WPF vs UWP

Developers should learn WPF when building modern, visually rich Windows desktop applications that require complex UI interactions, data visualization, or custom controls meets developers should learn uwp when targeting windows 10+ ecosystems, especially for creating cross-device applications that need to scale from desktops to mobile or iot environments. Here's our take.

WPF

Nice Pick

Developers should learn WPF when building modern, visually rich Windows desktop applications that require complex UI interactions, data visualization, or custom controls

Pros

• It's ideal for enterprise applications, business software, and tools where a native Windows experience with advanced graphics and data binding is needed
• Related to: c-sharp, xaml

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

UWP

Developers should learn UWP when targeting Windows 10+ ecosystems, especially for creating cross-device applications that need to scale from desktops to mobile or IoT environments

Pros

• It's ideal for scenarios requiring a unified codebase, such as enterprise apps, educational tools, or media applications that benefit from Windows-specific features like Cortana integration, Live Tiles, and the Windows Store distribution
• Related to: c-sharp, xaml

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. WPF is a framework while UWP is a platform. We picked WPF based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

WPF wins

Based on overall popularity. WPF is more widely used, but UWP excels in its own space.