Have you heard earlier about metro style apps? Sounds interesting right? The metro style apps, popularly called the Windows Store apps represent a class of mobile applications developed for Windows and distributed via Windows Store. These are the class of full screen apps developed using the new design language called “METRO” where the focus relies on typography and content of the applications rather than the graphics. Developed for Windows platform, the metro style apps are tailored to provide a better user experience via the Windows user interface.
Metro style apps are easy to develop using the existing skills a developer has. They can be developed by using any programming language as desired by the developer. However, ASP.NET development tools are widely used for this purpose. ASP.NET application development for Windows platform using the Modern UI design strategy will lead to the development of metro style apps. This blog highlights a few key requirements for metro style app development and they are as follows.
Choicest Programming Language
A developer can create a metro style app with any programming language they want. They can make use of their existing skills to development metro apps. For example, if you are skilled in ASP.NET or say C# with XAML, you can go for development of metro style or Windows store app using ASP.NET. JavaScript with HTML5, C++/VB with XAML can also be used for the purpose.
Deployment
Metro style ASP.NET application development calls for a new deployment process where the developer is required to create and sign app packages using Visual Studio. They are required to pack their apps in metro style apps package based on OPC format for deploying. Here the apps in the package are installed per user as they install, update and uninstall cleanly.
Development Tools
Microsoft’s Expression Blend and Visual Studio 11 Express are the ideal tools for metro style application development. The app development environment provided by these tools enables better and faster app development process as the developer gets to perform all the activities including design, development, debugging and deployment in a single environment. Making use of existing skills of HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript, it is easily possible Windows native apps and hence the same applies for development of Windows based metro apps too. If you are building metro style apps using .net platform then making use of XAML, C# and VB would be a reliable option.
Developers & Metro Style Apps
Many of the .NET developers rely on XAML or C# technology to develop metro style apps for Windows. The dotnet developers who have previously worked with XAML may find it much easier to continue with the same tool for developing metro style apps using ASP.NET technology. After all, XAML is itself a mature UI platform that makes it easy for the developers to find the resources required to speed up the app development process. However, most of the web developers today are opting for the trio combination of HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript to develop metro style apps rather than XAML.
However, above all this in order to get on with your metro style ASP.NET application development you will require to set up the development environment for it and for that you will need install the Windows 8 Developer Preview with Developer Tools in a virtual environment. You can however surf the internet for a detailed installation procedure for building the environment for metro style apps development.
Loading...