Microsoft has re-conceived the Windows API with WinRT (the abbreviated name used to refer to the new Windows Runtime programming model).
Microsoft introduced WinRT at the 2011 Build conference alongside the Windows 8 developer preview, with the notion that WinRT will propel Windows technology into a new era.
It appears as if WinRT will replace Win32, the existing set of Windows operating system APIs, which is already nearly 17 years old.
The new model is the foundation of Microsoft's Metro style development framework.
Currently, WinRT supports development of applications in the classic Windows style, but if past experience is to be any indication of what the future holds, WinRT is the next generation of Windows built applications.
Programmers who have been working with Win32 and .
NET should be pleased to know that WinRT will not appear drastically different, but it is not without some subtle variance.
Some classes contained in the .
NET framework are also present in WinRT.
They may be located in a different namespace, renamed, or refactored slightly but they remain available to those who are accustomed to the existing API.
Of course some classes will no longer be available and there will be some brand new additions, but if you have a foundation in Windows operating system technologies, adoption of WinRT has been designed to be a snap.
There is a more significant change between WinRT and Win32; with WinRT, any API likely to run longer than just a few milliseconds will be asynchronous.
One can assume this is an attempt to improve upon the classic API.
This is indeed a significant shift in the programming theory practiced by most developers.
The shift should not be particularly worrisome, however.
The new await/asynch keywords available at the language level assist in the challenge of acclimation to the new organizational processes.
The bottom line is, with WinRT programmers have a new API, which looks a lot like the old API but not entirely.
Microsoft announced that it will release a consumer preview of Windows 8 toward the end of February 2012 that uses the WinRT model.
Until that time, anyone outside Microsoft who professes to have concrete information regarding WinRT, Windows 8, and its related development tools may see their proclamations disproven once the final versions are released.
Whatever the finished product ultimately looks like, the new runtime will be but the first step toward the new vision of Microsoft development and the next generation of Windows applications.
Microsoft introduced WinRT at the 2011 Build conference alongside the Windows 8 developer preview, with the notion that WinRT will propel Windows technology into a new era.
It appears as if WinRT will replace Win32, the existing set of Windows operating system APIs, which is already nearly 17 years old.
The new model is the foundation of Microsoft's Metro style development framework.
Currently, WinRT supports development of applications in the classic Windows style, but if past experience is to be any indication of what the future holds, WinRT is the next generation of Windows built applications.
Programmers who have been working with Win32 and .
NET should be pleased to know that WinRT will not appear drastically different, but it is not without some subtle variance.
Some classes contained in the .
NET framework are also present in WinRT.
They may be located in a different namespace, renamed, or refactored slightly but they remain available to those who are accustomed to the existing API.
Of course some classes will no longer be available and there will be some brand new additions, but if you have a foundation in Windows operating system technologies, adoption of WinRT has been designed to be a snap.
There is a more significant change between WinRT and Win32; with WinRT, any API likely to run longer than just a few milliseconds will be asynchronous.
One can assume this is an attempt to improve upon the classic API.
This is indeed a significant shift in the programming theory practiced by most developers.
The shift should not be particularly worrisome, however.
The new await/asynch keywords available at the language level assist in the challenge of acclimation to the new organizational processes.
The bottom line is, with WinRT programmers have a new API, which looks a lot like the old API but not entirely.
Microsoft announced that it will release a consumer preview of Windows 8 toward the end of February 2012 that uses the WinRT model.
Until that time, anyone outside Microsoft who professes to have concrete information regarding WinRT, Windows 8, and its related development tools may see their proclamations disproven once the final versions are released.
Whatever the finished product ultimately looks like, the new runtime will be but the first step toward the new vision of Microsoft development and the next generation of Windows applications.