Get Started with Windows Development

Embark on your journey to build powerful applications for the Windows platform. Explore resources, tools, and guidance to bring your ideas to life.

Choose Your Development Path

Windows offers diverse opportunities for developers. Whether you're building native desktop apps, modern UWP experiences, games, or integrating with the OS, we have the tools and documentation for you.

Universal Windows Platform (UWP)

Create beautiful, modern apps that run across all Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices. Learn about XAML, C#, and the UWP APIs.

Explore UWP

Desktop App Development (Win32/WinUI)

Build traditional Windows desktop applications using Win32 APIs or the modern WinUI 3 framework. Leverage C++ or C#.

Learn Desktop Dev

Game Development (DirectX/Game Dev Kit)

Develop high-performance games for Windows. Dive into DirectX, graphics APIs, and the latest game development tools and SDKs.

Develop Games

Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)

Run Linux environments directly on Windows. Develop, test, and run Linux applications without a virtual machine.

Discover WSL

Essential Tools and Frameworks

Equip yourself with the right tools to build robust and efficient Windows applications.

Visual Studio

The integrated development environment (IDE) of choice for Windows developers. Get the latest version with rich features for C#, C++, .NET, and more.

Download Visual Studio

Windows SDK

The Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) provides the headers, libraries, and tools necessary to develop applications for Windows.

Get the Windows SDK

WinUI 3

The latest native UI platform for Windows. Build modern, Fluent-designed applications that look and feel at home on Windows.

Learn about WinUI 3

.NET Framework & .NET

A robust framework for building a wide range of applications, from web to desktop. Explore .NET 8 and the latest advancements.

Explore .NET

Your First Application: A Quick Start

Let's create a simple "Hello, World!" application. We'll use C# and a basic WinUI 3 template in Visual Studio.

1. Create a New Project

Open Visual Studio, select 'Create a new project'. Search for and select the 'Blank App, Packaged (WinUI)' template. Choose C# as the language and click 'Next'.

2. Name Your Project

Enter a project name (e.g., "MyFirstWindowsApp") and a location. Click 'Create'.

3. Run Your Application

Visual Studio will generate a basic UWP application structure. Press the F5 key or click the 'Start' button to build and run your app. You should see a blank window.

4. Add Some Code

Open `MainWindow.xaml` and add a TextBlock inside the Grid:

                
<Window x:Class="MyFirstWindowsApp.MainWindow"
        xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
        xmlns:local="using:MyFirstWindowsApp"
        xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
        xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
        mc:Ignorable="d"
        Title="My First Windows App" Height="450" Width="800">
    <Grid>
        <TextBlock Text="Hello, Windows Developers!" HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center" FontSize="24"/>
    </Grid>
</Window>
                
            

Save the file and press F5 again. You'll now see your custom message!

Next Steps

Continue your learning journey with these important resources:

Build Your First UWP App Build Your First WinUI 3 App Add a System Tray Icon Explore Windows APIs