Несколько слов о WPF:
В предыдущем разделе мы определили, что такое WPF и начали обсуждение более старого фреймворка — WinForms. В этом разделе я постараюсь сравнить данные модели, так как, несмотря на одинаковое предназначение, между ними существует множество различий. Если Вы никогда не работали до этого с WinForms и, особенно, если WPF это Ваш первый в изучении GUI фреймворк — можете пропустить текущий раздел, но если все же интересно, прочитайте ниже про различия между WPF и WinForms.
Одним из самых важных различий между WinForms и WPF является тот факт, что в WinForms интерфейс пользователя это всего лишь графический слой, использующий стандартные элементы управления Windows (например TextBox), а WPF-интерфейс, в свою очередь, построен «с чистого листа», не опираясь в большинстве случаев на стандартные элементы. Это может показаться весьма тонкой гранью между рассматриваемыми моделями, но в действительности это не так, и Вы обязательно обратите на это внимание при работе с фреймворком, базирующимся на Win32/WinAPI.
В качестве примера вышеописанной ситуации можно рассмотреть кнопку с изображением и текстом на ней. Этот элемент управления не является стандартом Windows, и, в таком случае, WinForms не предоставляет готового решения. В результате Вы будете вынуждены создать изображение и заимплементировать собственную кнопку, поддерживающую изображения либо воспользоваться готовыми нестандартными решениями. Кнопка в WPF, в свою очередь, может иметь внутри что угодно, так как это просто «рамка», содержащая графический контент, находящаяся в разных состояниях (например: нажатая, ненажатая, реагирующая на наведенный курсор). Ее можно трактовать как «невидимую» (это относится к большинству других элементов управления WPF), это значит, что она может содержать в себе ряд других элементов внутри. Вы хотите получить кнопку с изображением и текстом? Просто поместите элементы Image и TextBlock внутрь кнопки и она готова! В рамках элементов управления WinForms Вы просто не ощутите той гибкости при разработке, что является причиной процветания рынка, который предлагает готовые простые реализации таких элементов как «кнопка с изображением» и подобных.
Слабой стороной гибкости, о которой шла речь является то, что Вам придется больше работать для достижения результата, который просто можно было бы достичь в WinForms, так как она была создана для определенных сценариев. Как минимум, это будет ощутимо в начале, когда Вы захотите например создать шаблон ListView с изображением и хорошо выровненным текстом, тогда как ListView в WinForms это всего лишь одна строка кода.
Выше было представлено лишь одно из различий, но когда Вы начнете работать с WPF, то поймете, что оно является причиной большого количества других — просто WPF устроен по своему, хорошо это или плохо — решать Вам. Больше никаких ограничений элементами управления платформы Windows, но для того, что достичь гибкости, о которой шла речь — придется приложить больше усилий, по сравнению с созданием стандартных Windows интерфейсой пользователя.
Ниже приведено полностью субъективное мнение на тему ключевых преимуществ WPF и WinForms. Это может помочь вам понять, какую из технологий стоит использовать.
Преимущества WPF
- Она более новая и, соответственно, отвечает современным стандартам разработки
- Microsoft использует ее во многих своих приложениях, например Visual Studio
- Это более гибкая система, Вы можете сделать больше, без написания или покупки готовых элементов управления
- Если вдруг Вы решите воспользоваться готовыми решениями из сообщества, скорее всего сторонние разработчики будут сфокусированы именно на WPF, поскольку это более новая система
- С помощью XAML можно легко создавать и редактировать GUI, позволяя разделить работу дизайнера (XAML) и программиста (C#, VB.NET и др.)
- Привязка данных позволяет Вам еще лучше разделить данные и GUI
- Для лучшей производительности можно использовать аппаратное ускорение при отрисовке GUI
- Позволяет создавать GUI как для Windows приложений, так и для приложений Web (Silverlight/XBAP)
Преимущества WinForms
- Технология более старая и, соответственно, лучше испытанная и протестированная
- На данный момент существует огромное множество готовых элементов управления, которые можно купить либо использовать бесплатно
- С точки зрения написания, дизайнер Visual Studio лучше приспособлен к WinForms, так как в WPF больше необходимо делать самому
If you’re a developer trying to choose between WPF and WinForms, you’re probably wondering about the differences between these two technologies. In this guide, we’ll provide an in-depth comparison of WPF and WinForms, outlining the key differences and similarities between them.
