Differences between APIs, Win32 SDK, Win32 project, MFC, Windows Forms applications

Source: Internet
Author: User

"Original"differences between APIs, Win32 SDK,Win32 project, MFC, Windows Forms applications First, consider the definition of each term:

API: Application Programming Interface. The Windows operating system provides an interface for application programming, referred to as an API function.

Win32 SDK: SDK (software Development Kit) Chinese is a software development kit. The Win32 SDK is a software development package under the Windows 32-bit platform, including API functions, help documentation, and some of the supporting development tools provided by Microsoft.

Win32 Project : A project written by the C + + language calling API functions in a Microsoft Windows operating system 32-bit environment.

MFC: Microsoft Foundation Classes. Microsoft Foundation Class. A framework and engine for writing applications in a C + + environment.

Windows Forms Applications : A client application that runs on a user's computer to display information, request user input, and communicate with a remote computer over a network. When developing large applications, you may want to study the. NET Framework and the classes it provides

Next, explain the specific differences:

1. The difference between WIN32 Project and MFC:

The Win32 program is a program written directly from the Windows API using a programming language that can be run on any machine with the correct windows, and the programmer has the greatest amount of space to perform any function that can be programmed in the operating system.

MFC is the encapsulation of most APIs, calling an MFC function or new MFC class is equivalent to calling a lot of API functions, which saves a lot of time. Due to encapsulation, it is not possible to fully implement all Win32 functions. Easy to use, but hides the details. MFC is an object-oriented idea, which is mainly used to make interface.

Compared to the Win32, MFC is more like. From the software engineering point of view, MFC more meet the requirements, more humane. In normal use, we prefer to use MFC

2. The difference between a Win32 project and a Windows Forms application:

Win32 applications are programs that can run on 32-bit or more Windows systems, and the concept is larger than Windows Forms, and strictly speaking, form programs are also Win32 applications.

Windows Forms applications must be applied in the. NET environment, which means that your compiled software cannot run on machines without the. NET Framework, and that the implementation of the functionality is limited by the framework and cannot be arbitrary.

3. The difference between MFC and Windows Forms applications:

The results of MFC and Windows Forms applications are exactly the same, using object-oriented thinking as an interface. But because MFC can develop Windows Forms applications, Windows Forms applications are easier to use, but less flexible than MFC

4, do not use the MFC occasions:

    • Three-dimensional games and so on. MFC does not contain related libraries
    • Special procedures. Background tools such as viruses. The need is efficiency rather than interface, and requires small size.

Differences between APIs, Win32 SDK, Win32 project, MFC, Windows Forms applications

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