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Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) for Windows 8

The Windows Software Development Kit for Windows 8 (Windows SDK) contains headers, libraries, and a selection of tools that you can use when you create apps that run on Windows operating systems. You can use the Windows SDK, along with your chosen development environment, to write Windows Store apps (only on Windows 8) using web technologies (such as HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript), native (C++), and managed (C#, Visual Basic) code; desktop applications that use the native (Win32/COM) programming model; or desktop applications that use the managed (.NET Framework) programming model.

The Windows SDK also includes the Windows App Certification Kit (ACK) to test your app for the Windows 8 Certification Program and the Windows 7 Logo Program. If you also want to test your app on Windows RT, use the Windows App Certification Kit for Windows RT.

The Windows SDK no longer ships with a complete command-line build environment. You must install a compiler and build environment separately. If you require a complete development environment that includes compilers and a build environment, you can download Visual Studio 2012 Express, which includes the appropriate components of the Windows SDK.

For access to additional resources and information, go to the Windows Dev Center.



Quick Details

Version: Windows SDK for Windows 8

Windows ACK Version: 2.2

Date published: November 15, 2012

File name: sdksetup.exe



On This Page

Windows Update Introduction What’s New in the Windows SDK

Windows Update Introduction System Requirements

Windows Update Introduction Installing and Uninstalling

Windows Update Introduction Release Notes

Windows Update Introduction Related Links



What's New in the Windows SDK

  • Windows ACK 2.2 As of November 28, 2012, either Windows ACK 2.2 or the previous version (9200) is required when submitting desktop apps for Windows 8 certification. Windows ACK 2.2 is also required for app submissions to the Windows Store as of December 11, 2012. Windows ACK 2.2 includes bug fixes as well as three new tests:
    • Optimized binding references (when using bindings, WinJS.Binding.optimizeBindingReferences should be set to TRUE in the app’s JavaScript to optimize the memory usage).
    • Branding validation (apps should not use the default icons generated by Visual Studio or included in the SDK samples).
    • Private code signing (remove any private code signing keys, such as .pfx files, from the package).
  • Windows Store apps The Windows SDK provides all the headers, libraries, Windows Metadata files, and tools to build the new Windows Store apps introduced with Windows 8.
  • .NET Framework 4.5 SDK The Windows SDK includes the reference assemblies, tools, headers, and libraries needed to build applications that target the .NET Framework 4.5.
  • Integrated DirectX SDK The DirectX SDK is now part of the Windows SDK. Many of the tools and components that originally shipped in the DirectX SDK now ship as part of the Windows SDK to support building great DirectX applications for Windows using only a single SDK. Directions for using the DirectX SDK with the new Windows SDK through Visual Studio 2012 can be found here, if you need to continue to use the DirectX SDK for access to legacy components.
  • Decreased size At roughly 300 MB, this version of the SDK is about half the size of the Windows SDK for Windows 7 and the .NET Framework 4. Therefore, the newer version installs faster and has a smaller system footprint.

Updated or Removed Features

The following items were either changed or removed from this version of the Windows SDK.

  1. Command-line Build Environment The Windows SDK no longer ships with a complete command-line build environment. The Windows SDK now requires a compiler and build environment to be installed separately.

    By removing the command-line build environment, the Windows SDK no longer ships the following components:
    • Windows SDK Platform Toolset
    • Visual C++ Compilers and C Runtime (CRT)
    • Windows SDK Configuration Tool
  2. Microsoft Help Viewer The Microsoft Help Viewer no longer ships as part of the Windows SDK.
  3. .NET Framework Tools and Reference AssembliesThe Windows SDK for Windows 8 includes support for the .NET Framework 4.5 development tools and reference assemblies. Tools and reference assemblies for previous versions of the .NET Framework aren't included in this version of the Windows SDK. You can continue to download and install the Microsoft Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 4 to acquire tools and reference assemblies for previous versions of the .NET Framework.
  4. IntelliSense The XML documentation comments for the .NET Framework reference assemblies no longer ship as part of the Windows SDK.
  5. Samples All Windows samples have been moved to the Windows Dev Center. The Windows Dev Center provides access to hundreds of demonstrative samples which are filterable by technology, programming language, and development platform. Samples are available for Windows Store apps and Desktop apps.
    Additional samples are available on the MSDN Code Gallery.

  6. Tools Many obsolete or deprecated tools have been removed from the Windows SDK. The following tools have been removed:

    Apatch.exe, Bind.exe, Checkv4.exe, Consume.exe, DeviceSimulatorForWindowsSideShow.msi, Err.exe, FDBrowser.exe, FXCopSetup.exe, Guidgen.exe, Make-Shell.exe, MDbg.exe, Mpatch.exe, MSIZap.exe, PTConform.exe, ReBase.exe, sddlgen.exe, setenv.cmd, SetReg.exe, SoapSuds.exe, Sporder.exe, TcpAnalyzer.exe, TSPDesigner.exe, UTL2IDL.exe, ValidateSD.exe, VirtualLightSensor.exe, WinDiff.exe, WpfPerf.exe

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System Requirements

Supported Architectures:

The Windows SDK for Windows 8 supports building applications for the following architectures:

  • x86
  • x64
  • ARM (Windows Store apps)

Note: The Windows SDK for Windows 8 cannot be installed directly on the ARM architecture. You can install the Windows SDK on an x86 or x64 platform, in order to build applications that target the ARM architecture.

