Windows Store App .NET Framework Subset

I’ve learned it when I created Silverlight apps – so why am I so surprised when playing around with Windows Store apps?

The .NET framework for Windows Store apps only ‘provides a subset of managed types‘. This subset officially is called ‘.NET for Windows Store apps’. For details, please refer to ‘.NET for Windows Store apps overview‘.

And, to make it no too easy, .NET for Windows Store apps is not just a subset. As Microsoft says, ‘in some cases, a type that you used in a .NET Framework desktop app doesn’t exist within the .NET for Windows Store apps. Instead, you can use a type from the Windows Runtime.‘ So – have fun searching the correct type and namespace…

Overall, I do really like the documentation of Microsoft. But again, .NET for Windows Store apps (who ever had the idea for this name!?) goes its own way. When looking for a class or type documentation on http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/default.aspx, there is a ‘Silverlight’ entry in the ‘Other Versions’ selection. Accordingly, I expected a ‘.NET for Windows Store apps’ choice. But there is none – maybe because of the long name? You can identify the .NET for Windows Store app support by this icon in the column in front of the member name: .Supported in .NET for Windows Store apps

Thanks to Microsoft helping me to stay young and flexible.