A Brief Overview of WPF and WinForms
Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) is a UI framework for building desktop applications, introduced by Microsoft in 2006. WPF was created to replace WinForms, which had been the primary UI framework for Windows desktop applications since 2002. While WinForms is still in use today, WPF provides a more modern, visually appealing UI framework built on top of DirectX.
WinForms, on the other hand, is a UI framework that uses the Windows API to create desktop applications in Windows. It is the traditional UI framework for Windows desktop applications, and it is still widely used today.
One of the key differences between WPF and WinForms is the way they handle graphics. WPF uses a vector-based graphics system, which allows for high-quality, scalable graphics that can be easily animated and manipulated.
WinForms, on the other hand, uses a raster-based graphics system, which can result in lower-quality graphics and limited animation capabilities.
Another difference between the two frameworks is their support for modern UI design principles. WPF includes support for features like data binding, styles, and templates, which make it easier to create consistent, modern-looking UIs.
WinForms, on the other hand, is more limited in its support for these features, which can make it more difficult to create modern UIs without resorting to custom code.
Understanding the Fundamental Differences between WPF and WinForms
The key difference between WPF and WinForms is the underlying technology. WPF uses DirectX for rendering, while WinForms uses the Windows API.
This means that WPF can take advantage of the hardware acceleration provided by DirectX, resulting in more visually appealing and responsive UIs. WinForms, on the other hand, is limited by the capabilities of the Windows API.
Another difference between WPF and WinForms is in their approach to UI layout. WPF uses a more modern approach to layout that is based on XAML, while WinForms uses a more traditional approach that is based on forms and controls.
This means that WPF provides more flexibility and control over the layout and appearance of the UI, while WinForms is simpler to use for basic UI design.
One more difference between WPF and WinForms is in their support for multimedia content. WPF has built-in support for multimedia content such as audio, video, and animation, while WinForms requires additional libraries or plugins to support multimedia content.
This makes WPF a better choice for applications that require multimedia content, such as video players or interactive presentations.
User Interface Design in WPF vs WinForms: Which Offers More Flexibility?
When it comes to user interface design, WPF is widely considered to be the superior technology. WPF provides a rich set of controls and features for designing visually appealing UIs, including support for advanced graphics and animation.
Additionally, WPF supports a more modern approach to UI design, allowing for more flexibility and control over the layout and appearance of the UI.
WinForms, on the other hand, is simpler to use and more straightforward for basic UI design. It offers a range of standard controls that allow developers to create basic UIs quickly and easily. However, for more advanced UI design, WinForms can be limited and inflexible.
One of the key advantages of WPF over WinForms is its ability to support vector graphics. This means that UI elements can be scaled up or down without losing quality, making it ideal for high-resolution displays. Additionally, WPF allows for the creation of custom controls, which can be reused across multiple projects, saving time and effort for developers.
Another advantage of WPF is its support for data binding, which allows UI elements to be automatically updated when underlying data changes. This can be particularly useful for creating dynamic UIs that respond to user input or changes in data.
WinForms also supports data binding, but it is not as flexible or powerful as WPF’s implementation.
Performance and Scalability: A Comparison of WPF and WinForms
When it comes to performance and scalability, there are some differences between WPF and WinForms. WPF’s use of hardware acceleration means that it can provide more visually appealing and responsive UIs.
However, this can come at a cost in terms of performance, particularly for complex UIs. Additionally, WPF can be resource-intensive, which can impact performance on lower-end systems.
WinForms, on the other hand, is generally considered to be a more lightweight and performant UI framework. While it may not provide the same level of visual appeal as WPF, it can provide responsive UIs even on lower-end systems.
Another factor to consider when comparing WPF and WinForms is their compatibility with different operating systems. WPF is primarily designed for Windows operating systems, which limits its cross-platform capabilities.
On the other hand, WinForms, while also primarily designed for Windows, can be used on multiple platforms, including Windows, Linux, and macOS, through the use of third-party libraries like Mono, making it a more versatile option for developers who need to create applications for different operating systems.
Compatibility with Modern Technologies: How WPF and WinForms Stack Up
When it comes to compatibility with modern technologies, both WPF and WinForms have their strengths and weaknesses.
WPF is generally considered to be more modern and future-proof, with support for features like touch and high DPI displays. However, it can be more challenging to integrate with legacy systems, particularly those built on WinForms.