Supported Operating Systems:

The installation of the Windows SDK is supported on the following operating systems:

  • Windows 8
  • Windows Server 2012
  • Windows 7
  • Windows Server 2008 R2

The Windows SDK can be used to build applications that target the following operating systems:

  • Windows 8
  • Windows Server 2012
  • Windows 7
  • Windows Server 2008 R2
  • Windows Vista
  • Windows Server 2008

Prerequisites:

In order to install the .NET Framework 4.5 Software Development Kit feature, the .NET Framework 4.5 redistributable package must be installed before the Windows SDK is installed. This release of the Windows SDK does not include a .NET Framework Redistributable Package. You can download the redistributable package from Microsoft Download Center.

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Installing and Uninstalling

To optimize your Windows SDK setup experience, we strongly recommend that you install the latest updates and patches from Microsoft Update before you begin installing the Windows SDK.

Windows SDK Disk Space Requirements

The complete installation of the Windows SDK requires 10 megabytes (MB) to 1 gigabytes (GB) hard disk space for installation, depending on the features selected. Please verify that the computer you are installing to has the minimum required disk space before beginning setup. If the minimum required disk space is not available, setup will return a fatal error.

How to Uninstall SDK Components

When you uninstall the SDK through Programs and Features, most of the SDK components will be uninstalled automatically. However, a few shared components installed by the SDK may need to be uninstalled separately. This guide provides instructions for uninstalling those shared components.

Note:  If you uninstall components that other applications use, they will be adversely affected. For example, Visual Studio 2012 also uses the .NET Framework 4.5 SDK.

To uninstall shared SDK components:

  1. In the Control Panel, choose the Programs section. Choose the Programs and Features entry.
  2. In the list of installed programs, choose Windows Software Development Kit.
  3. Choose Uninstall.
  4. Remove the shared components. This list provides some of the components you may see:
    • Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 SDK
    • Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 Multi-Targeting Pack

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Release Notes

This release has the following known issues:

AppVerifier

AppVerifier, a tool for testing and verifying the correctness of running applications, might be installed in such a way that it cannot be separately uninstalled. In order to remove it from your computer, uninstall the App Certification Kit or uninstall the Windows SDK.

.NET Framework 4.5 SDK Tools on Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008

The installer for the Windows SDK for Windows 8 is not supported on Windows Vista and Windows 2008 Server. However, if you have another computer with a supported operating system, you can install the .NET Framework 4.5 SDK Tools on Windows 2008 Server by following these steps.

  1. Run the Windows SDK for Windows 8 installer on a supported operating system (for example, Windows 7, or Windows 8).
  2. Choose the following option on the Specify Location screen: Download the Windows SDK for installation on a separate computer.
  3. Press the Next button.
  4. Answer the questions on the Join the Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP) screen.
  5. On the next screen, choose the .NET Framework 4.5 Software Development Kit feature. Unselect all other features that can be unselected.
  6. Choose the Download button.
  7. Go to the download location (specified in step 2) and find the following .NET Framework 4.5 SDK tool installer files:
    • sdk_tools4.msi
    • sdk_tools4.cab

  8. You can copy these files to a Windows Vista or Windows 2008 Server computer within your organization. These files need to be copied to same directory on the Windows Vista or Windows 2008 Server computer.
    Note: Do not redistribute these files outside your organization or as part of any other installer.

  9. On the Windows Vista or Windows 2008 Server computer, review the license terms here.
  10. Check whether .NET Framework 4.5 is already installed on the computer. Otherwise, download and install .NET Framework 4.5 from www.microsoft.com.
  11. Open a command prompt with administrator privileges.
  12. Go to the directory where .NET Framework 4.5 SDK Tools installer files were copied.

  13. Install .NET Framework 4.5 SDK tools by using the command line:
    Msiexec /i sdk_tools4.msi VSEXTUI=1

Signtool

Certain operations may fail if you use the x64 version of signtool that is included in the SDK. Please use the x86 version of signtool available under <SDK install location>\Windows Kits\8.0\bin\x86 for all your code signing needs.

WinRT MetaData APIs

If you want to use the WinRT metadata functions, you must install the .NET Framework SDK 4.5 to have access to the complete set of necessary header files. The WinRT metadata functions are RoGetMetadataFile, RoParseTypeName, and RoResolveNamespace in RoMetadataResolution.h. Also, you need the IMetaDataDispenser definition in RoMetadataApi.h and MetaDataGetDispenser in RoMetadata.h.

Windows App Certification Kit Port Usage

The Windows App Certification Kit (ACK) installs a number of services to your machine. One of the services is Te.Service, which allows ACK to perform automated tasks in a secure manner, for example, in the context of a standard user.  It also enables other functionality, for example, remote task execution across machines. The service only starts when needed during execution and stops once it is done. When the service starts, it opens firewall ports and doesn’t prompt the user for consent. Though ACK does stop the service and closes the port upon completion.

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