Pros of Windows-driver-samples

• Provides a wide range of practical examples for various driver types
• Includes complete, functional driver code that can be used as a starting point
• Offers samples for both Windows Desktop and Windows 10 Mobile/IoT Core

Cons of Windows-driver-samples

• May require more effort to understand and implement specific driver functionality
• Samples might not cover all possible scenarios or edge cases
• Could be overwhelming for beginners due to the large number of samples

Code Comparison

Windows-driver-samples:

NTSTATUS
DriverEntry(
    _In_ PDRIVER_OBJECT  DriverObject,
    _In_ PUNICODE_STRING RegistryPath
)
{
    // Driver initialization code
}

Windows-Driver-Frameworks:

NTSTATUS
DriverEntry(
    _In_ PDRIVER_OBJECT     DriverObject,
    _In_ PUNICODE_STRING    RegistryPath
)
{
    WDF_DRIVER_CONFIG config;
    // WDF initialization code
}

The main difference is that Windows-Driver-Frameworks uses WDF-specific structures and functions, while Windows-driver-samples may use more traditional WDM approaches in some cases.

Pros of Windows-classic-samples

• Broader scope, covering various Windows programming concepts and APIs
• More diverse set of examples, suitable for general Windows development
• Includes samples for desktop applications, system services, and more

Cons of Windows-classic-samples

• Less focused on driver development specifically
• May not provide as in-depth coverage of driver-related topics
• Potentially overwhelming for developers solely interested in driver frameworks

Code Comparison

Windows-classic-samples:

// Sample Win32 application code
int WINAPI WinMain(HINSTANCE hInstance, HINSTANCE hPrevInstance, LPSTR lpCmdLine, int nCmdShow)
{
    // Window creation and message loop
}

Windows-Driver-Frameworks:

// Sample driver code
NTSTATUS DriverEntry(PDRIVER_OBJECT DriverObject, PUNICODE_STRING RegistryPath)
{
    // Driver initialization
}

The code snippets illustrate the different focus areas of the two repositories. Windows-classic-samples provides examples for general Windows programming, while Windows-Driver-Frameworks concentrates on driver development.

Pros of Windows-universal-samples

• Provides a wide range of sample code for Universal Windows Platform (UWP) development
• Regularly updated with new samples and features for the latest Windows SDK versions
• Includes comprehensive documentation and explanations for each sample

Cons of Windows-universal-samples

• Focused solely on UWP development, limiting its usefulness for other Windows programming scenarios
• May not cover advanced or specialized driver development topics

Code Comparison

Windows-universal-samples:

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

Windows-Driver-Frameworks:

NTSTATUS status;
WDF_OBJECT_ATTRIBUTES attributes;
WDF_OBJECT_ATTRIBUTES_INIT(&attributes);
status = WdfDeviceCreate(&DeviceInit, &attributes, &device);

Summary

Windows-universal-samples is ideal for developers working on UWP applications, offering a broad range of examples and up-to-date content. However, it may not be suitable for those focusing on driver development or other Windows programming areas. Windows-Driver-Frameworks, on the other hand, is specifically tailored for driver development, providing the necessary tools and frameworks for that purpose.

Pros of ReactOS

• Open-source and community-driven, allowing for greater transparency and contributions
• Aims to be a complete operating system, not just a driver framework
• Potentially more flexible and customizable for specific use cases

Cons of ReactOS

• Less mature and stable compared to Windows Driver Frameworks
• Smaller developer community and ecosystem
• May lack support for some advanced or proprietary hardware features

Code Comparison

ReactOS (device driver example):

NTSTATUS
NTAPI
DriverEntry(
    IN PDRIVER_OBJECT DriverObject,
    IN PUNICODE_STRING RegistryPath)
{
    // Driver initialization code
}

Windows Driver Frameworks (KMDF driver example):

NTSTATUS
DriverEntry(
    _In_ PDRIVER_OBJECT  DriverObject,
    _In_ PUNICODE_STRING RegistryPath
)
{
    WDF_DRIVER_CONFIG config;
    // Driver initialization code
}

Both examples show the entry point for a kernel-mode driver, but the Windows Driver Frameworks version includes additional WDF-specific structures and initialization.