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What is the difference between WPF and Silverlight application?
What are the exact differences between WPF and Silverlight?
That's an extremely broad question. My company recently wrote a whitepaper outlining the differences between the two technologies, and it's around 70 pages. Unfortunately, it's not published yet, or I'd give you the link.
EDIT: As promised, here's the link
to the whitepaper on Codeplex:
http://wpfslguidance.codeplex.com/
However, I'll try to summarize.
WPF is a thick Windows client platform that has access to the full .Net Framework. Silverlight is a browser-based technology that has access to a subset of the .Net Framework (called the CoreCLR). So, you'll notice differences using seemingly every day methods and objects within the framework. For instance, the Split() method on the String class has 3 overrides in Silverlight, but 6 in the .Net Framework. You'll see differences like this a lot.
Within WPF, all visually rendering elements derive from the Visual base class. Within Silverlight, they do not; instead, they derive from Control. Both technologies, however, eventual derive from the DependencyObject class up the hierarchy.
WPF, currently, ships or has available more user controls than Silverlight; though this difference is being mitigated through the Silverlight Toolkit and the upcoming release of Silverlight 3.
WPF supports 3 types of routed events (direct, bubbling, and tunneling). Silverlight supports direct and bubbling only.
There's quite a few data-binding differences that will be somewhat mitigated with the next version of Silverlight. Currently, Silverlight doesn't support the binding mode, OneWayToSource, or Explict UpdateSourceTriggers. In addition, Silverlight defaults to OneWay databinding if none is set, while WPF uses the default mode specified by the dependency property.
Silveright doesn't support MultiBinding.
Silverlight supports the XmlDataProvider but not the ObjectDataProvider. WPF supports both.
Silverlight can only make asynchronous network calls. WPF has access to the full .Net networking stack and can make any type of call. Also, currently, Silverlight supports SOAP, but can not handle SOAP fault exceptions natively (this may change in Silverlight 3).
There are huge differences in Cryptography (Silverlight has 20 classes in the namespace, while WPF has access to 107). Basically, Silverlight supports only 4 hashing algorithms and the AES encryption protocol.
Silverlight doesn't yet support: Commanding, Validation, Printing, XPS Documents, Speech, 3D, Freezable objects, or InterOp with the Windows Desktop; all of which are available in WPF.
Silverlight supports browser interop, more media streaming options including timeline markers, and Deep Zoom. WPF doesn't support these features yet.
This is by no means complete as I was trying to reduce a 70-page document into bullet points.
Finally, even with all these differences, Microsoft is trying to close the gap between the two technologies. The Silverlight Toolkit and the WPF Toolkit both address some of the shortcomings of each technology. Silverlight 3 will be adding many features not currently available (such as element-to-element data binding). However, due to the differences in the core libraries, there will always be some Framework differences.
WPF is a Windows desktop technology for developing Windows application in the .Net framework.
Silverlight is a web technology, that is fully supported by a browser plugin on both Windows and MAC (in a similar fashion to Flash). There is also a plugin for running Silverlight on Linux (Moonlight).
While there are similarities between the functionality provided by both WPF and Silverlight (in terms of user interface components and support for XAML) Silverlight is a much small framework, containing a subset of WPF functionality. Newer versions of Silverlight actually contain some functionality not found in WPF, so it is no longer a true subset.
Things that WPF has that Silverlight doesn't: Full 3d engine based on DirectX, Windows integration such as Windows 7 taskbar thumbnails and system registry availability as well as access to the full .NET Framework including Oracle database support. Also, SL runs in a secure sandbox that prevents access to things such as the entire file system where WPF apps can run full trust with complete system access.
As mentioned above, SL pioneered some technologies such as the VisualStateManager which are making their was secondarily into WPF through the Microsoft supported WPF toolkit.
If you're looking to gauge which technology is right for your project here's a simple way to look at it: If you're writing an app that's meant to run while disconnected from the web, or if you're writing an app that needs access to Windows specific features like the ones listed above then WPF is the way to go. For platform-agnostic, web enabled apps Silverlight is an appropriate choice. Hth.
You could say that it is [VERY] roughly analogous to the difference between Flex and Adobe Air, but that is somewhat misleading.
WPF refers to the set of technologies (exposed via APIs) that .NET Framework 3.0 and above users have access to in order to draw to the screen.
