UWP Development, Creating a New App for the Microsoft Store

UWP (Universal Windows Platform) is an application framework developed by Microsoft that allows you to create apps using the same code across various Windows devices. UWP supports a wide range of platforms such as desktop, tablet, mobile, and Xbox, enabling developers to easily deploy apps that work in all environments. In this article, we will look at the basic concepts of UWP app development and detail the process of distributing apps through the Microsoft Store.

1. Overview of UWP

UWP applications run on Windows 10 and later versions and are distributed through the Windows Store. The main features of UWP include:

  • Execution on various devices: UWP runs on a wide range of Windows devices, including PCs, tablets, Xbox, and IoT devices.
  • Modern UI: It offers a sleek user interface (UI) based on the Fluent Design system.
  • Integration with smartphone apps: UWP is compatible with Windows 10 Mobile, allowing the expansion of smartphone apps.

2. Setting Up a UWP Development Environment

To begin UWP development, you need a Visual Studio environment. Below is how to install Visual Studio and set up a UWP development environment:

2.1 Installing Visual Studio

  1. Visit the Visual Studio download page.
    Visual Studio Download
  2. Run the Visual Studio installer, and in the Workload Selection step, check the Desktop development with C# checkbox.
  3. In the Developer Tools section, select Universal Windows Platform Development.
  4. After completing the installation, launch Visual Studio.

2.2 Creating a New UWP Project

  1. After running Visual Studio, select File > New > Project.
  2. In the search box, type Blank App (Universal Windows), select it, and click Next.
  3. Set the project name and location, then click the Create button.
  4. Select the target version and minimum version, then click OK.

3. Designing and Developing UWP Apps

Let’s look at the basic structure of a UWP app. UWP apps primarily use XAML (Extensible Application Markup Language) to design the UI and C# or C++ to implement app logic.

3.1 Designing UI with XAML

You can create the user interface of a UWP app using XAML. Below is an example of XAML code that includes a basic UI:

        
        <Page
            x:Class="MyApp.MainPage"
            xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
            xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml">

            <Grid Background="{ThemeResource ApplicationPageBackgroundThemeBrush}">
                <TextBlock Text="Hello, UWP!" FontSize="36" HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center"/>
                <Button Content="Click Me" Click="Button_Click" HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Bottom" Margin="0,0,0,20"/>
            </Grid>
        </Page>

3.2 Implementing App Logic with C#

Use C# code-behind to configure the logic for interacting with UI elements. Below is code that handles the button click event:

        
        using Windows.UI.Xaml;
        using Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls;

        namespace MyApp
        {
            public sealed partial class MainPage : Page
            {
                public MainPage()
                {
                    this.InitializeComponent();
                }

                private void Button_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
                {
                    TextBlock textBlock = (TextBlock)FindName("MyTextBlock");
                    textBlock.Text = "Button Clicked!";
                }
            }
        }

4. Testing and Debugging the App

Testing and debugging are crucial processes during UWP app development. You can easily test it through Visual Studio.

4.1 Local Testing

  1. Click the Debug button in the upper menu to run the app.
  2. Alternatively, you can press the F5 key to run in debug mode.

4.2 Using the Emulator

You can test the operation on various devices using the Windows Holographic or Mobile emulator. To set up the emulator, you can add it through Visual Studio by going to Tools > Android Emulator Manager.

5. Distributing the App to the Microsoft Store

Once app development and testing are complete, the last step is to distribute the app to the Microsoft Store. Below are the steps in the distribution process:

5.1 App Packaging

  1. Configure a Release Build in Visual Studio.
  2. Select Build > [Project Name] > Create Package > Create App Package from the menu.
  3. In the App Package creation wizard, select the location to save and various options for generating the package.

5.2 Registering with Dev Center and Submitting the App

To submit your app to the Microsoft Store, you need to register for a developer account in the Azure Dev Center. After registration, you can submit the app through the following procedure:

  1. Log in to the Dev Center and go to My Apps.
  2. Click Create New App and enter the app name and information.
  3. Upload the app package and configure the business model and pricing.
  4. Click the Submit button to request a review from Microsoft.

6. Conclusion

With the UWP platform, you can easily develop apps that can be used across various Windows devices and distribute them to users worldwide through the Microsoft Store. I hope the content covered in this article has helped you understand the basic flow of UWP app development. The next steps could be to improve UI/UX, or explore how to expand app functionality by connecting to a database or API.