Windows App SDK

Advanced Topics

Deep Dive into WinUI 3 Rendering

Explore the intricacies of the WinUI 3 rendering pipeline, including custom drawing, XAML islands integration, and performance optimizations for complex visual elements.

Key areas include:

• Custom Canvas Drawing with SharpDX or Direct2D.
• Leveraging Composition APIs for smooth animations and effects.
• Understanding the role of the DirectX backend.
• Debugging rendering issues with tools like PIX.

Interoperability with Native Windows APIs

Learn how to seamlessly integrate your Windows App SDK applications with existing native Windows components and libraries. This includes:

• Calling WinRT APIs from C++ and C#.
• Using COM objects and interfaces within your app.
• Packaging native components for distribution.
• Migrating legacy Win32 applications to the Windows App SDK.

Customizing the App Lifecycle Management

Go beyond the basic lifecycle events and implement sophisticated handling for application activation, suspension, and termination. This section covers:

• Handling background tasks and services.
• Implementing custom activation contracts.
• Managing application state during lifecycle transitions.
• Integrating with Windows notifications and background agents.

Advanced Packaging and Deployment Strategies

Master advanced techniques for packaging your applications, including creating custom installers, managing dependencies, and optimizing deployment packages. Discover how to:

• Create MSIX packages with custom configurations.
• Manage application updates and rollbacks.
• Distribute dynamic dependencies.
• Integrate with CI/CD pipelines for automated builds and deployments.

Consider using Visual Studio Installer Projects for more traditional MSI deployment scenarios, or explore third-party tools for specialized needs.

Performance Tuning and Profiling

Optimize your application's performance for responsiveness and efficiency. This section guides you through:

• Using the Performance Profiler in Visual Studio.
• Identifying and resolving CPU and memory bottlenecks.
• Optimizing UI rendering and layout calculations.
• Best practices for asynchronous operations and data loading.

Regular profiling throughout the development cycle is crucial for maintaining a high-performance application.

Extending the Windows App SDK

Learn about the extensibility points within the Windows App SDK, allowing you to create custom controls, services, and even contribute to the framework itself.

• Building custom WinUI controls.
• Developing reusable libraries and SDKs.
• Understanding the contribution guidelines for open-source components.

Security Considerations

Implement robust security measures to protect your application and user data.

• Best practices for secure coding.
• Handling sensitive data and credentials.
• Implementing authentication and authorization.
• Understanding the security model of MSIX.