Evolution from Desktop Apps to UWP Apps

Windows 8 introduced the Windows Runtime (WinRT), which was an evolution of the Windows app model. It was intended to be a common application architecture.

When Windows Phone 8.1 became available, the Windows Runtime was aligned between Windows Phone 8.1 and Windows. This enabled developers to create Universal Windows 8 apps that target both Windows and Windows Phone using a shared codebase.

Windows 10 introduces the Universal Windows Platform (UWP), which further evolves the Windows Runtime model and brings it into the Windows 10 unified core. As part of the core, the UWP now provides a common app platform available on every device that runs Windows 10. With this evolution, apps that target the UWP can call not only the WinRT APIs that are common to all devices, but also APIs (including Win32 and .NET APIs) that are specific to the device family the app is running on. The UWP provides a guaranteed core API layer across devices. This means you can create a single app package that can be installed onto a wide range of devices. And, with that single app package, the Windows Store provides a unified distribution channel to reach all the device types your app can run on.

Once on UWP, your apps are easier for users to manage and install, and you can integrate engaging UWP functionality and reach customers across the Windows 10 platform, including on IoT devices, Xbox One and HoloLens. Desktop Bridge which is the converter that helps us for this evolution.

What is the Desktop Bridge?

The Desktop Bridge brings a number of important improvements to the Windows platform for all developers. First, you can convert existing Windows desktop apps or games to .appx packages, so your users will be able to install them easily and experience seamless updates, be it through the Windows Store or any distribution channel of your choice.

Once converted to the UWP application model, the desktop app has access to new UWP APIs, including Live Tiles, push notifications and local/roaming app data, which previously were inaccessible to desktop apps. With this conversion process, your existing code continues to run with minimal changes and UWP deployment ensures that whatever state the app writes to the PC is isolated and easily cleaned up on uninstall – addressing a major pain point users have had with desktop apps in the past. Additionally, the app can now expose App Services, run Background Tasks, and have a XAML UI by adding a UWP app container process to the same app package.

With your existing code now running in the UWP application model, it’s straightforward to add additional functionality over time, gradually migrating existing Win32/.NET code to move functionality into the app container. Running your code in the app container benefits the security of your user’s machine, and at the end of the migration results in a UWP app that can run on PCs, Phones, IoT devices, Xbox One and HoloLens.

Ceymplon is a business consulting, and resource outsourcing firm. Being the preferred offshoring partner for jEyLaBs, an Australian IT consulting company, we help organizations with business consulting, outsourcing, and IT solutions in order to enhance their performance as well as pursue their day to day operations smoothly.

We at Ceymplon, are maintaining a good relationship between our clients and we are bestowed to perform important tasks for them. Also providing HR-related services such as employee benefit administration, payroll, recruiting, worker's compensation administration, and documentation related stuff. It is basically the administration part of their operation.

Our services can vary greatly, so it is crucial to invest the time into researching and finding the right person that is the right fit for their working culture.