White papers for Windows Store apps

Developing connected applications

This paper provides a set of network considerations that every connected Windows Store app should know about.

Developing secure apps

Learn how to keep your app secure when it accesses content from the web.

Windows Store apps using JavaScript versus traditional web apps

This topic provides information about the differences in coding styles used in existing Web apps written in JavaScript and Windows Store apps using JavaScript. It provides guidelines for Web developers to understand how code that is optimized for Windows relates to apps that are meant to be migrated among platforms with ease. It assumes that the reader is familiar with JavaScript programming and World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standards.

The touch keyboard

This paper provides information about the invocation and dismissal behaviors of the touch keyboard for Windows operating systems. It provides guidelines for developers to understand how the touch keyboard shows and hides itself.

Migrating Windows Store apps to the latest Windows Library for JavaScript

This article is for developers of Windows Store apps using JavaScript who want to upgrade their application from the Windows 8 Release Preview to the Windows 8 version of the Windows Library for JavaScript (WinJS).

Managed desktop apps and Windows Runtime

Visual Studio has made it extremely easy to write managed Windows Store apps that consume Windows Runtime APIs. However, if you’re writing a managed desktop app, there are a few things you’ll need to do manually in order to consume the Windows Runtime APIs. This paper provides information about what you need to do so that your desktop app can consume the Windows Runtime APIs. It assumes that the reader is familiar with writing managed desktop apps. This information applies to Windows 8.

Using the Windows App Certification Kit

This paper provides information about the Windows App Certification Kit (ACK) and its use in the various app certification programs for Windows. It provides guidelines for developers for usage of the kit and the associated certification processes.

Introduction to Background Tasks

This paper describes the programming model to create background tasks, resource management policies for background tasks, and built-in user controls that allow the user to control per-app background task activity by using lock screen personalization.

Background Networking

This paper provides information about an app lifecycle management model for apps that require real-time connectivity between the client and server. To address the lifecycle limitations for real-time connected apps, Windows 8 introduces a new set of APIs that enable users to build always-reachable apps.

Audio playback in a Windows Store app

This paper provides information about how to properly configure your audio app for Windows operating systems. It provides guidelines for developers to ensure a consistent user experience around audio, including how to allow apps to play audio in the background, how to register for SoundLevel events, and how to choose a proper audio category for a given media stream.

System transport controls developer guide

This paper provides information about using the media transport controls to develop music applications for Windows 8. It provides guidelines for developers to access and configure the media transport controls.

Application developer guidelines for using mobile broadband SMS platform

This paper provides guidelines for mobile broadband network operators and general application developers to use Windows to send and read short message service (SMS) from a background event using a mobile broadband network adapter.

Developing a new experience enabled Desktop Browser

In Windows 8, the browser that the user sets as the default for handling web pages and associated protocols may be designed to access both the new experience as well as the traditional desktop experience. This type of browser is called a "New experience enabled desktop browser." This white paper describes how to build such a browser.

Windows 8 and Windows Server 8 Compatibility Cookbook

This paper provides information about changes to and new features of the Windows 8 client and server operating systems. It provides guidelines for developers to verify the compatibility of their existing and planned programs with the new operating systems. It assumes that the reader is familiar with previous versions of Windows.

CLR and the Windows Runtime

This paper examines the encodings in Windows Runtime metadata (WinMD) files and explains how the common language runtime (CLR) and the Windows Runtime work under the covers to provide a natural programming experience for managed developers.

Packaging and assembly binding in the .NET Framework for Windows Store apps

This paper discusses how .NET Framework developers can take advantage of the friction-free deployment options available to Windows Store apps, and how the process for finding and loading assemblies for Windows Store apps differs from the process for traditional desktop apps.

Windows Store app development for Windows RT PCs

This paper addresses various aspects of developing Windows Store apps for Windows RT. The bulk of Windows Store app development practices are the same for both Windows 8 and Windows RT, but in a few scenarios Windows RT and the hardware particular to these PCs may require special consideration. Scenarios covered by this documentation include general development practices for Windows Store apps that run on Windows RT, remote debugging, installing the Windows App Certification Kit, installing app packages, and sensor API development.

Migrating your Windows 8 Release Preview app to Windows 8

This paper provides guidance and tips for migrating code assets built using the Release Preview (released in May 2012) to Windows 8. It includes helpful details for developers who are tasked with migrating apps built using the earlier Windows 8 Release Preview.

Migrating your Windows 8 Consumer Preview app to Windows 8 Release Preview

This paper provides guidance and tips for migrating code assets built using the Windows 8 Consumer Preview (released in February 2012) to the Windows 8 Release Preview. It includes porting guidance, a change manifest, and helpful details for developers who are tasked with migrating apps built using the earlier Windows 8 Consumer Preview release.

CLR Profilers and Windows Store apps

This paper provides information about what you need to think about when writing diagnostic tools that analyze managed code running inside a Windows Store app.