Microsoft's UWP Community Toolkit gets a new name

By Dan Thorp-Lancaster
last updated

Goodbye UWP, hello Windows.

Microsoft is getting ready to ship another major update to the UWP Community Toolkit later in May, but what is likely the biggest change has nothing to do with new features. Rather, the whole package is getting a new name: Windows Community Toolkit.

In a new blog post detailing the move, Microsoft explains that the new name is meant to represent the desire to see more developers take advantage of the toolkit's components when building experiences for Windows. From Microsoft:

Enabling more developers is what the toolkit is all about, so starting with the next Windows Community Toolkit release, we are setting a goal to enable more Windows developers working on Windows 10 experiences to take advantage of toolkit components where possible. Therefore, the new name is reflective of this increased focus and more inclusive of all Windows developers.

Microsoft initially introduced UWP Community Toolkit in 2016 as an open-source resource for Windows app developers. Initially shipping with 26 features, the toolit has been updated several times since with new controls, helpers, extensions, and more. As it stands today, the (soon to be) Windows Community Toolkit packs more than 100 features, Microsoft says.

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There's no word on what new features are in the pipeline, but Microsoft says it expects to ship another update in late May. In the meantime, you can check out the Windows Community Toolkit on GitHub.

Dan Thorp-Lancaster
Dan Thorp-Lancaster

Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the former Editor-in-Chief of Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central, Android Central, and iMore as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl.