UWP Development, Creating App Packages

What is UWP?

UWP (Universal Windows Platform) is a platform provided by Microsoft that offers an environment for developing apps that can run on various Windows devices. With UWP, you can distribute apps across a range of devices, including PCs, tablets, smartphones, and Xbox.

One of the main advantages of UWP apps is that they can provide a consistent user experience across all devices running Windows 10 and later. UWP is based on the WinRT API and works with XAML and C# to build intuitive and responsive UIs.

What is an App Package?

UWP app packages are in the appx/.msix format and include all the files necessary for app distribution. Using these packages simplifies the process of distributing and updating apps and allows you to submit them to the Windows Store, making them accessible to a wide audience.

An app package contains the following information:

• App Manifest: Includes the app’s metadata and defines the app’s name, version, permissions requirements, and more.
• App Resources: Resource files used by the app, such as images, icons, and data files.
• App Code: The executable code of the app written in XAML, C#, C++, etc.

Creating a UWP App Package

The process of creating a UWP app package is very intuitive through Visual Studio and involves several steps. Below is the basic process for creating a UWP app package.

1. Install Visual Studio

You need Visual Studio to develop UWP apps. Install Visual Studio 2019 or later and add the ‘Mobile development with .NET’ and ‘Desktop development with .NET’ workloads.

2. Create a New UWP Project

Open Visual Studio, select ‘Create a new project’, and choose ‘Blank App (Universal Windows)’ to create a new project. Specify the project name and location, then click ‘Create’.

3. Set Up the App Manifest

After the project is created, find the Package.appxmanifest file in the Solution Explorer and double-click it to open the manifest editor. Here, you can set the app’s name, description, icon, and more. Don’t forget to configure the permissions required by the app.

4. Add App Content

Create the necessary XAML and C# code files for app development to implement the UI and logic of the app. For example, open the MainPage.xaml file and write the following code to assemble a simple UI:

            
                <Page
                    x:Class="SampleApp.MainPage"
                    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
                    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
                    xmlns:local="using:SampleApp"
                    xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
                    xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
                    mc:Ignorable="d">
                    <Grid>
                        <Button Content="Hello, UWP!" Click="Button_Click" />
                    </Grid>
                </Page>
            
        

The button click event can be written in C# code as follows:

            
                private void Button_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
                {
                    // Code to execute on button click
                    var dialog = new MessageDialog("Hello, UWP!");
                    await dialog.ShowAsync();
                }
            
        

5. Build the App Package

After completing the implementation of the app’s functionality, select ‘Build Solution’ from the ‘Build’ menu to create the package. Once the build is complete, switch to ‘Release’ mode to generate the package. Go to the ‘Build’ menu and select ‘Create Package’, then choose ‘Create Project Package’.

6. Export the Installer and Package

After generating the package, you can open the folder containing the package to verify the files. The package includes the installation files (.appx or .msix) and various resource files. This package can be distributed directly to users or submitted to the Windows Store.

Reasons to Use App Packages

Using app packages has the following advantages:

• Version Control: Packages allow you to manage the version of your app and provide appropriate updates.
• Security: UWP apps run in a sandbox environment, enhancing security.
• User Convenience: Users can easily install and update the app.

Conclusion

In this article, we explored the process of creating app packages within the UWP development environment. UWP is one of the best solutions for providing a smooth and consistent user experience across various Windows devices. Through app packages, developers can more easily distribute and manage their apps.

Now you can also take on UWP app development and create great apps that can be used on a variety of devices!