[qsera]

I have looked it up in the past, and I have looked it up now, but I cannot find a reliable documentation that describes it.

For example, do you know what combination of flags listed here https://documentation.help/SDL/sdlsetvideomode.html would do the trick? Or anything that is not listed there would also help.

[bitwize]

SDL retains everything you've drawn to the screen in backing store. You need to do an SDL_Flip (1.2) or SDL_RenderPresent/SDL_UpdateWindowSurface (2.0) to commit what's in the back buffer to the screen.

[PaulDavisThe1st]

AFAIK, SDL does not provide both modes. I don't know which mode it is designed around.