C++/WinRT vs C++/CX

Developers should learn C++/WinRT when building native Windows applications (e meets developers should learn c++/cx when creating native windows applications, especially uwp apps, where direct access to system apis and high performance are critical, such as in games, graphics-intensive software, or system utilities. Here's our take.

C++/WinRT

Nice Pick

Developers should learn C++/WinRT when building native Windows applications (e

Pros

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• Related to: c-plus-plus, windows-runtime

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

C++/CX

Developers should learn C++/CX when creating native Windows applications, especially UWP apps, where direct access to system APIs and high performance are critical, such as in games, graphics-intensive software, or system utilities

Pros

• It is useful for scenarios requiring interoperability with other WinRT languages (like C# or JavaScript) or when extending existing C++ codebases to work on modern Windows platforms
• Related to: c-plus-plus, universal-windows-platform

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. C++/WinRT is a library while C++/CX is a language. We picked C++/WinRT based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

C++/WinRT wins

Based on overall popularity. C++/WinRT is more widely used, but C++/CX excels in its own space.