Making Windows applications again

[RajK]

Hey, I haven't done development for Windows in years and I am thinking of messing around again. This time around my main focus is the ability to make them look good, with or without using a library, as I've never made anything that functions well and looks good at the same time. Only thing is I'm not sure what language to use when making my applications or even what IDE. I'm completely flexible as I've done C++, C#, Java, Python, and others and I'm comfortable in all of them.

Any suggestion on IDE and language?

 

[Gametron]

If you're looking for something relatively new where styling apps is easy, you could give Electron a try. Electron apps can be styled using CSS so it's pretty easy to make them look good. Electron is not a Windows-only technology but you can create Windows installers with it that look like native Windows programs, and you can also target other OSes too if you want. As for the IDE with Electron, WebStorm, VS Code, Atom and Sublime are popular choices.

 

[Ryladine]

I'd actually recommend taking a look at electron as well, it's got some impressive flexibility and like Gamertron said it's fairly easy to build the UI for. I'd recommend VS Code for it if you give it a go.

That said, it really depends what kind of application you have in mind, a lot of people will throw a language at a project and run but I've found it's best to have some idea of what you want to make and choose the best fitting language. For C based languages I would use Visual Studio as my IDE of choice. I don't work in them much but I've found that I really do hate most of the other options for it.

 

[HaMoOoOd25]

Oh man, you said C#! The best IDE for windows forms is Visual Studio. It well supported and you will fall in love with it! Also, you can have syncfusion for a good looking forms. They provide it for free as long as you don't earn a million dollars from it. Visual studio, we are talking about an official IDE for .NET languages. Have fun!