Development on the Windows platform can be done in various ways, but UWP (Universal Windows Platform) is gaining attention as one of the most modern and powerful methods. UWP apps are designed to work across a variety of Windows devices, providing users with a consistent experience. In this article, we will detail the basic concepts of UWP development, setting up the development environment, the process of creating a real UWP app, and finally, how to install the app.
1. What is UWP Development?
UWP is a platform announced by Microsoft in 2015 that allows the creation of apps that run on various Windows devices, including desktops, tablets, smartphones, Xbox, and IoT devices. The biggest advantage of UWP is interoperability. With a single code base, it can run on various devices and automatically adjusts to fit the screen size and input methods of each device.
1.1 Key Features of UWP
- Support for various devices: UWP apps run on various Windows devices such as PCs, Xbox, and mobile devices.
- Responsive design: The UI automatically adjusts to fit various screen sizes with one code base.
- Distribution via Windows Store: UWP apps can be easily distributed and updated through the Microsoft Store.
- Support for the Internet of Things (IoT): It also supports app development for IoT devices, making it easy to access a connected world.
2. Setting Up the UWP Development Environment
To develop UWP apps, you need to install several essential tools. This will allow you to easily get started with creating UWP applications.
2.1 Installing Visual Studio
The IDE commonly used for UWP app development is Visual Studio. You can download the latest version from Microsoft’s official website. During installation, select the ‘Universal Windows Platform development’ workload to install the related tools.
2.2 Installing the Windows 10 SDK
The Windows 10 SDK is a package that includes the APIs and tools necessary for developing UWP apps. It is usually included by default during Visual Studio installation, but you may need to install it separately. Installing the Windows 10 SDK allows you to implement features using the latest APIs.
3. Creating a UWP App
Once you are ready, let’s create a real UWP app. Here, we will describe the process of creating a basic ‘Hello World’ app.
3.1 Creating a New Project
After launching Visual Studio, click on ‘Create a new project’. Select the ‘Blank App (Universal Windows)’ template and specify a project name and location, then click ‘Create’.
3.2 Designing the UI with XAML
UWP uses XAML (Extensible Application Markup Language) to compose the UI. Open the MainPage.xaml file created and modify it as follows.
3.3 Writing C# Code
To combine the UI and logic, open the MainPage.xaml.cs file and add the necessary code. By default, since the UI elements are composed in XAML, no additional code is needed.
3.4 Running the App
Now let’s run the app. Click the ‘Start’ button in Visual Studio to build and run the UWP app. Once it is running, you will see the ‘Hello, World!’ text appear in the center of the screen.
4. Installing the UWP App
Once the app is complete, let’s look at how to install it. UWP apps can be distributed through the Microsoft Store or installed via enterprise deployment methods.
4.1 Distributing to Microsoft Store
By distributing the UWP app to the Microsoft Store, users can easily download and install the app. To distribute, you must register at the Microsoft Developer Center. After registration, follow these steps.
- Create an app package: Click on the ‘Project’ menu in Visual Studio and select ‘Store’ > ‘Create App Packages…’
- Package settings: Enter settings for package creation and click the ‘Create’ button.
- Distribution: Upload the created package to the Developer Center and create a listing that includes app descriptions, screenshots, etc.
- Review and publish: After review and approval by Microsoft, users will be able to download the app through the Microsoft Store.
4.2 Enterprise Deployment
When deploying UWP apps in an enterprise environment, you can deploy directly to devices within the organization. To do this, you can create an App Installer file or use PowerShell scripts.
- Create an App Installer file: Create a .appinstaller file through which users can install the app.
- Using PowerShell: You can execute commands to install the app package using PowerShell. For example, you can use the following command:
powershell
Add-AppxPackage -Path "C:\Path\To\YourApp.appx"
This command installs the app package located at the specified path.
5. Conclusion
UWP development is a powerful approach for modern Windows app development. By leveraging the advantage of easily developing and distributing apps that can run on various devices, developers gain the opportunity to reach a larger audience. Through the content explained in this article, we hope that you enhance your basic understanding of UWP development and app installation, leading to actual app development. We encourage you to develop various UWP apps in the Windows ecosystem going forward.