.NET Desktop Development Documentation

Welcome to the official documentation hub for .NET desktop development. This section provides comprehensive resources for building modern, high-performance, and visually rich desktop applications using the .NET ecosystem.

Microsoft .NET provides powerful frameworks and tools to create a wide range of desktop applications for Windows. Whether you're building enterprise solutions, creative tools, or games, .NET offers the flexibility, scalability, and performance you need.

Key Technologies

• Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF): A powerful UI framework that uses XAML for declarative UI definition and provides a rich set of features for creating visually appealing and responsive applications.
• Windows Forms (WinForms): A mature and stable framework ideal for rapid development of traditional Windows desktop applications. It offers a drag-and-drop designer and a vast library of controls.
• Universal Windows Platform (UWP): Enables developers to build applications that run across the spectrum of Windows 10 devices, from Xbox to HoloLens, while providing a consistent user experience.
• XAML: A declarative markup language used extensively in WPF and UWP for defining user interfaces.

Getting Started

To begin your .NET desktop development journey:

1. Install .NET SDK: Download and install the latest .NET SDK from the official .NET website.
2. Choose your IDE: Visual Studio is the primary IDE for .NET development. Ensure you have the " .NET desktop development" workload installed.
3. Explore Frameworks: Dive into the specific documentation for WPF, WinForms, or UWP based on your project requirements.

Code Example: A Simple WPF Window

Here's a basic example of how to create a simple window in WPF using C# and XAML:

XAML (MainWindow.xaml)

<Window x:Class="MyWpfApp.MainWindow"
        xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
        Title="My First WPF App" Height="200" Width="300">
    <Grid>
        <TextBlock Text="Hello, .NET Desktop!"
                   HorizontalAlignment="Center"
                   VerticalAlignment="Center"
                   FontSize="24"/>
    </Grid>
</Window>

C# (MainWindow.xaml.cs)

using System.Windows;

namespace MyWpfApp
{
    public partial class MainWindow : Window
    {
        public MainWindow()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
        }
    }
}

This simple example demonstrates the declarative nature of XAML for UI layout and the minimal C# code required to instantiate and display a window.