Many of the WPF APIs are available for Silverlight apps.
There are, of course many other APIs besides WPF that are available under Silverlight since SL apps will need to do a lot more than just draw on the screen.
Related
As I understand, WinRT is a different version of WPF written without using the underlying Win32 APIs.
What's the relation of WinRT and WPF? Will WPF work under Metro in Windows 7 or will it launch the classic desktop?
That's not so clear from the Keynote. If someone has Windows 8 installed can confirm it's behaviour.
Thanks
WinRT is a replacement for the Winapi. The api is native, very unlike WPF that runs as a layer on top of the CLR. It certainly resembles WPF, part of what causes confusion. It adopted the metadata format of managed code, replacing type libraries of old. And uses XAML for UI designs, much like WPF, Silverlight and Windows Phone. You can still write WPF apps for Windows 8 but your app can't be published through the store, won't integrate with the Metro desktop nor will it run on tablets that are based on the ARM core. Whether that's a real problem depends a great deal on how well Metro will do in the market place.
There is no relation between WPF and WinRT, just like there is no relation between Silverlight and WPF. Now we have three technologies, WPF, Silverlight and WinRT.
If you try to execute WPF application, it will not execute on Metro, it will execute in the classical desktop only.
In Visual Studio 2011, you have WPF and Metro as two different types of applications, and Xaml for WPF and WinRT is not same, Xaml for WinRT is pretty much same as that of Silverlight as lot of classes which exist for WPF are missing in WinRT library. But most of classes that exist for Silverlight are available in WinRT.
Windows Runtime (WinRT) is an alternative API used to create Metro Applications
(and later server application).
The APIs are class/method/struct based and surfaced to .Net metro apps, html5/css3/javascript apps and C/C++ metro applications.
The implementation is native.
APIs are made visible via .winmd files, which contain metadata very similar to the metadata you have in .Net assemblies.
The APIs are designed to secure and async friendly with many APIs requiring the use of async/await due to them potentially taking more than 50msec to execute.
It includes a subset of Win32 APIs and COM apis.
Anyway... the followings links help... channel9 also has some //Build/ videos on the subject..
Metro style app development
- http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/
Win32 and COM for Metro style apps
- http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/br205757(v=VS.85).aspx
APIs for Metro style apps
- http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/br211369(v=VS.85).aspx
WinRT is a new library that you can use XAML, but not WPF.
WPF is primarily uses DirectX for visual.
You can use WinRT with:
XAML
C#
C++
VB.NET
HTML/JS/CSS
WinRT is a non managed API based on COM interfaces. You use it by calling objects buit in .winmd metadata files ( Windows\System32\WinMedataData directory).
All the namespaces begin with "Windows.".
You can write your Windows 8 application by using XAML files, but that's the only common point with WPF.
Is Silverlight a subset of WPF? If i learn WPF then can i say i know Silverlight too?
Silverlight is similar to WPF, and actually started out as WPF/E (WPF Everywhere) but at some point, it became a separate implementation and it is not directly compatible with WPF.
That said, most of the techniques and classes that you would learn in WPF will have a Silverlight variant. One primary exception being the 3D visualization facilities in WPF are not available in Silverlight.
Silverlight is still coded in a Silverlight-specific .NET run-time (a slimmer version than the full .NET run-time) and you still use XAML to describe your presentations.
It should also be noted that Silverlight does have built-in restrictions with accessing resources on the machine it is running on. For example, Silverlight applications can not access the registry. There are enhancements in Silverlight though that do allow for "out of browser" applications which can be given full-trust privileges.
The one big difference between Silverlight and WPF is the CLR (Common Language Runtime) and that Silverlight is Sandboxed, so you don't get alot of functionality you can get with WPF.
If you know WPF XAML and Model-View type aspects of programming styles with e.g Dependency propertys then you will find it quite easy to use Silverlight.
One big thing with Silverlight is that you cant reference C# non silverlight classes, you must use these types of classes via WCF.
These both are same or different ?
How to develop silverlight in visual studio 2008 ?
UPDATE
Please also answer
How to develop silverlight application in visual studio 2008 ?
Both WPF and Silverlight uses what is called XAML to define what the interface / GUI should look like. WPF and Silverlight are both Presentation Layers used on different areas.
WPF is used for Windows based applications whereas Silverlight is used for Web based applications.
