Microsoft Talks Bringing Apps to Universal Windows Platform, Store

SEATTLE—App developers would be well advised to update their apps to Windows x Southward, which will only run apps from the operating system'southward app store, known every bit Windows Shop.

Windows 10 Bug Art But the ability to run on Windows x S isn't the only advantage to moving apps to the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) and the Windows Store. Thankfully, a team at Microsoft has come out with the Windows Desktop Span, which makes converting old-school apps, if not a cinch, at least a lot easier than it would exist without the tool.

At the Redmond software visitor'due south annual Build 2022 conference, Microsoft Distinguished Engineer John Sheehan and Program Director Peyman Zanjani took a crowded room full of developers through the steps of converting their apps. I should note that there's also a Windows Bridge for iOS, and I recently saw a brilliant example of that tool's results in algoriddim'southward djay Pro app, which can fifty-fifty have advantage of the Surface Dial.

So, what are the advantages of modern UWP apps over desktop applications? Not only exercise they get the added visibility in the Shop and monetization options, just installation, updating, and deletions are all smoothly and automatically handled by the operating system. The old-style programs are too a security and stability risk: Once you corroborate that User Admission dialog when installing a program, it can exercise whatever it likes on your system. And UWP apps don't add to the system registry, which tin slow down bootup.

And one time you lot get past pure conversion, your UWP app tin can accept reward of Windows 10 features similar Alive Start Tiles, system notifications, and other goodies offered by the UWP APIs. If you lot completely convert the app, getting rid of all not-UWP code, your program can run on hardware other than PCs—Xbox, the Surface Hub, Windows Mobile, and even HoloLens.

Completely converting an app involves v overarching steps, but you can terminate at the first ane—running your programme's installer in the Windows Bridge Desktop App Converter—if you're happy with the results. This sets upwards a virtual Bone surroundings where the installer goes through all its gyrations as the converter watches, without affecting the host PC. The converter spits out what'south called an AppX container, which is something like a zip file containing the code and a manifest.

Ane of the most startling parts of Sheehan'south presentation was the fact that two-thirds of programs converted with this beginning step just work. Of course, it will be just as a legacy app running inside a modern window, without any of the modernistic pattern and extras. The residuum of the steps are actually about taking advantage of UWP APIs to create a fully modern app, with no legacy code. One of these APIs can handle payments, and then the developer doesn't demand to implement credit card processing—Windows takes care of information technology.

Third-political party installer software like Flexera InstallShield and several others have gotten into the human activity of helping developers move their apps into the modernistic age. The Flexera tool tin even get your app's messages on the Windows 10 Start screen's tiles.

The presenters pointed to Evernote, which used Bridge and was so thrilled that it made a video (beneath). The team behind Windows Desktop Span continues to add together support for APIs that real-globe developers almost often use. "We're gonna get in as easy for y'all equally nosotros can," said Sheehan. With all the justifications for converting old apps, that only sweetens the deal. For more, look for the Windows Desktop Bridge presentation on the Microsoft Build 2022 website.

Nigh Michael Muchmore

Michael Muchmore

Michael Muchmore is PCMag's lead analyst for software and web applications, with an accent on photo editing, video editing, and Windows. A native New Yorker, he has at diverse times headed upwardly coverage of web development, enterprise software (including databases and application servers), and display technologies (monitors and TVs). Michael cowrote i of the starting time overviews of web services for a full general audience. Earlier that he worked on PC Magazine'south Solutions section, which educated readers almost programming techniques like C+ and Visual Basic, as well every bit offering tips on using role productivity software. He previously covered services and software for ExtremeTech.com.