With an all-new design that looks great on macOS Big Sur, Xcode 12 has customizable font sizes for the navigator, streamlined code completion, and new document tabs. Xcode 12 builds Universal apps by default to support Mac with Apple Silicon, often without changing a single line of code.
Oct 06, 2015 Tools for Universal Windows Apps 1.1.1: This update, which is what you’ll get with a new installation, fixes a bug in Tools for Universal Windows Apps 1.1 where Visual Studio failed to create a package for a UWP app that uses a WinRT component.
Jul 30, 2015 This post was written by Lucian Wischik, a Program Manager on the Managed Languages team. We just released the Universal Windows app development tools for writing Windows 10 apps in Visual Studio 2015.It is an exciting release: you can now use the latest.NET technology to build Universal Windows Platform (“UWP”) apps that run on every Windows device – the phone in your pocket, the. Jun 16, 2020 Cross-Platform App Development Tools 4) Xamarin: Xamarin is the preferred mobile app development tool for native applications. It reuses business logic layers and data access across platforms. It is widely used to build apps for iOS, Windows, and Android app development. Add to the 16 million existing Win32 desktop apps. Develop apps with MFC, Windows Forms, or Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF). Use Visual Studio’s powerful debugging and diagnostics tools to deliver high quality, optimized applications that empower users. Top 6 Car Diagnostic Software for Windows and Mac An OBD auto scanner is used to receive data codes and other information about the car's general conditions. We've gathered 6 best automotive diagnostic software solutions that provide a simple and acceptable way to monitor your car's health.
Designed for macOS Big Sur.
Xcode 12 looks great on macOS Big Sur, with a navigator sidebar that goes to the top of the window and clear new toolbar buttons. The navigator defaults to a larger font that’s easier to read, while giving you multiple size choices. New document tabs make it easy to create a working set of files within your workspace.
Document tabs.
Free software to design a house for mac. The new tab model lets you open a new tab with a double-click, or track the selected file as you click around the navigator. You can re-arrange the document tabs to create a working set of files for your current task, and configure how content is shown within each tab. Apps that play avi files on mac. The navigator tracks the open files within your tabs using strong selection.
Navigator font sizes.
The navigator now tracks the system setting for “Sidebar icon size” used in Finder and Mail. You can also choose a unique font size just for Xcode within Preferences, including the traditional dense information presentation, and up to large fonts and icon targets.
Code completion streamlined.
A new completion UI presents only the information you need, taking up less screen space as you type. And completions are presented much faster, so you can keep coding at maximum speed.
Redesigned organizer.
An all-new design groups all critical information about each of your apps together in one place. Choose any app from any of your teams, then quickly navigate to inspect crash logs, energy reports, and performance metrics, such as battery consumption and launch time of your apps when used by customers.
SwiftUI
SwiftUI offers new features, improved performance, and the power to do even more, all while maintaining a stable API that makes it easy to bring your existing SwiftUI code forward into Xcode 12. A brand new life cycle management API for apps built with SwiftUI lets you write your entire app in SwiftUI and share even more code across all Apple platforms. And a new widget platform built on SwiftUI lets you build widgets that work great on iPad, iPhone, and Mac. Your SwiftUI views can now be shared with other developers, and appear as first-class controls in the Xcode library. And your existing SwiftUI code continues to work, while providing faster performance, better diagnostics, and access to new controls.
Universal app ready.
Xcode 12 is built as a Universal app that runs 100% natively on Intel-based CPUs and Apple Silicon for great performance and a snappy interface.* It also includes a unified macOS SDK that includes all the frameworks, compilers, debuggers, and other tools you need to build apps that run natively on Apple Silicon and the Intel x86_64 CPU.
Updated automatically
When you open your project in Xcode 12, your app is automatically updated to produce release builds and archives as Universal apps. When you build your app, Xcode produces one binary “slice” for Apple Silicon and one for the Intel x86_64 CPU, then wraps them together as a single app bundle to share or submit to the Mac App Store. You can test this at any time by selecting “Any Mac” as the target in the toolbar.
Test multiple architectures.
On the new Mac with Apple Silicon, you can run and debug apps running on either the native architecture or on Intel virtualization by selecting “My Mac (Rosetta)” in the toolbar.
Multiplatform template
New multiplatform app templates set up new projects to easily share code among iOS, iPadOS, and macOS using SwiftUI and the new lifecycle APIs. The project structure encourages sharing code across all platforms, while creating special custom experiences for each platform where it makes sense for your app.
Improved auto-indentation
Swift code is auto-formatted as you type to make common Swift code patterns look much better, including special support for the “guard” command.
StoreKit testing
New tools in Xcode let you create StoreKit files that describe the various subscription and in-app purchase products your app can offer, and create test scenarios to make sure everything works great for your customers — all locally testable on your Mac.
Get started with the beta.
Download Xcode 12 beta and use these resources to build apps for all Apple platforms.
-->A UWP app is:
- Secure: UWP apps declare which device resources and data they access. The user must authorize that access.