Read this blog post about "When should I use WPF vs Silverlight?" over at MSDN.
You can think about Silverlight like a subset of WPF, but there is one main difference. WPF uses full .Net Framework and Silverlight uses different dlls (so you can't use all classes from .Net framework in SL).
Of course Silverlight is a presentation technology that you use to create browser base application (SL can be also an out of browser application) and WPF is used to create windows applications.
Silverlight's original code name was WPF/E with the E standing for "Everywhere". That should help understand the origin of it.
It was designed a a reduced and portable version of WPF, but now both seem to diverge a bit. Here is a good article on how they diverge: WPF Compatibility
I had a few questions on WPF & silverlight?
When to use WPF? Some examples on
real time projects where WPF is used
When to use silverlight? some examples of real time projects where silverlight is used
What is the difference between
them?
Can WPF and Silverlight be used together?
How do WPF and silverlight differ from traditional asp.net applications (form based & MVC)???
Does Silverlight use WCF to do it's code behind stuff..like it provides an interface and uses web service to get the code behind?
WPF vs Silverlight will tell you what you want to hear...
WPF is a thick Windows client platform that has access to the full .Net Framework. Silverlight is a browser-based technology that has access to a subset of the .Net Framework
In short I would generally use WPF for form/window applications and use Silverlight for online things. Though these both can be used for either, that is how/when I would use it.
WPF and Silverlight both use XAML, so if you can code in one, you can pick up the other just as easy.
WPF is a client based platform while Silverlight is web based. WPF has the full .NET framework available while Silverlight has a streamlined "smaller" version of the framework.
The nice part is both use the same markup (XAML). Both also can work with the MVVM pattern for easy conversion from client to web app and vice versa.
I would read up a little on the web as these arethe basics of these 2 technologies.
WPF and Silverlight are conceptualy completly different things. They use same technology, but their purpouse is completly different.
WPF is thick client framework, that is supposed to replace WinForms in (I hope) nearest future. It has acces to full .NET framework.
Silverlight is Flash-like technology for rich internet applications and thin clients. It is complementary to standard ASP.NET technology. If you want to increase amount of eye-candy or give user much richer interaction options for your web, this is way to go.
They both use same visual-description technology (XAML) and same principles (DataBinding, Templating, Separation of visuals and code, etc..). But their intended usage is different.
I just installed visio, and the installer almost seemed like it was built in flash.
The buttons kinda glowed when I hovered over them, and when I clicked on 'continue' the form phased out in a cool way.
I'm assuming it was built in WPF.
Anyhow, so are WPF more flash-like (visually speaking).
Do they have new properties where you can make forms phase out nicely/smoothly compared to winforms?
Disclaimer: I work for Microsoft. However, I don't work on Visio, WPF, CLR or Silverlight team. So, the following is my personal take on these technologies. If you want to quote me, don't do it implying it's the official Microsoft position. :-))
Update: Anything I say below about Flash/Flex/AIR might be wrong, as I have not worked with these technologies and what I know about them is based on what I read on the intertubes. :-) If you notice anything wrong, just shout in the comment and I'll correct it.
To the best of my knowledge, the Visio installer is not built with WPF. It's all unmanaged code; it's just people took a lot of care to make it really polished.
WPF is the new UI platform for building standalone applications for the Windows OS. It supports a declarative UI language - XAML, and related CLR types to program against. WPF is a different platform than WinForms, although it is possible to build applications that mix UI built with both. WPF supports a lot of things that WinForms does not, like bitmap effects, animations, control styling and so on and exposes them both in XAML or through code. Also, WPF relies heavily on vector graphics, as opposed to the pixel graphics in WinForms. In short, WPF is quite powerfull and allows building very snazzy UI. (Don't take my word for it, though, as I am biased; go check around for what people are saying about it or buiding with it. :-))
WPF and WinForms do not compete with Flash/Flex. WPF and WinForms are both UI frameworks for building standalone client applications. As far as I know, Flash/Flex are frameworks for building rich internet applications - RIA (though lately people started interpreting this abbreviation as rich interactive applications).
Adobe did come up with AIR about half a year (or maybe a year) ago, which allows building standalone client applications, so you could say that Adobe is trying to position Flash/Flex/AIR to compete with WPF. Of course, that's my take on it and I doubt Adobe's official positiong is anything like that.
If you want to compare particular MS technnologies with Flash/Flex, take a look at Silverlight - it's the MS RIA platform.
