At the core of the DRM output management code is a set of structures representing CRTCs, encoders and connectors.

A CRTC is an abstraction representing a part of the chip that contains a pointer to a scanout buffer. Therefore, the number of CRTCs available determines how many independent scanout buffers can be active at any given time. The CRTC structure contains several fields to support this: a pointer to some video memory, a display mode, and an (x, y) offset into the video memory to support panning or configurations where one piece of video memory spans multiple CRTCs.

An encoder takes pixel data from a CRTC and converts it to a format suitable for any attached connectors. On some devices, it may be possible to have a CRTC send data to more than one encoder. In that case, both encoders would receive data from the same scanout buffer, resulting in a "cloned" display configuration across the connectors attached to each encoder.

A connector is the final destination for pixel data on a device, and usually connects directly to an external display device like a monitor or laptop panel. A connector can only be attached to one encoder at a time. The connector is also the structure where information about the attached display is kept, so it contains fields for display data, EDID data, DPMS & connection status, and information about modes supported on the attached displays.