Cloud Creates Tooling Opportunities

By David Rubinstein

It’s no secret that Microsoft is all in on the cloud. From CEO Satya Nadella’s statement in 2014 that Microsoft would take a mobile-first, cloud-first approach to software development, to its reorganization in March to put Azure at the core of its efforts, the company has clearly shifted away from its Windows-centric view of the world.

The impact of that move on developer tools for Microsoft’s cloud platform has been almost as profound. SD Times news editor Christina Cardoza spoke with longtime Microsoft Regional Director Patrick Hynds to better understand what this strategic shift could mean for the Visual Studio ecosystem.

In the article, Hynds states: “I think that it offers some interesting challenges and tons of opportunity. The cloud is fast moving and that cries out with the need for better tooling. There are more niches being exposed every month where a tools provider can really carve out a world of their own.”

Visual Studio Update

Microsoft also released Visual Studio 15.8 last week. Among the new features are faster git branch switching, faster unit test execution, and TypeScript 3.0 support.

After this release, git branch checkout and branch switching for C#, VB, and C++ projects is much faster. This is because reloading is no longer required.

Angular Migration Tools

For AngularJS developers, Angular has created two migration tools to help move those applications to more modern web development standards with Angular. One of the tools assesses the current application to see which migration path is best, while the other creates a community forum in which developers can share their experiences and exchange thoughts and ideas. 

A Push Towards Windows 10

I used to have a Windows Phone, running the Windows 8.1 update, but finally had to give it up because so few apps were available for the phone. Last week, Microsoft announced it would no longer accept Windows 8 apps in its store, encouraging developers to create or update their apps for Windows 10 devices.

As of October 31, 2018, Microsoft will stop accepting new applications for Windows Phone 8.x or earlier and Windows 8/8.1 packages. According to the company, this will not affect existing apps. And, starting in July 2023, the company will no longer produce updates for Windows 8.