What if I told you that a single app once developed using a common platform can seamlessly run across all devices — desktops, tablets, and phones — regardless of the monitor or input types? Impressive isn’t it? Wondering how you can do it? Enter Microsoft Universal Windows Platform apps – the one-size-fits-all solution.
So what is Universal Windows Platform?
It’s Microsoft’s app development platform for Windows 10. A single app developed using UWP (referred to as a Universal App) can run on all Windows 10 devices, regardless of device, monitor, and input types. Such Windows 10 devices include desktops, tablets, phones, and devices running Windows IoT core, such as Raspberry Pi.
With Universal Windows Platform, Microsoft is the bespoke tailors of developing apps. Here are some of the advantages of a UWP app:
- UWP Apps are able to use a common API on all devices that run Windows 10.
- UWP Apps are able to use device-specific capabilities and adapt the UI to different device screen sizes, resolutions, and DPI.
- They are available from the Microsoft Store on all devices (or only those that you specify) that run on Windows 10.
- Able to be installed and uninstalled without risk to the machine.
- Engaging users using live tiles, push notifications, and user activities that interact with Windows Timeline and Cortana’s Pick up Where I Left Off to engage users.
- Use a language you already know — Programmable in C#, C++, Visual Basic, and Javascript. For UI, use XAML, HTML, or DirectX.
- A common API surface across all devices.
- UWP apps work well with multiple types of input such as keyboard, mouse, touch, pen, and Xbox One controllers.
Designing Your App
The Microsoft design system is called Fluent, and it’s a set of UWP features combined with best practices for creating apps that perform beautifully on all types of Windows-powered devices. Fluent experiences adapt and feel natural on devices from tablets to laptops, from PCs to televisions, and on virtual reality devices.
Excited? Do you want to get started with UWP already! Have a look at the video here:
At this point, you’re probably thinking that this page looks like a blog on a Microsoft product rather than that of Citrix. Here’s why.
Microsoft and Citrix have partnered for more than 25 years to ensure their products are best in class. The impact of the partnership is undeniable, with Microsoft and Citrix having 230,000 joint customers and tens of millions of users that rely on a joint solution every day.
It’s our commitment to winning together with Microsoft. We are working to align with Microsoft in multiple fields and continue to tell a compelling Citrix-Microsoft story. Help your customers solve key challenges and streamline their IT journey. Citrix and Microsoft partner to help businesses embrace digital transformation.
That’s the bottom line on the Citrix and Microsoft Cloud Alliance. Having said that, Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops also supports the use of Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps with VDAs on Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016 machines. Support for Universal Apps is enabled by default.
Get more information on Universal Windows Platform apps with Citrix. Also, Citrix Receiver for UWP is client software available for download from the Microsoft store. It enables users to access virtual desktops and hosted applications delivered by Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops.
And take a look at this awesome technology in action:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpsxrvN_awU
The features presented in the blog are subjective to different releases and have a set of pre-requisites & limitations. For more information, see this technical documentation article.
