Windows Documentation

Welcome to the official Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) documentation for Windows. Here you will find comprehensive resources, guides, and API references to help you develop robust and innovative applications for the Windows platform.

Getting Started with Windows Development

Explore the fundamental concepts and tools for building Windows applications.

• Introduction to Windows Development
• Windows SDK Overview
• UI Frameworks (WinUI, UWP, WPF, WinForms)
• Integrating with Azure Services

Introduction to Windows Development

Windows offers a versatile platform for developers, supporting a wide range of application types, from traditional desktop applications to modern Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps and Progressive Web Apps (PWAs).

Key Concepts:

• Win32 API: The foundational API for native Windows applications.
• COM: Component Object Model, a crucial interface for interoperability.
• .NET Framework & .NET Core: Powerful development platforms for building Windows applications with C#, VB.NET, and F#.
• Universal Windows Platform (UWP): A unified application platform for all Windows devices.

Windows SDK Overview

The Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) provides the headers, libraries, and tools necessary to develop applications for Windows. It includes compilers, debuggers, and various utilities.

You can download the latest Windows SDK from the Downloads page.

Key components include:

• Windows Headers and Libraries
• Tools (e.g., MakeWin, pydocutil)
• Runtime Packages

UI Frameworks

Choose the right UI framework for your project based on your needs and target audience.

WinUI

The latest native UI platform for building Windows apps. It provides the modern look and feel of Windows, enabling developers to create beautiful and performant applications.

Learn more about WinUI 3 development.

Universal Windows Platform (UWP)

Build apps that run across Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices, from Xbox to HoloLens. UWP apps are distributed through the Microsoft Store.

Explore UWP development best practices.

Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF)

A UI framework for building desktop applications with a rich declarative approach using XAML.

Get started with WPF development.

Windows Forms

A long-standing, mature framework for building traditional Windows desktop applications quickly.

See Windows Forms tutorials.

Integrating with Azure Services

Leverage the power of Microsoft Azure to enhance your Windows applications with cloud capabilities such as data storage, authentication, machine learning, and more.

• Azure Active Directory: For authentication and authorization.
• Azure Storage: For scalable cloud storage solutions.
• Azure Functions: For serverless computing.

Visit the Azure developer documentation for more details.

Example: Basic Win32 API Call

Here's a simple C++ example demonstrating how to display a message box using the Win32 API:

#include <windows.h>

int WINAPI WinMain(HINSTANCE hInstance, HINSTANCE hPrevInstance, LPSTR lpCmdLine, int nCmdShow) {
    MessageBox(
        NULL,                  // Handle to the owner window.
        L"Hello, Windows World!", // The text of the message.
        L"MSDN Example",       // The title bar caption of the message box.
        MB_OK | MB_ICONINFORMATION // The buttons and icon to display.
    );
    return 0;
}