UWP Development, Installing Visual Studio Community

Definition of UWP Development

UWP is a platform provided by Microsoft that allows developers to create applications for desktop, tablets, and mobile devices using a single code base. This enables a consistent user experience across a variety of devices.

UWP apps are distributed through the Windows Store and operate on Windows 10 devices, with built-in security and performance optimizations. The apps use XAML for UI development and implement business logic using C# or C++.

Installing Visual Studio Community

1. Download Visual Studio

Visual Studio Community is a free IDE that supports UWP development. To start the installation, follow these steps:

1. Visit the Visual Studio Community download link.
2. Click the ‘Download’ button on the page to download the installer.

2. Run the Installer

Run the downloaded installer. The setup wizard will start and various installation options will appear.

3. Select Workload

For UWP app development, you need to select the “Developer Workload”. Make sure to check the following:

• Select the “Universal Windows Platform development” checkbox.
• You can add other required components as needed, such as .NET desktop development or Azure development components.

After making your selections, click the “Install” button. Wait for the installation process to complete.

4. Verify After Installation Completion

Once the installation is complete, launch Visual Studio to ensure that the UWP app templates are displayed correctly. Click on ‘File’ > ‘New’ > ‘Project’ and find ‘Universal Windows Platform’ in the template list.

Creating Your First UWP App

1. Create a New Project

In Visual Studio:

1. Select ‘File’ → ‘New’ → ‘Project’.
2. Type ‘UWP’ in the search box and select ‘Universal Windows Platform App’.

2. Configure Project

After selecting your project name and location, click the ‘Create’ button and configure the following:

• ‘Minimum OS Version’: This setting defines the minimum Windows version on which the app can run.
• ‘Target OS Version’: Choose the Windows version that the app targets.
• ‘Deploy to the Windows Store’: Select this option if the app will be distributed through the Windows Store.

3. Design the UI

The core UI of a UWP app is created using XAML. Open the MainPage.xaml file in Solution Explorer and write the code that shapes your UI. Below is an example code including a simple button:

<Page
    x:Class="MyFirstUWPApp.MainPage"
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
    xmlns:local="using:MyFirstUWPApp"
    xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
    xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
    mc:Ignorable="d">

    <Grid Background="{ThemeResource ApplicationPageBackgroundThemeBrush}">
        <Button Content="Click Me!" HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center" Click="Button_Click"/>
    </Grid>
</Page>

4. Handle Events

Add the Button_Click method in the MainPage.xaml.cs file to handle the button click event:

private void Button_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
    Button button = sender as Button;
    button.Content = "Clicked!";
}

5. Run the App

To run the app, ensure there are no errors in the toolbar, then press F5 to start in debugging mode. A new UWP app created by Windows will run, and you can click the button.

Advantages of UWP Development

• Single Codebase: You can deploy to various devices with a single code.
• Modern UI Components: Supports various UI components and modern designs.
• Powerful APIs: Gives access to a variety of Windows APIs.
• Windows Store Deployment: Apps can be easily deployed and managed.

Conclusion

We have explored how to install Visual Studio Community for UWP app development and how to create your first app. UWP is a powerful platform from Microsoft that provides opportunities to develop innovative apps for various devices. Through further learning, you can deepen your understanding of UWP’s features and leverage them.