Windows 10 Anniversary Update: What’s In It For Developers

The Windows 10 Anniversary Update became available to the general consumer today. Wondering why you should care? Microsoft has a rundown of the changes relevant to developers on its dev blog.

The Windows 10 Anniversary Update SDK has been released as part of Visual Studio 2015 Update 3. Here’s what’s in it:

1. Windows Ink support. Useful for apps that involve sketching or animation, the new Windows Ink Toolbar will allow app users to choose from various drawing modes, use rulers and create stencils.
2. New Cortana APIs. Besides adding voice control to apps, Cortana Actions can boost engagement with your app by suggesting it to users when they’re involved in relevant activities. For example, if your app orders food, Cortana can suggest to a user when she sees that they’ve scheduled a meeting during a meal time.

3. Edge improvements. Extensions are now supported in Edge, as well as Microsoft Hello—so your web users can log in using facial recognition.

Microsoft also officially announced that desktop apps converted with Microsoft’s Desktop Bridge (Project Centennial) can be submitted to the Windows Store, as we previously reported. Click here to submit your desktop app.

Universal Windows Platform apps created with Windows 10 will now work on HoloLens and Xbox as well as PC and mobile.

And for Linux fans who want to use Bash Shell to develop for Windows, it’s now available directly from the Windows Store via a partnership with Canonical.