Developing Secure Universal Windows® Platform Apps in C# and XAML

Overview

Microsoft® Windows® 10 has merged the software platforms for Windows applications into a single Universal Windows Platform (UWP) that makes it relatively straightforward to develop one app that runs on phones, tablets, computers, and other devices. Microsoft has provided various tools and programming languages to support development in this platform, giving the developer the ability to use tools and techniques that they are most comfortable with. With Visual Studio® (even with the free Community edition), the developer can choose to program Windows applications using a variety of languages. This course introduces students to Windows 10 application development using C# (pronounced "see sharp") and XAML (pronounced "zammel"). You can take this course as part of your preparation for a certification exam such as that for MCSD: Universal Windows Platform.

Objectives

In this course, you will develop Windows 10 Universal Windows Platform applications using C# and XAML. You will:

Use Visual Studio to create and run a Universal Windows Platform application.

Design a Windows application based on requirements, operating system constraints, and best practices.

Create a user interface layout through XAML, including styles, themes, and adaptive layout features.

Write C# code to control the presentation logic of a XAML-based user interface, and to bind user interface components to data.

Lay out and program a multiple-page application with a navigation menu, command bars, and Back-button navigation.

Manage user interface states through Visual State Groups and provide alternate layouts and resources for different devices and displays.

Store, deserialize, and retrieve data in local files, and pass data among application pages.

Load and present web data within an application, and work in cooperation with an external web browser.

Load and present web data in a WebView control, and use JavaScript to communicate between the app and content in the WebView.

Create graphics at runtime, and add animation effects to user interface components.

Integrate with other apps and services, providing features such as Share, Print, Settings, Mapping, and Navigation.

Identify strategies for improving the security of Windows apps, and use security-related features such as file pickers, file encryption, and the password box.

Use Visual Studio tools to brand an application and prepare it for release to end users.

Prerequisites

Object-oriented programming experience in at least one programming language such as Java, Swift, Objective-C, or C++ is essential to your success. Your familiarity with object-oriented programming should include understanding of concepts such as classes, methods, properties, constructors, and instantiation.

Target Student:

The target student for this course is an experienced programmer who is new to application development for the Windows 10 Universal Windows Platform using C# and XAML in Visual Studio. The target student has experience developing applications using object-oriented programming languages and tools, but not necessarily any experience using the languages and tools specific to the Windows 10 development environment.

Course-specific Technical Requirements

Hardware

For this course, you will need one computer for each student and one for the instructor. Each computer will need the following minimum hardware configurations:

64-bit (x64) processor with Second Level Address Translation (SLAT)

CPU support for VM Monitor Mode Extension (VT-c on Intel CPUs) with the following features enabled in BIOS:

Virtualization Technology (may have a different label depending on motherboard manufacturer)
Hardware Enforced Data Execution Prevention

8 GB RAM

25 GB available hard disk space

Keyboard and mouse (or other pointing device)

DirectX 9-capable video card that runs at 1,024 × 768 or higher display resolution, and compatible display monitor

Network cards and cabling for local network access

Internet access (contact your local network administrator)

Printer or an installed printer driver

Projection system to display the instructor's computer screen

Software

Windows 10 Professional, Enterprise, or Education Edition
Visual Studio® Community 2015
If necessary, software for viewing the course slides (instructor machine only)

Course duration

3 Days

Course outline

Lesson 1: Getting Started with Windows App Development

Topic A: Set Up and Configure Visual Studio

Topic B: Work with an App Project in Visual Studio

Lesson 2: Planning and Designing a Windows App

Topic A: Identify Windows 10 App Requirements

Topic B: Meet Windows User Expectations

Lesson 3: Creating a User Interface

Topic A: Create an App Project

Topic B: Lay Out a User Interface

Topic C: Use Styles and Themes to Format a User Interface Layout

Lesson 4: Programming the User Interface

Topic A: Connect C# Code with XAML Markup

Topic B: Update Data in User Interface Controls

Topic C: Use C# Conditional Statements to Process Data

Lesson 5: Creating a Complex User Interface Layout with Navigation

Topic A: Implement a Navigation Menu and Command Bars

Topic B: Load Pages in a Frame

Topic C: Manage Back Button Navigation

Lesson 6: Managing Visual States and Alternate Layouts

Topic A: Manage Visual States Through VisualStateManager

Topic B: Provide Alternate Layouts and Resources

Lesson 7: Working with File Data

Topic A: Store and Retrieve Data Files

Topic B: Serialize and Deserialize Data Files

Topic C: Pass Data to Another Page

Lesson 8: Working with Web Data

Topic A: Load Web Data

Topic B: Launch a URL in the Default Web Browser

Lesson 9: Working with WebView

Topic A: Load a WebView Component with Content

Topic B: Communicate with JavaScript in a WebView

Lesson 10: Programming Graphics and Animation

Topic A: Create Runtime Graphics

Topic B: Add Motion and Depth

Lesson 11: Integrating with the App Ecosystem

Topic A: Implement a Share Command

Topic B: Implement a Print Command

Topic C: Store and Retrieve Settings

Topic D: Cooperate with Other Apps and Services

Lesson 12: Implementing App Security

Topic A: Evaluate App Security

Topic B: Implement Windows Security Features

Lesson 13: Finalizing an App

Topic A: Internationalize and Localize

Topic B: Package and Deploy