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Choosing an Application Framework for Windows Phone 7 Application Development

  • May 29, 2012
There are two application frameworks for Windows Phone 7 application development: Microsoft Silverlight and Microsoft XNA Framework. Each offer different strengths and weaknesses. By the end of this hour, you will be introduced to both the Silverlight and XNA frameworks.
This chapter is from the book

This chapter is from the book

Sams Teach Yourself Windows Phone 7 Application Development in 24 HoursSams Teach Yourself Windows Phone 7 Application Development in 24 Hours

Learn More Buy

This chapter is from the book

This chapter is from the book

Sams Teach Yourself Windows Phone 7 Application Development in 24 HoursSams Teach Yourself Windows Phone 7 Application Development in 24 Hours

Learn More Buy

What You’ll Learn in This Hour:

  • Introducing the application frameworks
  • Understanding Silverlight
  • Understanding the XNA Framework

The application framework you choose impacts not only the amount of work you must do to complete the application but also the inherent features available to you. Different application frameworks are more suited to different types of applications and determine the default look and feel of your application, instrumentation, and available resources. There are two application frameworks, Microsoft Silverlight and Microsoft XNA Framework, available, each offering different strengths and weaknesses. By the end of this hour, you will be introduced to both the Silverlight and XNA frameworks.

Introducing the Application Frameworks

Silverlight is primarily for text-based applications, whereas the XNA Framework is primarily used for games. Both of these frameworks are flexible and can be adapted so that your imagination is the only limit to what can be created.

Regardless of which framework you decide to work with, you will still have the benefits of the Windows Phone Application Platform. The toolset is free, a rich application programming interface (API) set is available across the entire platform, all applications are sandboxed, and finished products can utilize Marketplace distribution routes.

By the Way: Choosing Your Framework

To choose an application framework, you need to have a very good understanding of your application idea itself. To help, consider writing a paragraph about what you want your application to do. You can also note other applications with a similar style to what you envision. Remember, a little preparation goes a long way.

By the Way: Directly Porting Applications

Although not necessarily a best practice, some developers have insisted on having the exact same user interface (UI) ported from an iPhone or Android application to Windows Phone. Typically, such directly ported applications do not fit the Metro style and trying to adapt a Metro template in Silverlight is not usually easy.

As a result, iPhone or Android developers may find using the XNA Framework more adapted to their particular user-interface styles and provides an excellent route for directly porting the user interface from other platforms.

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