Microsoft Visual C++/cli step by Step

  

xxi

Introduction

C

++ is a powerful, industrial-strength programming language used in tens of thou-

sands of applications around the world, and this book will show you how to get 

started using C++ on Windows.

Of all the languages supported by Microsoft, C++ gives you access to the widest 

range of technologies on the Windows platform, from writing games, through low-level 

system software, to line-of-business applications. This book is going to introduce you to 

several of the areas in which C++ is used in Windows development.

For over a decade .NET has become established as the way to write desktop appli-

cations for Windows, and it provides a wealth of technologies to support developers. 

C++/CLI is the variant of C++ that runs in the .NET environment, and you can use it, 

along with other languages such as C#, to create rich desktop applications.

More recently, Windows 8 has introduced many new features to the Windows oper-

ating system, but perhaps the most exciting is the debut of Windows Store applications. 

These graphical applications are designed to run on touch screen and mobile devices, 

and provide a completely new way to construct user interfaces on Windows. C++ is one 

of the main languages supported for Windows Store development, and this book will 

give you an introduction to these applications and how to develop them in C++/CX, 

another variant of C++ introduced specifically for this purpose.