Class library project types

Question

When creating a new class library project in Visual Studio 11, there are several different options, including a "traditional" style library, a Metro style library and a portable style library. The traditional style can be used in applications that one would normally use a class library in, such as a WPF application, but cannot be used in a Metro style application. A Metro style library appears to only be usable from a Metro style application. Portable style libraries, on the other hand, appear to be usable from both traditional style .NET applications and Metro style applications. If this is in fact the case, what would be the benefit of using anything other than a portable style library?

Answer 1

Portable libraries are restricted to the intersection of the targets it is portable between.  You cannot use WPF specific classes in a library intended to be portable with Metro style apps, but they are good choices for model level libraries which can be fit into the intersection of the code.

WinRT libraries can be be projected into any languages used by Metro style apps, so you can write engine code in C++ or C# and then call it from a JavaScript application.  There are several //build/ sessions discussing WinRT that you may want to look at.

--Rob

Answer 2

Thanks for clearing that up!