Get Started

Use the resources on this page to start coding Windows client applications efficiently and productively in a short period of time.

Windows Forms

Windows Forms is a set of classes in the .NET Framework that enables rapid development of rich Windows client applications, with powerful, extensible libraries for user-interface controls and graphics. You can incorporate WPF in your Windows Forms applications through WPF-Windows Forms interoperability in the .NET 3.5 Framework.

WPF

WPF, a component of Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5, empowers you to build the next-generation of Windows user experiences. WPF supports UI, media, documents, hardware acceleration, vector graphics, scalability to different form factors, interactive data visualization, and superior content readability. Learn when to adopt WPF by reading this whitepaper.

Get the Runtime And Tools

To get started with WPF or Windows Forms visit the Essential Downloads page and download the .NET Framework 3.0, Visual Studio, and Expression Blend.

Start Learning

Once the basic toolset's installed it's time to begin your training. The collections below are organized to advance you quickly and get you productive as soon as possible.

Windows Forms

To get started with Windows Forms, follow this Guided Tour. It explains the process behind creating rich client applications using the Visual Studio development environment.

To learn what's new in Windows Forms 2.0, watch these videos:

Then...

Watch a Windows Form video or two. 56 and counting, actually...
Read some technical articles and FAQs
Learn how to integrate Windows Forms and WPF
Complete a hands-on lab or a virtual lab
Read blog posts from the developer community and
Let us create a blog for you, free, and then you can join a whole host of WindowsClient.net bloggers
Download cool, new Windows Forms controls
Review and purchase Windows Forms books
Review samples and presentations
And don't forget to grab the essential Microsoft downloads, also free!

Windows Presentation Foundation

To get started, read an introduction to the Windows Presentation Foundation and take our guided tour.

Learn when to adopt WPF by reading this whitepaper.

Follow that by watching Rob Relyea's Windows Presentation Foundation for Developers presentation.

Then...

Watch a WPF video or two, 42 and counting, actually
Read some technical articles and white papers
Complete a hands-on lab or a virtual labs
Read blog posts from the developer community and
Let us create a blog for you, free, and then you can join a whole host of WindowsClient.net bloggers
View a showcase of WPF applications in action
Read case studies on WPF in industry
Download cool, new WPF controls
Review and purchase WPF books
Review samples, presentations and starter-kits
And don't forget to grab the essential Microsoft downloads, also free!