Beginning C++ for Windows Application

[chipp]

i wanna ask, what is the best environment for learning C++ for windows application? e.g. Win32 API, Qt, etc...

also, could anyone suggest what's the best e-books for references?

[jonnin]

visual studio. It has a lot of windows support built into it. Microsoft has plenty of examples of how to build a windows GUI program in their site.

my understanding is that the win32 api is still important to know. But .net is probably the better starting point.

QT can produce a gui program that works on windows. It is a good alternative because it is more portable than window's specific code using microsoft's libraries. QT works fine in visual studio.

[chipp]

@jonnin: IDE is for editor... what i mean by "environment" is like Win32 API, Qt, etc... what is the best for those kinda environments? also, what is the best readings (e-books, articles, etc) for c++ win app?

[z05DSL3A]

chipp wrote:

what i mean by "environment" is like Win32 API, Qt, etc... what is the best for those kinda environments?

That is a bit a broad question that is probably impossible to answer correctly. There is no best only most appropriate for a given situation.

If you are talking good foundations to understand what is going on then Windows API (win32) or Windows Runtime (WinRT) might be good stating points. WinRT might not be appropriate if you want to use older versions of Windows.

Windows UI Library (WinUI) is a native user experience (UX) framework for both Windows Desktop and Universal Windows Platform (UWP) applications.

I would personally be looking at things relating to UWP rather than limiting yourself to Windows Desktop.

Here's somewhere to stat reading...
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/

[chipp]

Grey Wolf wrote:

I would personally be looking at things relating to UWP rather than limiting yourself to Windows Desktop.

how to download it..? i didn't find a way to install it. i even checked it on VS installer

is it same with Universal Windows Platform development?

so, this means Win32 AP and Qt still relevant for c++ win app programming these days?

coz seems like i heard that Win32 API is old and not very much used these days anymore...

[z05DSL3A]

If I remember correctly, you just need to install the 'Universal Windows Platform development' workload on the VS installer. It would be worth looking on docs.microsoft.com and reading around 'C++/WinRT'.

I can't say how relevant WinAPI, Qt, etc. are...it's kind of up to you and/or the job market you want to go in to. Where I am most of the C++ jobs are in game development and to tooling side of it seems to be C# and .net core and most of the desktop app development jobs are C# and .net core. I get the impression that pure WinAPI is a dying art, I haven't done it for years...but have benefited from knowing it.

Qt: I may be wrong, the last time I used it was Qt4, but I don't think it is worth it unless you need to do cross platform stuff. I don't like the licencing and I found it to be a PITA when it didn't do what I wanted it to do.

[George P]

is it same with Universal Windows Platform development?

Universal Windows Platform is UWP.

[chipp]

furry guy wrote:

is it same with Universal Windows Platform development?
Universal Windows Platform is UWP.

what i mean is the contents and not just merely the name...

[Winele]

Go with Qt, all the other environments are doomed ;)

[chipp]

Winele wrote:

Go with Qt, all the other environments are doomed ;)

hey thx... feels like many suggested Qt too...