Content

URL

Details

Windows 8 Consumer Preview Download

http://aka.ms/JenWin8

Windows 8 Consumer Preview download (web installer or ISOs), videos, and FAQs.

Developer downloads for Metro style apps

http://aka.ms/JenVS2012

Visual Studio 11 Express and the Windows 8 SDK + all the extra tools and SDKs for Metro style app development.

Design assets for Metro style apps

http://design.windows.com

100+ Photoshop files with common controls, shell components, tiles, icons, animation clips, color wheel references, and more.

Content

URL

Details

Windows Dev Center home

http://dev.windows.com

Links to Metro style app, Desktop app, Hardware, and IE development.

Metro style app development home

http://msdn.microsoft.com
/windows/apps

Links to key resources for designing, developing, and selling Metro style apps.

Product guide for developers

http://msdn.microsoft.com/windows/
apps/hh852650

Windows 8 Consumer Preview Product Guide for Developers.

Official documentation

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/apps/

Comprehensive docs, articles, quickstarts, roadmaps, tutorials, checklists, developer agreements, and whitepapers covering all aspects of app design, development, and selling:

• Getting started
• Planning apps
• Designing UX for apps
• Developing apps
• Packaging apps
• Debugging and testing apps
• Selling apps
• API reference
• Concepts and architecture
• Language reference
• End-to-end apps

Design resources

http://design.windows.com

Design principles, UX design patterns, detailed UX guidelines, downloadable design assets, assessing usability.

Selling apps in the  Windows Store

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/
windows/apps/br230836

Windows Store markets, developer agreements, and checklists to prepare.

Developer downloads for Metro style apps

http://aka.ms/JenVS2012

Visual Studio Express and the Windows 8 SDK + extra tools and SDKs for Metro style app development.

Metro style app samples

http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/
windowsapps/

Over 200 official samples from Microsoft are available in multiple programming languages. You can copy code inline, upload new code, rate, and leave comments.

Developer forums

http://forums.dev.windows.com

Developer forums for Metro style apps covering designing, developing, and selling apps.

Blog Name

URL

Details

Building Windows 8 blog (B8)

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/

An inside look at how, what, and why different features of Windows 8 are being built. This blog is written by Windows President Steven Sinofsky together with members of the Windows engineering team.

Windows Store blog for developers

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/windowsstore

All about doing business in the Windows Store. Members of the engineering team who’ve built the Windows Store write posts along with Antoine Leblond, Vice President of Windows Web Services.

Windows 8 app developer blog (D8)

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/windowsappdev

Explores best practices for coding and designing Metro style apps.  It is written by the team of developers who are building Windows 8.

IE blog

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/

Windows Internet Explorer Engineering Team Blog.

Inside Windows Live blog

http://windowsteamblog.com/
windows_live/b/windowslive/

The engineering being Hotmail, Messenger, SkyDrive, and Windows Live.

Visual Studio Blog

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/visualstudio/

The official source of product insight from the Visual Studio Engineering Team.

The Windows Blog

http://windowsteamblog.com/

Consumer and general interest topics.

Channel

URL

Details

Facebook (developer)

http://fb.windows.com/developers

Facebook page

Twitter (Building Windows 8)

http://twitter.com/BuildWindows8

Twitter

Twitter (Windows Dev Center)

https://twitter.com/windevs

Twitter

YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/user/
WindowsVideos

Video

Channel 9

http://channel9.msdn.com

Developer videos

Content

URL

Details

Desktop app certification requirements

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/desktop/hh749939

Certification requirements for Windows 8 desktop apps.

Desktop App Certification Kit

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/desktop/hh852363

The Windows 8 SDK includes the Windows App Certification Kit to test desktop apps and get them ready for certification.

Compatibility Cookbook

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkId=242534

Tips and fixes for common issues with desktop apps for the Windows 8 Consumer Preview and software for Windows Server 8 Beta.

Compatibility Center

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/compatibility/en-US/CompatCenter/Home

Compatibility of desktop apps and devices with Windows 8. Partners can add products and update compatibility status using this template.

Content

URL

Details

Hardware Certification Requirements

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/hh833793.aspx

Windows 8 Hardware Certification Requirements and Policies

Hardware tools and certification kit

http://msdn.microsoft.com/windows/hardware/br259105

Windows Consumer Preview Kits and Tools for hardware development

Driver development documentation

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/hardware/ff554651

Developing, testing, and deploying drivers

Hardware and driver community resources

http://msdn.microsoft.com/windows/hardware/gg454517

Forums, blogs, and newsletters for the hardware and driver developer community.

Compatibility Center

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/compatibility/en-US/CompatCenter/Home

Compatibility of desktop apps and devices with Windows 8. Partners can add products and update compatibility status using this template.