Silverlight is related to WPF in the sense that they share XAML and the corresponding CLR types. Silverlight supports only a subset of what WPF offers, though, as it is not targeting Windows OS only and thus is limited by the fact that it has to be portable.
Quick update to reflect the changes in the year since I've written the answer :-)
With Silverlight 3 shipped, SL and WPF are getting even closer and sharing bigger set of supported features. In addition, most of the new XAML controls are built for platform at the same time. Thus, SL/WPF are getting to a point of singularity...
Also, SL 3 supports out-of-browser applications. In that sense, SL is not only starting to compete with Flash/Flex, but it is also encroaching on AIR's turf.
And no, I still don't work on the WPF or Silverlight team. :-)
WPF is being used as a replacement for WinForms, and as a competitor to Flash in the form of Silverlight. WPF consists of an entirely new object model that sits on top of DirectX (at least the desktop version). You can create WPF windows, controls, etc, entirely using C# or another .Net language just like you can render WinForms. However, Microsoft has also created a markup language called XAML (eXensible Application Markup Language). Nodes in an XAML document (XML) map to objects in a similar fashion to the way ASP.Net maps to web controls. XAML typically exists in a .Net project alongside a code-behind style C# file (or VB.Net or whatever). The C# file interacts with the objects generated by the XAML. This is fairly consistent with the "graphics via markup, logic via code" model that Microsoft and others are pushing.
One of the overlooked features when discussing WPF is the completely awesome data-binding that Microsoft wrote for WPF. The new data binding framework is a quantum leap beyond Windows Forms 2.0 data-binding. Microsoft added a couple of new interfaces that make it much easier to make an object or collection emit data-biding events properly. They also provided a very rich set of data-binding classes. You can bind anything to just about anything else. You can bind one-way data to control, control to data, two-way control to data and back, control to control, etc.
Back on the graphics side of the house, WPF makes it fairly easy to make an existing control look like anything. WP lets you compose your own template for what a class of buttons should look like, or one button, or all buttons. Or radio buttons. Or labels. You get my drift. Imagine if CSS included the ability to define what an input button would look like using other HTML controls.
They also provide a number of layout controls. You can continue to use exact positioning like in WinForms, or you can leverage of variety of techniques to make your window act more like a web page that grows and shrinks with resizing, etc.
The downsides: It is too easy to create spectacular effects that crawl on slower machines. Some of the graphics do not take advantage of hardware of graphics cards, though Microsoft has incrementally improved support for this. I believe when 3.0 first came out drop shadows were rendered purely using software. I think 3.5 or 3.5 SP1 changed it so that WPF would utilize graphics hardware for the task. Microsoft has said they will continue to enhance WPF in this fashion.
WPF is .Net 3.0 and above, which runs on XP SP2, Vista, and Servers 03 & 08. So don't plan on deploying WPF to a customer with Win2k desktops.
Summary: If you are doing desktop programming in .Net, you should be doing it in WPF unless you are targeting Win2k. You can avoid the downsides of WPF, and there are many upsides. Microsoft will probably throw away WinForms in some future release, or at very least you will stop seeing new features, etc.
As far as Silverlight goes, the betas for SL 2.0 look good. I think that Silverlight will require some wide-spread adoption. Microsoft has already tried to get this going. The NBC Olypmics site used Silverlight, and Major League Baseball uses it for its MLB.tv product. As soon as Silverlight gets a good install base I think you will see the Microsoft side of the development world starting swinging away from Flash and to Silverlight.
Edit after using Silverlight 3 and MVVM:
I have moved away from WPF and am doing a lot of Silverlight 3 development. But I think my comments here will still apply to the WPF developer.
I have been using the MVVM pattern in my app (think MVC with a twist). The Microsoft Patterns and Practices team has released a set of libraries known as Prism that supports various aspects of MVVM. There are WPF and Silverlight versions. Take a look at MVVM and Prism if you are going to be doing WPF or Silverlight development.
You can do a lot of flash w/ Winforms, or with custom components. But if you want out-of-the-box bang-whizz availability, WPF is the way to go.
Yeah, I think the intention is to be flash-like, it seems to me that MS has set its sights on taking down Adobe.
The way I see it: WPF is to Flash as WinForms is to Flex. WPF has more emphasis on vectors and states than on programming.