Summary

  • 3 minutes

In this module, you learned about the different options for building native Windows applications and how to choose the best option based on project requirements. The content introduces Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), Windows Forms, and WinUI as frameworks for Windows development. It explains the features and benefits of each framework, including customization, rich functionality, high performance, and compatibility with touch devices. Each option has its own strengths and benefits, so it's important to consider your specific needs when choosing the best framework for your next native Windows app.

The main takeaways from this module are:

  • WPF is an industry-proven framework with a rich and stable ecosystem that offers customization, rich functionality, and high performance. It's suitable for complex, multi-window applications and can be deployed through the Microsoft Store.
  • Windows Forms is a UI framework with a drag-and-drop visual designer, making it easy to rapidly create desktop client apps. It's suitable for applications that require a responsive and easy-to-update interface.
  • WinUI enables the creation of modern and native Windows apps with the best modern Windows experiences and excellent performance. It's the premier choice for developers to build apps for Windows. WinUI is perfect for applications that need to follow the latest design guidance, support modern CPU architectures, and work seamlessly with touch and pen input.

Together, WinUI, the Windows App SDK, and WPF represent the best path forward for developers creating modern native desktop applications on Windows. Use WinUI when the feature set meets the needs of the application, especially when modern UI and usability are key factors. Use WPF to gain access to the large ecosystem of third-party controls and libraries available, especially for complex, line-of-business applications.

References

To read more about the UI frameworks discussed in this module, see the following resources: