1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. News

Project Reunion is Microsoft’s plan to fix its fragmented Windows app problem

By

Microsoft announced a new platform for Windows apps called Project Reunion at its annual Build developer conference. It’s an attempt to strengthen the Windows 10 app ecosystem, offering a new vision for “unifying and evolving” the Windows developer platform.

Recommended Videos

Currently, the platform has been divided between more modern Universal Windows Platform Apps (UWPs) and legacy Win32 apps (Windows API). This app division has been a controversy for developers ever since UWP was introduced in 2015, as it fragmented features, compatibility, user interface, and more. UWP apps were always meant to be the next step in the evolution, but Microsoft’s inability to convince developers to abandon legacy apps and support the new platform has been a major hurdle.

Microsoft says that for the past few years, it’s been “breaking down the barriers” between its two app platforms. Project Reunion is the culmination of that work. With this new project, Microsoft says it solves the problem by unifying access to existing Win32 and UWP APIs (the underlying layer of apps) and decoupling them from the operating system.

“This will provide a common platform for new apps. Plus, it will help you update and modernize your existing apps with the latest functionality, whether they’re C++, .NET (including WPF, Windows Forms, and UWP) or React Native,” said Microsoft.

For average people downloading apps, it means Microsoft’s developers will have a common and backward-compatible platform for creating new apps. Microsoft says it’ll also help developers update apps through tools like NuGet, the package manager for Microsoft development platforms.

Another big part of Project Reunion will be WinUI 3 Preview 1, a modern, native UI framework for Windows. This will allow developers to code apps to have a modern UI that adapts and scales across devices.

Other projects announced at Build include a preview of WebView2. This preview enables developers to embed a Chromium-based WebView in Windows Forms, UWP, and WinUI 3 apps. For end users, it means cleaner apps, as Microsoft says it “will be decoupled from the OS and will bring the power of the Web to the full spectrum of Windows apps.”

Project Reunion is of utmost importance for the future Windows operating systems. Though Windows 10X hasn’t been discussed at Build, a unified app ecosystem will greatly benefit the success of the new operating system.

Apple has been working on its own app unification problem with Project Catalyst, which helps developers port mobile and iPad apps over to the Mac.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Arif Bacchus
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Arif Bacchus is a native New Yorker and a fan of all things technology. Arif works as a freelance writer at Digital Trends…
7 beloved Windows apps that Microsoft has killed over the years

Microsoft's history is littered with the discontinuation of once-beloved applications. Most recently, WordPad, the renowned text editor app, was conspicuously absent from the latest beta build of Windows 11, indicating an end to its 28-year-long journey. I have fond memories of using the app back in my college days when Microsoft Office was too pricey for me.

WordPad is far from the only app to get canceled by Microsoft over the years. From pioneering productivity tools to nostalgic multimedia players, let's reminisce about some of the most famous applications that Microsoft has consigned to the annals of tech history.
Internet Explorer

Read more
A beloved Windows app is being axed after 28 years

Microsoft is finally retiring WordPad, the venerable text editor that has been a staple in Windows operating systems since Windows 95. This decision comes as part of Microsoft's ongoing efforts to refine its software lineup and focus on more advanced applications. It marks the end of a 28-year journey for WordPad.

As spotted by Tom’s Hardware, the recent Canary build of Windows 11 does not include WordPad as part of the default software package. Microsoft seems to be encouraging users to explore its more comprehensive Office suite, which includes applications like Microsoft Word for a more sophisticated word-processing experience. In Septemeber 2023, the company added the rich text application to its list of deprecated Windows features.

Read more
How to remove a Microsoft account from Windows 11

While many people love porting their Microsoft account to their new Windows 11 PC, just as many hate the experience. One of the nicest things about having a new computer is how little tabs it has over you, and letting Microsoft in from the beginning — especially in a way that feels required — is a bit letdown for privacy-minded people.

To make matters worse, getting rid of your account feels tricky. It not only feels like it, Microsoft is your direct antagonist in getting the privacy you want. Luckily, you can make a local account that is disconnected from the rest of your life to gain back the personal feel of your computer. Here's how:
Removing a Microsoft account from Windows 11

Read more