WinForms, on the other hand, has been around for longer and has a more established ecosystem.
This means that it can be easier to integrate with legacy systems, as well as to find resources and support for development. However, WinForms lacks some of the advanced features supported by WPF, which can limit its compatibility with modern technologies.
Development Environment: Which is Easier to Use, WPF or WinForms?
When it comes to ease of use, both WPF and WinForms have their strengths and weaknesses. WPF provides a more modern and intuitive development experience, particularly for UI design. However, since WPF is a newer technology, it can take some time to learn and become proficient in.
WinForms, on the other hand, is more straightforward and easier to use for basic UI design. Additionally, since it has been around for longer, there are more resources and support available for WinForms development. However, WinForms can be more limiting and less flexible than WPF, particularly in terms of UI design.
Choosing the Right Technology for Your Project: Factors to Consider
When choosing between WPF and WinForms for your project, there are several factors to consider. These include:
- The complexity of your application
- Your UI design requirements
- The performance requirements of your application
- Your target platform and compatibility requirements
- Your development experience and expertise
By carefully considering these factors, you can make an informed decision about which technology is best suited for your project.
Pros and Cons of Using WPF versus WinForms
To help summarize the key differences between WPF and WinForms, here are some of the pros and cons of each technology:
WPF
Pros:
- Modern, visually appealing UIs
- Flexible UI design
- Advanced graphics and animation support
- Support for touch and high DPI displays
Cons:
- Can be more challenging to learn and become proficient in
- Resource-intensive, which can impact performance on lower-end systems
- More difficult to integrate with legacy systems
WinForms:
Pros
- Simpler and easier to use for basic UI design
- More lightweight and performant
- Established ecosystem with more resources and support available
- Easier to integrate with legacy systems
Cons
- Limited in terms of advanced UI design features
- May not provide the same level of visual appeal as WPF
- Less future-proof and compatible with modern technologies
Case Studies: Real-World Examples of Applications Built with WPF and WinForms
To help illustrate the key differences between WPF and WinForms, here are some real-world examples of applications built with each technology:
- ArcGIS Pro: An example of a complex GIS application built with WPF, leveraging its advanced graphics and animation support.
- Paint.NET: An example of a lightweight image editing application built with WinForms, highlighting its simplicity and ease of use.
By considering these examples and the factors outlined above, you can make an informed decision about whether WPF or WinForms is best suited for your project.
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WPF and WinForms — Basic Overview
WPF and WinForms are two excellent Microsoft platforms that made a significant contribution to Windows and desktop app development. Although they both serve the same purpose, the most significant difference to note between them is WPF is not just a layer over the default Windows controls (which is the case in WinForms). Instead, it is one that can be created from scratch and is independent of regular Windows controls. WPF has some incredible features like 2D and 3D animations, media services, styles, typography, graphics, data binding, etc., and uses XAML to declaratively design views.
Many IT companies have chosen WPF as their preferred platform for UI development in Windows and web projects since it was a great upgrade over WinForms. Let’s dive further and understand the most significant differences between WinForms and WPF, and how their features would aid in UI development.
Understanding the fundamental differences between WPF and WinForms
| Feature | WPF | WinForms |
|---|---|---|
| UI Design | WPF is flexible, and customizable with vector-based design support | WinForms is simple and has a control-based design structure. |
| Performance | WPF is typically faster, especially with complex UI | WinForms is slower with complex UIs compared to WPF |
| Development | WPF is more complex and requires XAML knowledge | Windows Forms is easier to learn and use |
| Data Binding | Supports advanced data binding | Basic data binding support |
| Scalability | Better suited for large-scale applications | Suitable for smaller, simpler applications |
| Visual Effects | Rich animations and effects | Limited visual effects |
| Deployment | Requires .NET Framework | Can be deployed with .NET Framework or .NET Core |
WPF vs WinForms – What are the key differences?
Now that you know the basic features of WPF vs Windows Forms, let’s understand which is better, WPF or Windows Forms.
For this, we have listed the major differences between WPF and WinForms given by the subject experts. Check them out here.
