Windows Presentation Foundation
Windows Presentation Foundation: (or WPF) is a graphical subsystem for rendering user interfaces in Windows-based applications by Microsoft. WPF, previously known as "Avalon", was initially released as part of .NET Framework 3.0. Rather than relying on the older GDIsubsystem, WPF uses DirectX. WPF attempts to provide a consistent programming model for building applications and separates the user interface from business logic. It resembles similar XML-oriented object models, such as those implemented in XUL and SVG.
WPF employs XAML, an XML-based language, to define and link various interface elements. WPF applications can also be deployed as standalone desktop programs, or hosted as an embedded object in a website. WPF aims to unify a number of common user interfaceelements, such as 2D/3D rendering, fixed and adaptive documents,typography, vector graphics, runtime animation, and pre-rendered media. These elements can then be linked and manipulated based on various events, user interactions, and data bindings.
WPF runtime libraries are included with all versions of Microsoft Windows since Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. Users ofWindows XP SP2/SP3 and Windows Server 2003 can optionally install the necessary libraries.
Microsoft Silverlight provides functionality that is mostly a subset of WPF to provide embedded web controls comparable toAdobe Flash. 3D runtime rendering has been supported in Silverlight since Silverlight 5.
History and future
WPF, previously known as "Avalon", was initially released as part of .NET Framework 3.0. Since then, Microsoft has released five major WPF versions: WPF 3.0 (Nov 2006), WPF 3.5 (Nov 2007), WPF 3.5sp1 (Aug 2008), WPF 4 (April 2010), and WPF 4.5 (August 2012).
According to Microsoft developers answering questions during Build 2014, WPF is still actively developed, but was not designed to be highly responsive, nor adapted to low-power consumer devices such as tablets or smartphones. Because of that, no further major changes are expected to be done on the framework.
Features
Direct3D
Graphics, including desktop items like windows, are rendered using Direct3D. This allows the display of more complex graphics and custom themes, at the cost of GDI's wider range of support and uniform control theming. It allows Windows to offload some graphics tasks to the GPU. This reduces the workload on the computer's CPU. GPUs are optimized for parallel pixel computations. This tends to speed up screen refreshes at the cost of decreased compatibility in markets where GPUs are not necessarily as powerful, such as the netbook market.
The Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) is Microsoft's UI framework to create applications with a rich user experience. It is part of the .NET framework 3.0 and higher. WPF's emphasis on vector graphics allows most controls and elements to be scaled without loss in quality or pixelization, thus increasing accessibility. With the exception of Silverlight, Direct3D integration allows for streamlined 3D rendering. In addition, interactive 2D content can be overlaid on 3D surfaces natively.