Updated Brokered Windows Runtime Components whitepaper and project templates for Windows 10

Brokered Windows Runtime Components can help enterprise developers build apps with modern, touch-enabled user experiences while leveraging their long-term investments in existing business logic code. This is made possible by allowing side-loaded Universal Windows Platform apps to interoperate with desktop processes outside of the app container. This technology was first introduced with the Windows 8.1 Update. For more info, take a look at Harry Pierson’s talk from Build 2014: Respecting Your Investments: How to Leverage Your Existing Code in a New Windows Runtime LOB App.

To make it easier to use this technology, its whitepaper—“Brokered Windows Runtime Components for side-loaded Windows Store apps”—has been updated for Windows 10. Additionally, new project templates for Visual Studio 2015 have been developed to simplify customizations and automate the build process.

You can download the templates from Visual Studio Gallery, or install them from Visual Studio directly by selecting Tools > Extensions and Updates and searching for “BrokeredComponent.” They’re listed under Online > Visual Studio Gallery > Templates > Visual C++ > Visual Studio Extensions.

Details on how to use the project templates are found in the description of the extension download page.

If you still need to develop apps and Brokered Components for apps targeting Windows 8.1 Update, please read the whitepaper for Windows 8.1 Update and use the project template for Visual Studio 2013.