The biggest difference between WPF and WinForms is their approach to layout and rendering
WPF and WinForms are both GUI frameworks that can be used to create applications for the Windows operating system. WPF is newer and was created to address some of the limitations of WinForms. The biggest difference between WinForms vs WPF remains is their approach to layout and rendering. WPF uses a layout system based on XAML files, while WinForms uses procedural code or XML files that are compiled at runtime. This means that WPF applications have a declarative layout system that allows you to define what an application should look like without having to write any code—this can make it easier to build complex user interfaces.
Another difference between WPF and WinForms is how they are rendered by the operating system. With WPF, every element in your application is rendered as an object tree in memory; with WinForms, each element is rendered as a native control on top of whatever other controls may already be on the screen (which means there can be conflicts).
— Zeeshan Arif, Founder of Whizpool
WPF offers a more fluid and intuitive experience when Enterprise app development
Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) and Visual Basic for Applications (WinForms) are two different development frameworks that can be used to create desktop applications. WPF is a completely new platform that was introduced with the release of Windows 8, while WinForms is an older framework that has been around since 2000.
Originally developed by Microsoft as part of its efforts to develop user interfaces for netbooks and other mobile devices, WPF offers a more fluid and intuitive experience when developing desktop applications compared to traditional Windows-based programming models like .NET Framework 4 or ASP.NET MVC5.
One major advantage of using WPF is its support for vector graphics, making sophisticated interface designs possible without needing additional software tools.
On the downside, WinForms does not offer as much flexibility when it comes to designing your application’s user interface, and it can be less responsive than rival platforms such as React Native or HTML/CSS/JS Hybrid apps built with Angular JS or VueJS2 respectively.
Additionally, because WPF runs in a browser rather than on a dedicated Operating System, windows like those made available through WinForms, you may experience performance issues if your app requires significant processing power or lots of graphical resources. In a nutshell, intuitive experience matters when it comes to WinForms vs WPF.
Read More: Will WPF be dead in 2022?
Unlike WPF, WinForms cannot be shared between applications
Talking about WPF vs WinForms, one major difference you can notice is – WinForm cannot be shared between applications. As its name suggests, Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) is a user interface foundation for creating desktop or Windows-based client software. It’s the newest method for building user interfaces with the Microsoft .NET framework. It was made to develop Windows Forms, the next generation of Windows-based user interfaces, and Windows Client applications.
It has all the capabilities required to design, operate, execute, manage, and handle Windows client applications. Because of its name, WinForms is primarily a graphical user interface (GUI) based approach to the .NET framework. It was the primary API for .NET GUI development before WPF, and Silverlight came along. Creating a standalone application only necessitates a runtime and operating system.
In Windows forms, the application setting is another feature to create, store, and preserve information. When designing an application framework, you can use Windows form class inheritance to add abstraction and code reuse by extending the class. The size of forms should be restricted for convenience’s sake. Assembly files allow records to be broken down into modular pieces that can be updated independently.
The scalability and adaptability of the application are achieved by its layout, which also facilitates debugging and maintenance tasks. Unfortunately, Windows forms cannot be shared between applications. WPF application development may be done with the help of Microsoft technologies like Visual Studio and Expression Blend. The developer often builds WPF applications in Visual Studio, whereas designers choose Blend.
WinForms focuses on drag-and-drop UI controls, whereas WPF is a standalone solution
WinForms programming is incredibly easy because it only requires the drag-and-drop placement of UI controls on a canvas. It is the previous platform for creating desktop programs. The architecture of WPF, in contrast to WinForms, consists of three main parts, a presentation framework, a presentation core, and a mallcore. WPF is offered as a standalone solution because it does not totally rely on Standard Windows Controls. Another distinguishing feature of WPF over WinForms is the ability to add a Button with an Image.
WPF is better in terms of scalability and migration
WinForms and WPF are both .NET Framework GUI application development features. WinForms is somewhat older and has been entirely supplanted by WPF’s XAML-based GUI Framework. This does not imply that WinForms is inferior, as it is quite useful for many project kinds and does not require Blend to create your UI.
The essential question is which option is superior in the case of WPF vs WinForms. In terms of scalability and the ability to migrate from one of these two to, say, Windows Universal Application development, the victor is WPF because the Windows Universal Runtime is also designed with XAML, making the transition from WPF to UWP simpler. WinForms is the clear victor in terms of rapidly prototyping and having a working application. It ultimately depends on your project and the GUI design you choose for your application to determine which one is superior; both are well-maintained and of high quality.
