New to coding, looking for direction in what needs to be installed to code Windows Apps

Question

Good evening everyone. So my last experience with programming was QBasic for my VIC-20, since it had very limited RAM and CPU was limited, some programs I had to code in binary, some is rudimentary assembly and my favourite back then was QBasic, it was simple, logical and well just plain fun. That being said my career path took me in the direction of Hardware, Networking, Telephony and of course Server (Windows). I've scripted plenty when I got my first pc, to current scripts in PowerShell, but, after all these years, I've always had a fascination with coding, so without further ado after over 25years in I.T. I'm in. However, I looked at the learning pages, lightly scoured the university and college courses just to get an idea of what direction coding was going into...several months later I'm drowning in info so here goes:

If I want to make simple apps for Windows 10-11 that can also work with Server 2019, 2022 "simple" clickable GUI to perform tasks such as running clean scripts etc..what would be the recommended options I need to install from VStudio Community to get started. If it would be a bit too complex for a beginner to write an app cross OS and you're thinking "maybe he should first start with basic apps for Windows 10-11 as it requires less Vstudio configuration, then later on he can work on cross OS apps" I'm fine with that. I did first go here https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/windows-app-sdk/set-up-your-development-environment?tabs=cs-vs-community%2Ccpp-vs-community%2Cvs-2022-17-1-a%2Cvs-2022-17-1-b

However before I start installing the "requirements" on my Virtual Machine I figured I'd ask people already in the field.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A!

Since you've added the UWP tag, I'll just talk from the UWP side.

First, you want to develop an app which could run your app on Windows 10 -11 and as well as Windows server.

Yes, UWP apps could do that.

Second, you want your app could do some tasks like running scripts.

No, UWP apps can't do that. UWP apps are running in sandbox so UWP apps can't run scripts.

I noticed that you are begining with the Windows App SDK apps. This is the next generation of desktop application technology introduced by Microsoft. It could meets you requirenments.

As @David Lowndes mentioned, you could also try old technologies like WinForms, WPF and Win32/MFC. They have been work for a long time on Windows.

Thank you.

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