Microsoft pledges to boost Windows 11 app performance
Microsoft has made major improvements to apps built using the Windows App Development Kit, claiming that load times are up to 50 percent faster and app sizes are significantly reduced.
These changes are due to new technologies, such as AOT , although actual performance gains depend on developers updating their apps.
The Windows App Development Kit bridges the gap between Win32 and UWP by providing tools that give developers access to modern APIs without forcing them into a specific framework.
Apps using this combination have been criticized for long launch times and responsive user interface.
Microsoft has acknowledged performance issues with a range of its apps, including Photos and Phone Link.
These issues are most noticeable when you first launch apps after a reboot. Microsoft recommends running the app in the background to improve launch times.
Microsoft is trying to solve these issues by supporting AOT assembly technology, which allows for faster startup times while reducing memory usage.
AOT assembly technology improves performance compared to traditional assembly methods. Developers need to implement this feature themselves when building or updating their applications.
In early testing, Microsoft has seen significant improvements, such as up to 50 percent faster app loading times and up to eight times smaller app sizes.
Standalone applications also saw a reduction in size, improving the efficiency of Windows App Development Kit-based applications.
Microsoft has made changes to how the Edge WebView2 SDK handles applications, which has reduced application sizes, although this change does not directly impact application performance.
These improvements won't immediately speed up applications, but they lay the foundation for significant improvements as developers adopt the updated SDK.
Applications built using the Windows App Development Kit with AOT compilation technology should show increased performance and decreased memory usage with reduced file sizes over time.