Welcome to Windows Development
Embark on your journey to create powerful and engaging applications for the Windows ecosystem. Whether you're building for desktops, laptops, tablets, or even future Windows devices, this guide provides the essential steps to get you up and running.
Prerequisites
Before you begin, ensure you have the following:
- A PC running a modern version of Windows (Windows 10 or Windows 11 recommended).
- An internet connection for downloading tools and SDKs.
- Basic programming knowledge (e.g., C#, C++, JavaScript, Python).
Step 1: Choose Your Development Path
Windows development offers several distinct paths, each suited for different types of applications and developer expertise:
- Universal Windows Platform (UWP): For creating apps that run across all Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices, from small screens to large desktops, with a single codebase. Uses C++, C#, VB.NET, or JavaScript.
- Windows App SDK (Project Reunion): The modern, recommended way to build Windows apps. It unifies WinUI 3, Windows Runtime (WinRT), and other Windows platform features for a consistent development experience across Windows versions. Primarily uses C++ and C#.
- .NET Desktop (WinForms, WPF): Traditional frameworks for building rich desktop applications for Windows. Mature, powerful, and widely used.
- Win32 API: The low-level C/C++ API for direct access to Windows system services. Offers the most control but has a steeper learning curve.
Step 2: Set Up Your Development Environment
The primary tool for Windows development is Visual Studio. Follow these steps to get it installed:
Download Visual Studio
Visit the official Visual Studio website to download the Community Edition (free for individual developers and open-source projects) or other editions:
Install Workloads
During the Visual Studio installation, select the necessary workloads:
- For UWP and Windows App SDK (WinUI 3): Select the "Universal Windows Platform development" workload.
- For .NET Desktop apps (WinForms, WPF): Select the ".NET desktop development" workload.
- For C++ development: Select the "Desktop development with C++" workload.
Ensure the latest Windows SDKs are also selected within the workloads.
Step 3: Create Your First Application
Let's create a simple "Hello, World!" application. The exact steps may vary slightly depending on the chosen development path.
Example: "Hello, World!" with WinUI 3 (Windows App SDK)
1. Open Visual Studio.
2. Create a new project: File > New > Project...
3. Search for "WinUI" and select the "Blank App, Packaged (WinUI 3 in Desktop)" template.
4. Name your project (e.g., "MyFirstWinUIApp") and click "Create".
5. Visual Studio will generate a basic project structure.
6. Open MainWindow.xaml. You'll see XAML markup for the UI.
7. Replace the content of the `Grid` with a simple `TextBlock`:
<TextBlock Text="Hello, Windows Development!"
HorizontalAlignment="Center"
VerticalAlignment="Center"
FontSize="32"/>
Next Steps
Congratulations on setting up your environment and creating your first app! Here's where you can go next:
- Explore the Tooling section to learn more about Visual Studio features.
- Dive deeper into Core Concepts like XAML, WinRT, and app lifecycle.
- Browse Sample Code to see practical implementations.