WPF is similar to HTML in that the user interface is defined in an XML file (called XAML) utilizing relative measurements and positioning of items. WPF is easier to use than WinForms, which is a typical user interface (UI) framework. However, you may need to learn about data binding and other concepts before you can use it (everything specified in the code, even if designer-generated). Microsoft Blend, which is similar to Dreamweaver for programs, may be used with WPF.
Read More: What are the different ways of Binding in WPF?
WPF vs WinForms: Multiple reasons
Windows Forms, or WinForms, is a programming language used to create graphical user interfaces on computers. Simply put, it’s a graphical front-end for desktop programs written in the Microsoft .Net development framework. It makes use of the .Net Framework’s managed libraries. It provides the interface for accessing the native Windows graphical interface elements and visuals from managed programs via a comprehensive client library.
A Windows presentation framework is known by its acronym, WPF. In 2006, Microsoft introduced it alongside .Net Framework 3.0. It’s a GUI framework for creating programs on Windows. WPF is an integral element of the.net framework and not just a wrapper. It is a hybrid, including both managed and unmanaged components. Every control in a Windows form application is a concrete instance of a class, and Windows forms provide a wrapper consisting of this set of C++ classes for building Windows applications.
Numerous pre-built controls, including text areas, buttons, labels, and even whole websites, are available, and the user can even make their own. To manage the form’s controls and arrange them in the desired layout for adding code to handle events, Visual Studio provides a Windows form designer tool. The three main parts of the WPF architecture are the presentation framework, presentation core, and mallcore. While XAML is used to create UI elements, a procedural language can be used to implement behaviors in WPF.
WPF’s XAML allows developers and designers to collaborate. WPF is a robust framework for developing Windows applications, and it comes with many useful capabilities such as data binding, media services, templates, animations, Direct3D, and alternative input.
WPF vs WinForms: What to Choose?
WinForms and WPF have greatly influenced the development of Windows and desktop applications. Although they both served the same goal, there were some significant distinctions that made WPF superior to WinForms. WPF has been a framework that endured the test of time and has proven to be a key choice for many tech giants. This blog has covered the key distinctions between WinForms and WPF as well as how each can help with app development.
We also checked out what the experts had to say about WPF versus WinForms and discovered some really helpful insights that make the development process even better!
FAQs for WPF vs WinForms
1. Is WinForms better than WPF?
WinForms and WPF both are Microsoft-designed frameworks consisting of a unique set of strengths and weaknesses. WPF excels in achieving seamless animation and improved graphic quality. While WinForms can be a better option to build lightweight and responsive UI apps.
2. What is replacing WinForms?
Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) a UI framework is replacing WinForms. WinForms was the primary UI framework for creating Windows desktop apps, but WPF replaced WinForms in 2006. WPF is a more modern UI framework built on DirectX providing a visually appealing experience to users.
3. Is WPF Outdated?
Although WPF is a much older technology, WPF is still not outdated. It is still relevant and active in enterprise software development. It continues to be compatible with the latest Windows versions, so at present you can still utilize WPF without any hesitation.
4. Which is easier to use, WinForms or WPF?
In WinForms vs WPF, WinForms remains more user-friendly compared to WPF. The drag-and-drop placement of UI controls makes it easy to program. Moreover, you can utilize multiple resources and support in WinForms.
Kapil Panchal
A passionate Technical writer and an SEO freak working as a Content Development Manager at iFour Technolab, USA. With extensive experience in IT, Services, and Product sectors, I relish writing about technology and love sharing exceptional insights on various platforms. I believe in constant learning and am passionate about being better every day.
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Performance improvements in .NET 5
.NET 5 already has a wealth of performance enhancements and still, there are likely chances to include a lot more improvement before the official release scheduled later this year…
Мы хотели бы рассказать про две графические системы, которые используются в составе .NET. В наше время активно используются WinForms и WPF. Возникает вопрос какую же технологию использовать в разработке приложения. Мы рассмотрим подробно каждую систему, плюсы и минусы, а также расскажем об особенностях использования в продуктах FastReport .NET и FastReport WPF. Перейдём же непосредственно к сравнению.
