Windows 8 application development can be a big deal for those accustomed to developing ASP.NET applications. Read on to know about differences between these platforms that ASP.NET developers should prepare for before moving to Windows 8.

1. Moving from ASP.NET to Windows 8 application
development
Microsoft has recently released a host of new platforms and Operating Systems. Of t hese, Windows 8 is
the most sought after in the Microsoft development space. They are eager to start developing for
Windows 8 but which platform do they choose to build apps and services for Windows 8 and Windows
Phone 8?
There are familiar .NET tools and frameworks available, like Silverlight and Windows Presentation
Foundation. There are also newer and less familiar options including XAML and HTML5/JavaScript
available to those involved in Microsoft development. On the server side, there's ASP.Net for building
server-based web applications.
However, the shift from traditional web development to WinJS or Windows 8 applications development
can be a big deal for ASP.NET developers. What ASP.NET developers need to know before they start
developing ASP.NET applications for Windows 8 include:
 Most ASP.NET developers are used to stateless client -server architecture in their applications.
They are used to the concept of a distinction between server-side code and markup. However,
while developing with WinJS, there is no server present. Web servers are less reliable and
available. A Windows 8 application can be suspended, resumed or even terminated very easily.
 There is no generated markup involved in WinJS development environment.
ASP.Net developers will experience a major change when they try to develop applications for Windows 8.
There are various new areas where they will need to invest time and prepare to accustom themselves to
the new changes. Some of the important areas of learning are:
Windows 8 Touch Conventions
Windows 8 has its own conventions for touch. To get a hang of Windows 8 touch conventions, it is ideal
to get a touch-based Windows 8 machine, and begin using it regularly. Developers will need to get used
to gestures such as swipes and tap/hold, app bars, and navigation bars.
XAML and its Essentials
Developers, who are familiar with Silverlight or Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), would already
have a hang of using XAML in Windows 8. For those who lack such a background, learning the basics of
XAML will be the most important step for building XAML apps in Windows 8. It will be important to pick up
XAML syntax, XAML layout and composition, data binding and creation of data templates.
Understand XAML Differences for Windows 8
Developers need to understand differences associated with using XAML in Windows 8. Certain controls
and elements found in WPF and Silverlight are not present. For example, use of ListBox is less in
Windows 8 as compared to other XAML platforms. API differences need to be contended as well. Some

2. API changes will require code modifications to bring over functionality from earlier XAML efforts. For
example, the method signature has changed in the widely used IValueConverter interface.
From a developer's perspective, the Windows 8 Runtime environment is designed to enable existing .NET
developers who are familiar with Visual Basic or C# to build native Windows 8 applications. As part of the
runtime environment, the investments that .NET developers might have made in XAML carries forward as
they build native Windows 8 Modern UI applications. Moving from ASP.NET to Windows 8 application
development will certainly require some amount of effort put into learning the different aspects of
transition.