Pros of microsoft-ui-xaml

• More comprehensive UI framework with a wider range of controls and features
• Actively maintained and updated with new Windows features and APIs
• Provides deeper integration with Windows platform capabilities

Cons of microsoft-ui-xaml

• Larger codebase and potentially steeper learning curve
• May include more components than needed for simpler applications
• Requires more frequent updates to stay current with Windows releases

Code Comparison

WinUI-Gallery (App.xaml.cs):

protected override void OnLaunched(Microsoft.UI.Xaml.LaunchActivatedEventArgs args)
{
    m_window = new MainWindow();
    m_window.Activate();
}

microsoft-ui-xaml (XamlControlsXamlHost.cpp):

void XamlControlsXamlHost::OnLaunched(LaunchActivatedEventArgs const& e)
{
    Frame rootFrame{ nullptr };
    auto content = Window::Current().Content();
    if (content)
    {
        rootFrame = content.try_as<Frame>();
    }
}

The WinUI-Gallery repository serves as a showcase and sample app for WinUI controls, while microsoft-ui-xaml is the core framework repository. WinUI-Gallery is more focused on demonstrating usage and providing examples, making it easier for developers to understand and implement WinUI controls. microsoft-ui-xaml, on the other hand, contains the actual implementation of the controls and offers more flexibility for advanced scenarios and customization.

Pros of WinUI-Gallery

• Comprehensive showcase of WinUI controls and features
• Regularly updated with new samples and improvements
• Serves as a valuable learning resource for developers

Cons of WinUI-Gallery

• May have a steeper learning curve for beginners
• Could benefit from more detailed documentation for complex samples

Code Comparison

WinUI-Gallery:

<Page
    x:Class="AppUIBasics.ControlPages.ButtonPage"
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
    xmlns:local="using:AppUIBasics.ControlPages"
    xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
    xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
    mc:Ignorable="d">

Both repositories are identical, as they are the same project. The WinUI-Gallery repository serves as a comprehensive showcase for WinUI controls and features, providing developers with a valuable resource for learning and exploring the capabilities of the Windows UI Library. The repository is regularly updated with new samples and improvements, making it an excellent reference for staying up-to-date with WinUI development.

However, the complexity of some samples may present a steeper learning curve for beginners. Additionally, while the repository offers a wide range of examples, it could benefit from more detailed documentation for some of the more complex samples to further enhance its educational value.

Pros of Windows-universal-samples

• Covers a broader range of Windows development topics, including system APIs and hardware integration
• Provides examples for both UWP and Win32 app development
• Includes samples for various Windows versions, offering backward compatibility insights

Cons of Windows-universal-samples

• Less focused on modern UI development compared to WinUI-Gallery
• May contain outdated samples for older Windows versions
• Larger repository size, potentially making it harder to navigate and find specific examples

Code Comparison

Windows-universal-samples:

StorageFile file = await StorageFile.GetFileFromPathAsync(filename);
var stream = await file.OpenAsync(FileAccessMode.Read);
BitmapDecoder decoder = await BitmapDecoder.CreateAsync(stream);

WinUI-Gallery:

var file = await StorageFile.GetFileFromApplicationUriAsync(new Uri("ms-appx:///Assets/SampleMedia/rainier.jpg"));
using var randomAccessStream = await file.OpenAsync(FileAccessMode.Read);
var bitmapImage = new BitmapImage();
await bitmapImage.SetSourceAsync(randomAccessStream);

The code snippets show that Windows-universal-samples tends to focus on lower-level APIs, while WinUI-Gallery emphasizes WinUI-specific components and modern Windows app development practices.

Pros of WindowsAppSDK

• More comprehensive framework for building Windows apps
• Supports a wider range of Windows versions and device types
• Provides a unified set of APIs and tools for modern Windows development

Cons of WindowsAppSDK

• Steeper learning curve due to its broader scope
• May include unnecessary components for simpler projects
• Still in active development, potentially leading to more frequent changes

Code Comparison

WinUI-Gallery (XAML):

<Page
    x:Class="AppUIBasics.ControlPages.ButtonPage"
    xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
    xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
    xmlns:local="using:AppUIBasics.ControlPages">

    <StackPanel>
        <Button Content="Standard Button" Click="Standard_Button_Click"/>
    </StackPanel>
</Page>

WindowsAppSDK (C#):

using Microsoft.UI.Xaml;
using Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Controls;

public sealed partial class MainWindow : Window
{
    public MainWindow()
    {
        this.InitializeComponent();
        Button myButton = new Button() { Content = "Click me" };
        myButton.Click += MyButton_Click;
        this.Content = myButton;
    }
}

Summary

While WinUI-Gallery focuses on showcasing UI controls and design patterns, WindowsAppSDK provides a more extensive framework for Windows app development. WindowsAppSDK offers greater flexibility and broader platform support but may be more complex for simple projects. WinUI-Gallery is ideal for exploring and learning about specific UI components, while WindowsAppSDK is better suited for building full-featured Windows applications.