WinForms
В начале поговорим об уже считающейся классикой старой системе WinForms. Данная система была выпущена в далеком 2002 году на базе Framework 1.0, и предоставляет собой “традиционный” способ создания десктоп приложений. У нас имеются базовые элементы по типу “Кнопка”, “Текстовый объект”, “Текстовое поле” и т.д., которые можно настраивать почти, как угодно. Это в целом довольно удобно, но, к сожалению, мы не сможем создать современный дизайн приложения, что может не устроить либо нас, либо клиентов. В наше время есть довольно много приложений, которые используют WinForms, например, FastReport .NET. Но стоит учитывать, что зачастую, подобные приложения разрабатывались и поддерживались большое кол-во времени. И это уже по большей части вынужденная мера, ведь внешний вид приложения играет действительно важную роль.
Плюсы и минусы:
+ Технология практически вся протестирована и лучше испытана, что дает надежность.
+ Существует множество готовых решений и элементов управления.
+ Простота и интуитивное понятие при создании приложения.
— Не отвечает современным стандартам разработки.
— Нет активной поддержки.
WPF
А вот тут уже всё намного интереснее. Вышла технология WPF тоже давно, в 2006 году, на базе Framework 3.0. Но имеет кардинальное различие в ходе разработки. Здесь теперь нет привычных элементов, которые мы можем поставить в форму и настроить их. Нам теперь придется писать код на XAML, чтобы поставить ту же кнопку или текстовый объект. И действительно, намного удобнее просто перетащить нужный объект и настроить его, чем с нуля все это прописывать и настраивать. В данном случае мы получаем даже преимущество. Но как? Сейчас рассмотрим.
Возьмем пример, где будет кнопка с изображением и текстом. WinForms не предоставляет готовых решений. Поэтому вам нужно самим создавать изображения и реализовывать собственные кнопки, поддерживающие изображения, либо использовать готовое нестандартное решение. Кнопка в WPF может иметь внутри что угодно, так как это просто «рамка» с контентом внутри себя. Например, нажатие или не нажатие с реакцией на наведение курсором.
Таким образом у нас появляется максимальная гибкая настройка, которая может запутать разработчика. С другой стороны, мы получаем от приложения то, что действительно хотим.
Плюсы и минусы такого подхода:
+ Графическая система более новая и отвечает стандартам разработки.
+ Microsoft использует ее во многих своих приложениях, например Visual Studio.
+ Более гибкая система настройки.
+ Есть готовые решения под любые нужды.
+ С помощью XAML можно разделять работу дизайнера и программиста.
+ Для лучшей производительности можно использовать аппаратное ускорение.
+ Можно создавать интерфейс как для Windows, так и для Web приложений.
— Нужно научиться работать с XAML.
WinForms и WPF в FastReport
И так, мы разобрались в двух графических системах, узнали о их преимуществах и недостатках. Давайте теперь разберем их в FastReport .NET. Основные различия — это способ подключение и визуальные составляющие.
В случае WinForms нам нужно подключить FastReport.NET.nupkg или FastReport.dll, написать необходимый код и запустить проект. Или же просто запустить FastReport .NET. В итоге мы получим привычную нам форму.
В случае WPF нам нужно подключить пакет FastReport.WPF. И также написать необходимый код и запустить проект. В случае WPF мы получим более современный дизайн и похожий интерфейс.
Также хочется отметить, что при использовании WPF у нас есть возможность пользоваться Intellisense от Roslyn, что поможет в написании кода.
Таким образом, мы разобрали две графические системы. Какую из них использовать в разработке своего приложения, решать только вам. Лично мы рекомендуем всё же использовать WPF. Да, это может быть неудобно и непривычно после WinForms, но мы получаем дизайн, который будет современный и удобный, а также долгосрочную поддержку WPF.
Updated March 6, 2023
Difference between Winforms and WPF
Winforms is referred to as Windows Forms. It is a graphical user interface for.Net framework desktop applications. It has a set of managed libraries in the .net framework. It offers an extensive client library to provide the interface to access the native windows graphical interface elements and graphics from managed code. WPF is abbreviated as a Windows presentation framework. It was initially released by Microsoft with.Net framework 3.0 in the year 2006. It is a graphical user interface framework for building Windows applications. WPF is more than just a wrapper; it is part of a .net framework. It contains a mixture of managed and unmanaged code.
Winforms
- In Windows application, Windows forms provide a wrapper consisting of a set of C++ classes for the development of Windows applications, and every control in windows form application is a concrete instance of a class. It provides a variety of controls such as text boxes, buttons, labels and web pages, along with options to create a custom control. For this, there is a windows form designer tool available in Visual Studio to handle the controls on the form and arrange them as per the desired layout for adding code to handle the events.
