Microsoft Offers a Desktop Bridge Video Course for Developers

Shortly after the Creators Update was publicly made available to Windows 10 users as the next major feature update for the 20 month old operating system, we shared some details from Microsoft about what was new in this update for the Desktop Bridge.

If you have never heard of Microsoft's Desktop Bridge, not very likely if you read this site regularly, then in the most basic of terms it is a way for developers to bring their current Windows desktop software programs over to the Universal Windows Platform (UWP). That means the software will be listed in the Windows Store and can take advantage of Windows 10 enhancements such as notifications, inking, and speech.

If this sounds like something you might like to check out and consider for your own software then a new seven part video course from the Microsoft Virtual Academy (MVA) is going to be of great interest.

From the course description:

"Join expert Stefan Wick for a first look at Desktop Bridge, and see how much simpler this platform and tooling is than a manual conversion. Debug your converted apps, explore the Windows Dev Center Dashboard, and learn about transitioning shell features of the desktop app. Plus, add new ways of interacting with your app, like speech, ink, touch, and notifications. Don’t miss this opportunity to modernize your existing PC software with features in the Universal Windows Platform on Windows 10."

This extensive course covers all the important aspects of bringing that desktop software over the UWP and then enhancing it so that it beings even more value to your customers.

Here are the seven main sessions from the course listing:

1 | Intro to the Desktop Bridge

Learn about the Desktop Bridge and see how to do manual conversion.

2 | Desktop App Converter

Bring existing desktop applications to UWP by using the Desktop Bridge platform and tooling, which is much easier than manual conversion.

3 | Debugging and Testing Your Converted Apps

Package, import converted artifacts, and debug and test your converted apps.

4 | Distributing Your Converted Apps

Learn about the Windows Dev Center dashboard, non-store distribution for enterprises, and transitioning shell features of the desktop application.

5 | Enhancing Desktop Applications with UWP Features

Add new ways of interacting with your app, like speech, ink, touch, and notifications.

6 | Extending and Modernizing Applications with UWP Components

Learn how to make desktop applications a share target, display toast notifications, expose a UWP App Service, and receive push notifications.

7 | What's next for Desktop Bridge

The best part of courses from the MVA is that they are free of charge except for the time investment you need to make to watch the videos and then practice the new skills you will be learning. There are four hours worth of video to watch across these seven video sessions.

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