Win32 API on Server Core

6/22/2010

Server Core supports development with the native Win32 API. The standard Windows libraries, for example Kernel32.dll, User32.dll, and Advapi32.dll, are included in Server Core.

You can use Microsoft Visual Studio to build a Win32 application for Server Core. The application type can be Win32, Active Template Library (ATL), or Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC). However, depending on the functionality and APIs that you use, you might need to install the Visual Studio redistributable packages on Server Core before running the application. For example, Atl90.dll is not included by default in Server Core, and therefore if your application uses Atl90.dll you must also install the Visual Studio redistributable packages.

You can download the Visual Studio redistributable packages from the Microsoft Download Center.

Programming Elements

Win32 programming elements that are extensions to the Windows shell or Internet Explorer are not present in Server Core because Server Core does not include the Windows shell and does not include Internet Explorer.

For information about the programming elements available in Server Core for Windows Server 2008 R2, see the Server Core Reference for Windows Server 2008 R2.

For information about the programming elements available in Server Core for Windows Server 2008, see the Server Core Reference for Windows Server 2008.

See Also

Reference

.NET Framework Support on Server Core

Concepts

IIS and Web Server Development on Server Core
Database Support on Server Core