Chapter 5. Introduction to the Windows Runtime

After completing this chapter, you will be able to

  • Understand the architecture of the Windows Runtime (WinRT).

  • Leverage the new Windows 8 APIs across multiple languages.

  • Create custom WinMD libraries.

This chapter provides an introduction to the Windows Runtime application programming interfaces (APIs), which are the new APIs that sit at the very base of every Microsoft Windows 8 app.

Overview of the Windows Runtime

Microsoft Windows, since its earliest version, has always provided developers with libraries and APIs to interact with the operating system. However, before the release of Windows 8, those APIs and libraries were often complex and painful to use. Moreover, while working in .NET Framework using ...

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