Get Started with Windows Development

1. Set Up Your Development Environment

Install Visual Studio: The primary IDE for Windows development. Download the latest version from the official Visual Studio website.

Choose the "Desktop development with C++", "Universal Windows Platform development", or ".NET desktop development" workloads based on your project needs.

Install Windows SDK: Ensure you have the latest Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) installed. This is usually included with Visual Studio installations.

Configure Your Project Type: Decide whether you want to build a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app, a WPF app, a WinForms app, or a desktop application using C++.

Next: Create Your First App

2. Create Your First Windows App

Option A: Universal Windows Platform (UWP) App

Open Visual Studio and select "Create a new project".

Search for "Blank App, UWP" (using C# or C++). Select it and click "Next".

Give your project a name and location, then click "Create".

You'll see a project structure with files like App.xaml, MainPage.xaml (for UI), and MainPage.xaml.cs (for code-behind).

Run the default app by pressing F5 or clicking the "Start" button.

Option B: Windows Forms (WinForms) App

In Visual Studio, select "Create a new project".

Search for "Windows Forms App (.NET Framework)" or "Windows Forms App" (for .NET Core/.NET 5+). Choose the appropriate template.

Configure your project name and location, then click "Create".

You'll be presented with a visual designer for your form (e.g., Form1.cs) and the code-behind.

Drag and drop controls from the Toolbox onto your form to build the UI.

Next: Explore Key Concepts

3. Explore Key Concepts

XAML for UI Definition

Many Windows apps use XAML (Extensible Application Markup Language) to declare their user interface. It's a declarative way to define layouts, controls, and data bindings.


<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
  <h1>Hello, Windows!</h1>
  <button>Click Me</button>
</body>
</html>

Code-Behind

This is where your application logic resides, typically written in C#, C++, or Visual Basic. It handles user interactions, data manipulation, and other dynamic behaviors.


// Example in C# for UWP
public sealed partial class MainPage : Page
{
    public MainPage()
    {
        this.InitializeComponent();
    }

    private void Button_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
    {
        // Handle button click event
        textBlock.Text = "Button was clicked!";
    }
}

Windows Runtime (WinRT) APIs

Access a rich set of platform APIs for everything from file system access and networking to graphics and hardware interaction.

Next: UI Development

UI Development

Choose Your Framework

UWP (Universal Windows Platform): Modern, flexible UI for all Windows devices. Uses XAML.
WinUI: Microsoft's latest native UI platform, offering the most modern look and feel, with Fluent Design.
WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation): A powerful framework for rich, interactive desktop applications using XAML.
WinForms: A mature and widely used framework for building traditional Windows desktop applications.
DirectX: For high-performance graphics, games, and specialized applications.

Layout and Controls

Learn about layout panels like Grid, StackPanel, and RelativePanel, and a wide variety of controls like buttons, text boxes, lists, and more.

Data Management

Data Binding

Efficiently connect your UI elements to your data sources for seamless updates.

Local Storage

Use ApplicationData for storing settings and local files.

Databases

Integrate with SQLite, SQL Server, or other database solutions.

Packaging and Distribution

MSIX Packages

The modern packaging format for Windows applications, enabling cleaner installs, updates, and uninstalls.

Microsoft Store

Reach millions of users by publishing your app on the Microsoft Store.

ClickOnce/Installers

Traditional deployment methods for desktop applications.