5 ms·

What is the primary UI tech on Windows now?

• pjmlp 9y ago
  XAML, which is the same XML description language as WPF uses, plus the backing UWP controls, which are also quite similar to the WPF API. Main differences is that XAML processing is implemented in C# in .NET, and in C++/CX on UWP. XAML on UWP supports static binding at compile time, and on WPF it is only dynamic (x:Bind vs Binding). Finally the actual classes backing the UI components aren't 100% compatible, but do have most of the same methods and properties. Anyone that knows WPF, shouldn't have any issue with XAML/UWP.
  • int_19h 9y ago
    > Main differences is that XAML processing is implemented in C# in .NET, and in C++/CX on UWP. Most stock UWP components (the ones that come with the OS) are implemented in pure C++ using WRL (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/windows/windows-runtime-cpp-template-library-wrl https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/windows/windows-runtime...). This is mainly because they were already being actively implemented long before C++/CX became usable.
    • pjmlp 9y ago
      Thanks for the clarification.
• douche 9y ago
  Day to day, it's as often as not Win32 or it's thin .Net wrapper, WinForms.
  • tonyedgecombe 9y ago
    WinForms is very productive but if you want high dpi support its hard work.
    • pjmlp 9y ago
      Unless one has Windows 10 Creators edition/.NET 4.7.
      • tonyedgecombe 9y ago
        But then you might as well go down the UWP road, most of us still have to support Windows 7 or even earlier.