which interface is generally slower, Active Accessibility or Win32?

Active Accessibility is generally slower than Win32 because it was designed to support assistive technologies and provide accessibility features. This interface prioritizes broader compatibility and interaction with various applications, including those based on standard and complex UI components. It focuses on retrieving information from UI elements to aid users with disabilities, which can introduce additional overhead due to the need for extra processing to provide this information.

In contrast, Win32 API is a lower-level and more direct interface for interacting with the Windows operating system, allowing developers to perform operations at a much higher speed. It offers more efficient access to system resources and UI components without the additional overhead associated with accessibility features.

Therefore, when comparing the two, Active Accessibility, with its additional focus on accessibility, operates at a slower speed compared to the more streamlined and direct access provided by Win32.