Additive　manufacturing　of　directionally　solidified　Ni-based　superalloys　faces　at　least　two　critical　obstacles,　namely,　the　formation　of　stray　equiaxed　grains　and　the　susceptibility　to　cracking;　circumventing　both　of　these　simultaneously　is　considered　difficult.　In　this　study,　a　comparative　study　of　a　non-weldable　superalloy　IN738　fabricated　through　the　laser　directed　energy　deposition　(DED)　without　preheating　the　base　plate　and　the　electron　beam　powder　bed　fusion　(EB-PBF)　with　preheating　up　to　the　upper　bound　of　ductility　dip　temperature　range　was　performed.　With　appropriate　process　parameters,　a　steep　and　unidirectional　temperature　gradient,　a　sufficiently　high　cooling　rate　at　the　liquid/solid　interface,　and　a　relatively　low　cooling　rate　at　the　γ′　solvus　are　obtained　simultaneously　in　the　EB-PBF　process.　The　prevalence　of　these　conditions　results　in　the　growth　of　well-aligned　columnar　dendrites,　mitigates　the　elemental　segregation,　reduces　the　built-in　microscopic　defects,　and　lowers　the　stored　deformation　energy.　Consequently,　cracking　is　successfully　prevented　and　reasonable　room　temperature　tensile　properties　are　achieved　in　the　as-printed　EB-PBF　product.　Moreover,　recrystallization　is　not　triggered　during　the　post-printing　heat　treatment,　and　thus　the　fiber　texture　is　preserved.　This　study　provides　a　detailed　understanding　of　the　critical　factors　that　need　to　overcome　for　producing　directionally　solidified　superalloys　through　additive　manufacturing.　©　2022　Elsevier　B.V.