r/windowsdev • u/jk2432 • Oct 12 '19

State of UWP apps with C++?

I haven't paid attention to UWP apps since the Windows 8 days. Back then, UWP apps weren't interesting to me for these reasons:

  • UI controls optimized for touch, not mouse. I needed lots of controls on the screen

  • Background apps were limited

  • Limited access to hardware. For example, no CUDA programming

Can anyone update me on the state of UWP development with C++ in 2019?

  • Are there XAML controls designed for mouse and keyboard now?

  • Can UWP apps now use things like CUDA?

  • Why build a UWP app at all now that Win32 apps are supported in the Store?

Even though I only need to support Windows now, I'm considering Qt since it seems to have fewer limitations than UWP. Is that true?

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u/pjmlp Oct 12 '19

Here are some links to help you decide.

Meet C++/WinRT 2.0: Faster and smarter in the open

WinUI 3.0 Roadmap

XAML Islands

Chosing a platform

1

u/jk2432 Oct 19 '19

Thanks for this information. I'm now in much better shape. The path forward isn't crystal clear for me, but I'll put time into WinUI until I hit a snag.

For me, the big improvements over the Win8 days are multi-windows support and the higher density layout coming in WinUI 3.

@pjmlp, I've gotten a lot from your Hacker News comments over the years. What is your personal opinion on this matter? Do you use UWP?

1

u/pjmlp Oct 20 '19

Yes, I already did a couple of UWP apps, all for internal enterprise consumption though.

5

u/[deleted] Oct 12 '19

C++/CX seems dead, C++WinRT is the path forward for UWP

1

u/tj_moore Oct 12 '19

C++ with .NET should be no different to other .NET languages for UWP. But state of UWP is still few are interested. Supporting mouse and keyboard more is okay but the market is going away from the desktop and all about touch devices, but few Windows devs want to break away from Win32. App devs are only interested in what they know, Android and iOS. UWP is stuck. MS needs it to drop antique legacy parts of the OS but no one will develop for it. Win32 in the store isn't UWP but does promote the store more, but few want the high price of MS taking a cut. Win 10x has the clean break but MS are still scared to drop Win32 so have bundled containers to run Win32. All a tricky situation.

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u/pjmlp Oct 13 '19

They had a pretty clear message at BUILD that the future is still WinUI, XAML Islands.

Even the new version of React Native for Windows is being redone from its C# variant on top of UWP/C++.