Reputation: 3059
What is the difference between WPF and Silverlight application? Are they the same?
Upvotes: 26
Views: 20355
Reputation: 822
A detailed comparison can be found here: http://wpfslguidance.codeplex.com/
Upvotes: 1
Reputation: 12521
Silverlight is a subset of WPF. Once it was known as WPF/E (WPF everywhere). In fact, the base framework is similar, but not the same.
See this for further information: Silverlight "WPF/E" first steps: Getting started with simple analog clock, Introduction - What is WPF/E?
Upvotes: 9
Reputation: 705
Silverlight is a subset of WPF and therefore has fewer features but is more portable. WPF can be ran in both a browser or as a WinForms style application in Windows while Silverlight can only be ran in a browser. WPF is intended to run on Windows systems while Silverlight runs on Windows or Mac, also Linux via Moonlight.
If confused on when to use each, I found a useful blog better explaining this: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/jennifer/archive/2008/05/06/when-should-i-use-wpf-vs-silverlight.aspx
Upvotes: 2
Reputation: 51
Silverlight is Microsoft’s latest development platform for building next-generation Web client applications (WPF) is Microsoft’slatest development platform forbuilding next-generation Windows client applications
Silverlight is generally considered to be a subset of WPF, and is a XAML WPF is generally considered to be a subset of .NET Framework
Silverlight Support Cross OS, cross browser, cross device WPF for Windows client users.
in order to run Silverlight applications at client machines, we need to install Silverlight software on the client machine once WPF, on the other hand, does notsupport any plug-in mechanism;instead, we need to install a completed WPF client application
Silverlight applications are hosted within a webserver and a web page. WPF applications can be deployed as standalone applications,
Upvotes: 5
Reputation: 755587
WPF is based off of the desktop CLR which is the full version of the CLR.
Silverlight is based on a much smaller and more compact CLR which provides a great experience but does not have the full breadth of CLR features. It also has a much smaller version of the BCL.
Upvotes: 38
Reputation: 1805
Silverlight (codenamed WPF/E) is a cross-platform, cross-browser, browser plugin which contains WPF-based technology (including XAML)[17] that provides features such as video, vector graphics, and animations to multiple operating systems including Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Mac OS X, with Microsoft sanctioned 3rd party developers working ports for Linux distributions.[18] Specifically, it is currently provided as an add-on for Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer 6 and above, and Apple Safari. Silverlight and WPF only share the XAML presentation layer.
Upvotes: 3
Reputation: 625467
WPF is essentially the replacement to Winforms in that it is a desktop application platform built on the .Net (3+) platform.
Silverlight represents a subset of WPF that is delivered through a browser plug-in, much like Flash/Flex.
Upvotes: 23