- Able to use a common API on all devices that run Windows 10.
- Able to use device specific capabilities and adapt the UI to different device screen sizes, resolutions, and DPI.
- Available from the Microsoft Store on all devices (or only those that you specify) that run on Windows 10. The Microsoft Store provides multiple ways to make money on your app.
- Able to be installed and uninstalled without risk to the machine or incurring 'machine rot'.
- Engaging: use live tiles, push notifications, and user activities that interact with Windows Timeline and Cortana's Pick Up Where I Left Off, to engage users.
- Programmable in C#, C++, Visual Basic, and Javascript. For UI, use XAML, HTML, or DirectX.
Let's look at these in more detail.
Secure
UWP apps declare in their manifest the device capabilities they need such as access to the microphone, location, Webcam, USB devices, files, and so on. The user must acknowledge and authorize that access before the app is granted the capability.
A common API surface across all devices
Windows 10 introduces the Universal Windows Platform (UWP), which provides a common app platform on every device that runs Windows 10. The UWP core APIs are the same on all Windows devices. If your app only uses the core APIs, it will run on any Windows 10 device no matter whether you are targeting a desktop PC, Xbox, Mixed-reality headset, and so on.
A UWP app written in C++ /WinRT or C++ /CX has access to the Win32 APIs that are part of the UWP. These Win32 APIs are implemented by all Windows 10 devices.
Extension SDKs expose the unique capabilities of specific device types
If you target the universal APIs, your app can run on all devices that run Windows 10. But if you want your UWP app to take advantage of device specific APIs, you can.
Extension SDKs let you call specialized APIs for different devices. For example, if your UWP app targets an IoT device, you can add the IoT extension SDK to your project to target features specific to IoT devices. For more information about adding extension SDKs, see the Extension SDKs section in Device families overview.
You can write your app so that you expect it to run only on a particular type of device, and then limit its distribution from the Microsoft Store to just that type of device. Or, you can conditionally test for the presence of an API at runtime and adapt your app's behavior accordingly. For more information, see the Writing Code section in Device families overview.
The following video provides a brief overview of device families and adaptive coding:
Adaptive controls and input
UI elements respond to the size and DPI of the screen the app is running on by adjusting their layout and scale. UWP apps work well with multiple types of input such as keyboard, mouse, touch, pen, and Xbox One controllers. If you need to further tailor your UI to a specific screen size or device, new layout panels and tooling help you design UI that can adapt to the different devices and form factors that your app may run on.
Windows helps you target your UI to multiple devices with the following features:
- Universal controls and layout panels help you to optimize your UI for the screen resolution of the device. For example, controls such as buttons and sliders automatically adapt to device screen size and DPI density. Layout panels help adjust the layout of content based on the size of the screen. Adaptive scaling adjusts to resolution and DPI differences across devices.
- Common input handling allows you to receive input through touch, a pen, a mouse, a keyboard, or a controller such as a Microsoft Xbox controller.
- Tooling that helps you to design UI that can adapt to different screen resolutions.
Some aspects of your app's UI will automatically adapt across devices. Your app's user-experience design, however, may need to adapt depending on the device the app is running on. For example, a photo app could adapt its UI when running on a small, handheld device to ensure that usage is ideal for single-handed use. When a photo app is running on a desktop computer, the UI should adapt to take advantage of the additional screen space.
There's one store for all devices
A unified app store makes your app available on Windows 10 devices such as PC, tablet, Xbox, HoloLens, Surface Hub, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices. You can submit your app to the store and make it available to all types of devices, or only those you choose. You submit and manage all your apps for Windows devices in one place. Have a C++ desktop app that you want to modernize with UWP features and sell in the Microsoft store? That's okay, too.
UWP apps integrate with Application Insights for detailed telemetry and analytics—a crucial tool for understanding your users and improving your apps.
Universal Windows App Development Tools For Mac Os
Monetize your app
You can choose how you'll monetize your app. There are a number of ways to make money with your app. All you need to do is choose the one that works best for you, for example:
- A paid download is the simplest option. Just name the price.
- Trials let users try your app before buying it, providing easier discoverability and conversion than the more traditional 'freemium' options.
- Sale prices to incentivize users.
- In-app purchases and ads are also available.
Apps from the Microsoft Store provide a seamless install, uninstall, and upgrade experience
All UWP apps are distributed using a packaging system that protects the user, device, and system. Users never need regret installing an app because UWP apps can be uninstalled without leaving anything behind except the documents created with the app.
Apps can be deployed and updated seamlessly. App packaging can be modularized so that you can download content and extensions on demand.
Deliver relevant, real-time info to your users to keep them coming back
There are a variety of ways to keep users engaged with your UWP app:
- Live tiles and lock screen tiles that show contextually relevant and timely info from your app at a glance.
- Push notifications that bring real-time alerts to your user’s attention.
- User Activities allow users to pick up where they left off in your app, even across devices.
- The Action Center organizes notifications from your app.
- Background execution and triggers bring your app into action when the user needs it.