- In windows forms, application setting is another feature to create, store and maintain the information. Windows form class can be extended using inheritance to design application framework, which provides abstraction and code reusability. Forms should be compact with controls on their limited size. Forms can be broken into chunks packaged in assemblies that can automatically update themselves. Designing the application provides the scalability and flexibility with ease for debugging and maintenance. Windows forms cannot be passed across the application domain boundary.
WPF
- The major components of WPF architecture are presentation framework, presentation core, and mallcore. In WPF, UI elements are designed in XAML, while behaviors can be implemented in a procedural language. With XAML in WPF, the programmers can work in parallel with designers. WPF is a powerful framework to create a windows application, and it has great features like data binding, media services, templates, animations, direct3D, and alternative input.
- WPF application development can be done with the help of Microsoft tools like Visual Studio and Expression Blend. The developer mainly uses VS to create the WPF application, whereas the designers mainly use blend for WPF applications.
Head To Head Comparison Between Winforms and WPF (Infographics)
Below are the top 6 comparisons of Winforms vs WPF:
Key Differences Between Winforms and WPF
Both Winforms vs WPF are popular choices in the market; let us discuss some of the major Difference Between Winforms vs WPF:
- Windows forms are not vector-based UI. Whereas WPF is a vector graphics-based UI presentation layer. With the help of being vector-based, it allows the presentation layer to smoothly scale the UI components without having any size distortion issues.
- Windows forms are easier to use while developing the applications, whereas WPF is a little difficult to use as it requires good knowledge to use the controls.
- In windows forms, we can customize the controls as per the requirements. In WPF, we have third party controls as well to enrich the capabilities of the application.
- Windows forms have less learning curve. Whereas WPF has more learning curve as required to understand the full flow of controls and design part.
- Windows forms are less time consuming or less tricky. WPF is trickier and more time to consume for getting the things in place while developing the applications.
- Windows forms are not being used for developing new applications. WPF is being used mainly to develop new applications.
- Windows forms are large support in terms of developers, online community, libraries for helping in any sort while developing the application for beginners. WPF is also having enough support and libraries available to develop the applications and get the support quickly for beginners.
- In Windows forms, controls are difficult to customize, whereas, in WPF, controls can be customized easily as it is completely written from scratch.
- Windows forms are poor in providing consistency. WPF provides more consistency across the applications.
- In Windows forms, UI has been designed with the help of the language of business logic code. In WPF, it uses the XAML as a markup language to design the UI part of the application.
- Windows forms are mainly based on a pixel, whereas WPF is not pixel-based, which allows the scalability of the UI part for the application.
- Windows forms support data binding in a limited way, whereas WPF is fully supported data binding.
- Windows forms are not used with different themes or skins. WPF is mainly skinnable or themeable, where different skins or themes can be used for UI.
- Windows forms require less effort for designing the UI. WPF requires more effort as most of the work needs to do yourself.
Winforms vs WPF Comparison Table
Below is the topmost comparison among Winforms vs WPF:
| The basis of comparison |
Winforms |
WPF |
| Advance | Windows form is an old concept for developing desktop applications | WPF is an advance or latest concept for developing the applications |
| Simple | Windows forms are simple to use as controls can be easily used. | WPF is complex to use as compared to Windows Forms. |
| Scalable | Windows forms are less scalable if the UI element needs to be extended later on. | WPF is extensively scalable for the UI elements in applications |
| Secure | Windows forms have less secure features | WPF has enhanced security features. |
| Design | Windows forms are not be used where designing is required | WPF is mainly used for designing the UI part of the application |
| Performance | In windows forms, things are achieved at a slower rate. | In WPF, things are mainly achieved at a very fast rate comparatively. |
Conclusion
Winforms vs WPF both are mainly used for the same purpose for developing and designing windows applications, but WPF can be used for the web application. The difference between them is scalability, performance as WPF can render fast compared to windows forms, complexity, and support.
WPF is mainly used as it is the latest and has good features for designing the UI for developing them.Net framework applications. It provides the flexibility and compatibility of third-party controls enriches the usage of the WPF framework. It allows separate work for designer and programmer as XAML is used for designing, and C# is being used for programming.
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