DX was created as an anti-establishment, outlaw wrestling stable consisting of professional wrestlers Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Chyna, and Ravishing Rick Rude. Their gimmick was the use of crude and often juvenile behavior to "get over" (become popular with the fans), though they were originally conceived as a heel (villain) faction. The name of the group is a combination of "Generation X" and "degenerates," both of which were applicable to its members.
Following a severe back injury to Shawn Michaels in 1998, which forced him to temporarily retire from wrestling, DX was reborn with Triple H as its leader, and new members X-Pac and The New Age Outlaws. Despite being pushed as heels, this expanded DX--sometimes known as the New D-Generation X--was extremely popular with the fans, and received babyface (hero) reactions during their entrances and matches. Collectively, the stable won five world championships. This incarnation of DX lost and regained members as wrestling story lines dictated, but remained DX until November 2000.
In 2006, DX reformed as a tag team consisting of Shawn Michaels and Triple H. This final version of DX was considerably toned down compared to previous versions of DX, owing in great part to the WWE's more family-friendly approach to its television product. The faction still engaged in sophomoric behavior and maintained their anti-establishment attitudes. DX's final televised match aired on March 1, 2010, and shortly thereafter, Shawn Michaels retired from professional wrestling, effectively ending DX for good.