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Windows Forms

License: MIT

Windows Forms (WinForms) is a UI framework for building Windows desktop applications. It is a .NET wrapper over Windows user interface libraries, such as User32 and GDI+. It also offers controls and other functionality that is unique to Windows Forms.

Windows Forms also provides one of the most productive ways to create desktop applications based on the visual designer provided in Visual Studio. It enables drag-and-drop of visual controls and other similar functionality that make it easy to build desktop applications.

Windows Forms Out-Of-Process Designer

For information about the WinForms Designer supporting the .NET runtime and the changes between the .NET Framework Designer (supporting .NET Framework up to version 4.8.1) vs. the .NET Designer (supporting .NET 6, 7, 8, 9+), please see Windows Forms Designer Documentation.

Important: As a Third Party Control Vendor, when you migrate controls from .NET Framework to .NET, your control libraries at runtime are expected to work as before in the context of the respective new TFM (special modernization or security changes in the TFM kept aside, but those are rare breaking changes). Depending on the richness of your control's design-time support, the migration of control designers from .NET Framework to .NET might need to take a series of areas with breaking changes into account. The provided link points out additional resources which help in that migration process.

Relationship to .NET Framework

This codebase is a fork of the Windows Forms code in the .NET Framework 4.8. We started the migration process by targeting .NET Core 3.0, when we've strived to bring the two runtimes to a parity. Since then, we've done a number of changes, including breaking changes, which diverged the two. For more information about breaking changes, see the Porting guide.

The bar for innovation and new features

WinForms is a technology which was originally introduced as a part of .NET Framework 1.0 on February 13th, 2002. It's primary focus was and is to be a Rapid Application Tool for Windows based Apps, and that principal sentiment has not changed over the years. WinForms at the time addressed developer's requests for

Over time, and with a growing need to address working scenarios with multi-monitor, high resolution monitors, significantly more powerful hardware, and much more, WinForms has continued to be modernized.

And then there is the evolution of Windows: When new versions of Windows introduce new or change existing APIs or technologies - WinForms needs to keep up and adjust their APIs accordingly.

And exactly that is still the primary motivation for once to modernize and innovate, but also the bar to reach for potential innovation areas we either need or want to consider:

What would not make the bar:

Please note

:warning: This repository contains only implementations for Windows Forms for .NET platform.<br /> It does not contain either:

How can I contribute?

We welcome contributions! Many people all over the world have helped make this project better.

How to Engage, Contribute, and Provide Feedback

Some of the best ways to contribute are to try things out, file bugs, join in design conversations, and fix issues.

Reporting security issues

Security issues and bugs should be reported privately via email to the Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) secure@microsoft.com. You should receive a response within 24 hours. If for some reason you do not, please follow up via email to ensure we received your original message. Further information, including the MSRC PGP key, can be found in the Security TechCenter. Also see info about related Microsoft .NET Core and ASP.NET Core Bug Bounty Program.

Code of Conduct

This project uses the .NET Foundation Code of Conduct to define expected conduct in our community. Instances of abusive, harassing, or otherwise unacceptable behavior may be reported by contacting a project maintainer at conduct@dotnetfoundation.org.

License

.NET (including the Windows Forms repository) is licensed under the MIT license.

.NET Foundation

.NET Windows Forms is a .NET Foundation project.<br /> See the .NET home repository to find other .NET-related projects.