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AI-assisted Windows development

Use AI coding assistants to scaffold a Windows app, add features, and generate UI tests. You can use these workflows with Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code, or the command line.

Tip

New to Windows development? Start with the Quickstart: Build and publish a Windows app with AI — you can have a working app in under 30 minutes using only free tools.

Choose a workflow

Build a new app

Use the winui-dev agent and dotnet new templates to scaffold, build, run, and publish a new Windows app.

→ Quickstart → WinUI agent plugin

Test your app

Use the winui-ui-testing skill to inspect your app, generate UI Automation tests, and run them from your coding assistant.

→ AI-assisted testing

Tools in this section

The Windows App Development CLI handles project and packaging tasks, while the WinUI Agent gives your coding assistant Windows-specific development guidance.

Tool What it does
Windows App Development CLI Create, run, package, sign, and publish Windows apps from the command line
WinApp extension for Visual Studio Code Run Windows App Development CLI commands from the Visual Studio Code Command Palette
WinUI agent plugin 8 skills for end-to-end WinUI development in GitHub Copilot or Claude Code

Frequently asked questions

Can I build a WinUI 3 app without Visual Studio?

Yes. Three commands are all you need:

dotnet new winui-navview -n MyApp
cd MyApp
dotnet run

Build, debug, package, and publish from VS Code or the terminal. Visual Studio is still best for complex XAML debugging, but it's no longer required. See the Quickstart.

Are these tools free?

Yes. The Windows App Development CLI, WinApp extension, and dotnet new templates are free and open source. GitHub Copilot offers a free tier and paid plans.

Does this work with Claude Code as well as GitHub Copilot?

Yes. You can use the winui@awesome-copilot plugin with GitHub Copilot or Claude Code.

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