Apps are at the heart of Windows 8, bringing rich and engaging experiences to both tablet and desktop users. Windows 8 uses the Windows Runtime (WinRT), a complete reimagining of Windows development that supports multiple programming languages and is built on HTML5, CSS and JavaScript. These applications are the future of Windows development and JavaScript is perfect language to take advantage of this exciting and flexible environment.

Seasoned author Adam Freeman explains how to get the most from WinRT and Windows 8 by focusing on the features you need for your project. He starts with the nuts-and-bolts and shows you everything through to advanced features, going in-depth to give you the knowledge you need.

Each topic is covered clearly and concisely and is packed with the details you need to learn to be truly effective. The most important features are given a no-nonsense in-depth treatment and chapters contain examples that demonstrate both the power and the subtlety of Windows 8, Windows Runtime and Javascript.
What you’ll learn

Understand what Windows 8 apps and WinRT are capable of and why they are special
Use advanced features to create immersive and engaging Windows 8 applications
Creating applications that work seamlessly on tablets and desktops
Use cutting-edge features like WebSockets and Cloud Computing
Prepare and deploy your applications
Unit test, debug and performance-tune applications

Who this book is for

This book is suitable for anyone wanting to get to grips with Windows 8 development using the cross-platform standards of HTML5 and JavaScript. Basic coding knowledge is assumed but no Microsoft-specific assumptions are made.
Table of Contents
Part I – Getting Started
1. Putting Windows 8 and WinRT in Context
2. Preparing for Development
3. HTML5 Primer
4. CSS3 Primer
5. JavaScript Language Primer

Part II – Core App Development
6. A First Application
7. Creating the Main UI
8. Creating the Start Menu UI
9. Handling Touch Events
10. Dealing with I/O and Storage
11. Using Networking and the Cloud
12. Asynchronous Programming
13. Using Data & Databases
14. Windows 8 Platform Integration
15. Using Geolocation
16. Working with Multimedia

Part III – Packaging & Deployment
17. Preparing for Deployment
18. Dealing with licences, signing and the Windows store
19. Using side-loading and Enterprise deployments
20. Managing versions and telemetry

Part IV – Advanced Metro Development
21. Sharing Data
22. Developing with multiple programming languages
23. Performance Tuning Applications
24. Unit Testing JavaScript Applications
25. Security & Cryptography
26. Internationalization