.Net Desktop Application Development: Things To Know

Desktop applications are more popular than you can imagine. If you use Microsoft applications or browsers like Chrome and Firefox, you would definitely understand what role desktop applications play in our work lives and business. So if you are planning for desktop application development, .NET is the right framework to go with. We have listed some important things you should know to make an informed decision.

Let’s first understand what are desktop applications before we proceed into the details of the .NET framework.

Desktop applications can run as a stand-alone software on your computer or PC. You don’t need any browser for that but these apps can easily send and receive data over the web. They are different from web applications because web apps need a browser to run. Desktop applications are installed on a computer and then you can work on it. Some examples of desktop applications are:

• Photoshop
• Skype
• Browsers like Chrome, IE, and Firefox
• Discord
• Microsoft File Explorer
• Microsoft Word, Excel

So what is the best framework to develop a desktop application? Undoubtedly, it is .NET. Why? DOT NET consists of a number of tools, library, and compiler components. These tools along with the .NET specific programming language can be used for desktop application development that runs on Windows.

1. Choose between .NET Framework and .NET Core

.NET is a traditional framework that needs to be installed before you can use it. The apps developed using .NET framework can run only on Windows.

It is used to build desktop apps for Windows and large-scale apps for enterprises. Apps built with .NET framework has good networking, memory management, security, APIs, and application deployment.

The latest generation of .NET Core 3.0 will help you to create multi-platform apps that runs on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. It has a higher performance and is more modular than the traditional .NET framework. .NET Core enables you to:

• Build a micro service architecture
• Develop a high-performing, scalable system
• Work on command line applications
• Create Universal Windows 10 Applications (UWP)
• Build a multi-platform app that runs on various Operative Systems

The latest version of .NET Core 3.0 comes with some exciting features for desktop application development. It supports WinForms, WPF, Entity Framework 6, Razor Components, C# 8.0 and .NET Standard 2.1. It also supports the Internet-of-Things (IoT) scenarios and ML.NET (which is popular for developing apps like image classification, sentiment analysis, forecasting, predictions, etc.).

.NET Core vs .Net Framework

• Both .Net and .NET Core has robust class libraries.

• .Net Core improves the performance and scalability of apps without any extra effort.

• .Net framework can be installed as a single package while .NET Core can be packaged independent of the OS.

• .NET Core supports emerging technologies like cloud, IoT, and machine learning in Visual Studio while .NET framework needs to use ASP.NET for cloud capabilities.

2. Choose UI Development Technology

User Interface (UI) allows a user to connect with your application. UI is a combination of content, buttons, forms, labels, text fields, drop-down menus, lists, behaviors, and graphic design.

Most UI technologies used for desktop applications limit the use of certain programming languages, which you must consider according to the capabilities of your .NET desktop application development services provider. Here are the UI technologies used for desktop apps.

1. UWP: It is a XAML-based UI technology that enables you to write your app in C#, C++, and VB.Net. The app will work only on Windows 10 but the deployment through Microsoft Store is easier.
2. WinForms: A very popular UI technology that makes use of drag and drop interface of Visual Studio Designer. If you want an app without any responsive element or customization, then WinForms is the best option.
3. WPF: It is another XAML-based Microsoft technology that features amazing Templating, Binding, and Styling capabilities.
4. JavaFX and Swing: Two UI frameworks that are written in Java and offered by Oracle.
5. Electron: This framework allows you to build Desktop apps with web technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

According to the above survey conducted by Telerik, it is clear that businesses are using WPF and WinForms for the UI side of their desktop apps. However, you must select the right UI technology based on your business needs and the expertise of your app development services provider.

3. Choose the Programming Language

You don’t need to master in the programming languages for building a desktop app for your business. But understanding what works best for your app would help you make the right decision and gain benefits in the long run in terms of less maintenance, easy customization, hassle-free deployment, etc. So here are the programming languages that are popular for .NET desktop application development:

• C# – It is Microsoft’s most powerful programming language for .NET applications. It is based on the concept of object-oriented programming, which makes it suitable to use for desktop apps.

• C ++ – It is a high-performance language which is used in developing apps, such as client and server apps, video games, Adobe products, where performance is a critical issue.

• Java – Used as a backend programming language for popular sites like Google, Amazon, Twitter, and YouTube, Java is highly popular, has great community support, and you will find Java developers easily.

• Python – It is an open-source programming language used for creating data structures and GUI-based desktop apps.

Conclusion

There are many things that one must consider while looking to develop a .NET desktop application.

Are you targeting Windows OS or looking for a cross-platform application? How important are the security, stability, scalability, and performance of your desktop application?

What programming language your .NET desktop application development services provider specializes in? What is your budget?

To make the right decision, answer these questions first and then re-read the important things mentioned above (.Net Core vs .NET, programming language, and UI technology).

Here at Source Soft Solutions, we have a decade long experience with the .NET stack and the UI technologies and programming languages revolving around it.

Whether your company is looking to develop a gaming app, console app, or desktop apps like Skype and Photoshop, our expert developers can enable faster and more robust application development.

As a reliable .NET desktop application services provider, we will guide you with the right technology of choice for your next project. Contact us to kick-start your development.

Interested in our .Net app development company?

To know how Source Soft can help your business grow!