- Your app can use voice and Bluetooth LE devices to help users interact with the world around them.
- Integrate Cortana to add voice command capability to your app.
Use a language you already know
UWP apps use the Windows Runtime, the native API provided by the operating system. This API is implemented in C++ and is supported in C#, Visual Basic, C++, and JavaScript. Some options for writing UWP apps include:
- XAML UI and C#, VB, or C++
- DirectX UI and C++
- JavaScript and HTML
Links to help you get going
Get set up
Check out Get set up to download the tools you need to start creating apps, and then write your first app.
Universal Windows App Development Tools For Mac Download
Design your app
Download Mac Apps On Windows
The Microsoft design system is named Fluent. The Fluent Design System is a set of UWP features combined with best practices for creating apps that perform beautifully on all types of Windows-powered devices. Fluent experiences adapt and feel natural on devices from tablets to laptops, from PCs to televisions, and on virtual reality devices. See The Fluent Design System for UWP apps for an introduction to Fluent Design.
Good design is the process of deciding how users will interact with your app, in addition to how it will look and function. User experience plays a huge part in determining how happy people will be with your app, so don't skimp on this step. Design basics introduces you to designing a Universal Windows app. See the Introduction to Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps for designers for information on designing UWP apps that delight your users. Before you start coding, see the device primer to help you think through the interaction experience of using your app on all the different form factors you want to target.
In addition to interaction on different devices, plan your app to embrace the benefits of working across multiple devices. For example:
- Design your workflow using Navigation design basics for UWP apps to accommodate mobile, small-screen, and large-screen devices. Lay out your user interface to respond to different screen sizes and resolutions.
- Consider how you'll accommodate multiple kinds of input. See the Guidelines for interactions to learn how users can interact with your app by using Cortana, Speech, Touch interactions, the Touch keyboard and more. Or, see the Guidelines for text and text input for more traditional interaction experiences.
Add services
- Use cloud services to sync across devices.
- Learn how to connect to web services to support your app experience.
- Include Push notifications and in-app purchases in your planning. These features should work across devices.
Submit your app to the Store
Partner Center lets you manage and submit all of your apps for Windows devices in one place. See Publish Windows apps and games to learn how to submit your apps for publication in the Microsoft Store.
New features simplify processes while giving you more control. You'll also find detailed analytic reports combined payout details, ways to promote your app and engage with your customers, and much more.
For more introductory material, see An Introduction to Building Windows Apps for Windows 10 Devices
More advanced topics
- Learn how to use User Activities so that user activity in your app appear in Windows Timeline and Cortana's Pick Up Where I Left Off feature.
- Learn how to use Tiles, badges, and notifications for UWP apps.
- For the full list of Win32 APIs available to UWP apps, see API Sets for UWP apps and Dlls for UWP apps.
- See Universal Windows apps in .NET for an overview of writing .NET UWP apps.
- For a list of .NET types that you can use in a UWP app, see .NET for UWP apps
- Learn how to add modern experiences for Windows 10 users to your existing desktop app and distribute it in the Microsoft Store with the Desktop Bridge.
How the Universal Windows Platform relates to Windows Runtime APIs
If you're building a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) app, then you can get a lot of mileage and convenience out of treating the terms 'Universal Windows Platform (UWP)' and 'Windows Runtime (WinRT)' as more or less synonymous. But it is possible to look under the covers of the technology, and determine just what the difference is between those ideas. If you're curious about that, then this last section is for you.
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The Windows Runtime, and WinRT APIs, are an evolution of Windows APIs. Originally, Windows was programmed via flat, C-style Win32 APIs. To those were added COM APIs (DirectX being a prominent example). Windows Forms, WPF, .NET, and managed languages brought their own way of writing Windows apps, and their own flavor of API technology. The Windows Runtime is, under the covers, the next stage of COM. At the actual application binary interface (ABI) layer, its roots in COM become visible. But the Windows Runtime was designed to be callable from a great range of different programming languages. And callable in a way that's very natural to each of those languages. To this end, access to the Windows Runtime is made available via what are known as language projections. There is a Windows Runtime language projection into C#, into Visual Basic, into standard C++, into JavaScript, and so on. Furthermore, once packaged appropriately (see Desktop Bridge), you can call WinRT APIs from an app built in one of a great range of application models: Win32, .NET, WinForms, and WPF.
Run Mac Apps On Windows
And, of course, you can call WinRT APIs from your UWP app. UWP is an application model built on top of the Windows Runtime. Technically, the UWP application model is based on CoreApplication, although that detail may be hidden from you, depending on your choice of programming language. As this topic has explained, from a value proposition point of view, the UWP lends itself to writing a single binary that can, should you choose, be published to the Microsoft Store and run on any one of a great range of device form factors. The device reach of your UWP app depends on the subset of Windows Runtime APIs that you limit your app to calling, or that you call conditionally.
Universal Windows App Development Tools
Hopefully, this section has been successful in describing the difference between the technology underlying Windows Runtime APIs, and the mechanism and business value of the Universal Windows Platform.