The new version of OpenSilver 1.0, the open source reimplementation of Silverlight, has already been released.

OpenSilver_Logo

After just over a year and a half of the presentation of the OpenSilver project, the release of the first stable version was announced, in which the project that ofReceives an open source implementation of the Silverlight platform, that allows you to create interactive web applications using C #, XAML and .NET technologies.

Recall that Microsoft stopped the development of Silverlight functionality in 2011, and on October 12, 2021, the platform's maintenance will be completely discontinued. As is the case with Adobe Flash, Silverlight development is minimized in favor of the use of standard Web-based technologies. About 10 years ago, an open source implementation of Silverlight, Moonlight was already being developed on the basis of Mono, but its development was halted due to a lack of user demand for the technology.

The OpenSilver project is trying to revive Silverlight technology to extend the life of Silverlight applications existing, as Microsoft ends up supporting the platform and browser support for add-ons. However, .NET and C # advocates can also use OpenSilver to create new programs. For application development and migration from Silverlight API to equivalent OpenSilver calls, it is suggested to use a plugin specially prepared for the Visual Studio environment.

OpenSilver is based on Mono's open source code (mono-wasm) and Microsoft Blazor (part of ASP.NET Core), and for its execution in the browser it compiles applications in the WebAssembly middleware.

OpenSilver is evolving with the CSHTML5 project, which allows you to compile C # / XAML / .NET applications into JavaScript that can be run in a browser. OpenSilver extends the CSHTML5 code base with the ability to compile C # / XAML / .NET into WebAssembly instead of JavaScript.

OpenSilver applications are compatible with all browsers that support Web Assembly, which includes the main browsers (Edge, Chrome, Firefox, Safari ...), on all major platforms (Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, ChromeOS), without users having to install a plugin, according to Userware.

As is, OpenSilver 1.0 fully supports all the major capabilities of the Silverlight engine, including full support for C # and XAML, as well as the implementation of most platform APIs enough to use C # libraries like Telerik UI , WCF RIA Servicios, PRISM and MEF.

In addition, OpenSilver also provides some advanced features not found in the original Silverlight, such as support for C # 9.0, .NET 6 and newer versions of the Visual Studio IDE, and compatibility with all JavaScript libraries.

Of the plans for the future they indicated your intention of implement Visual Basic support next year (VB.NET) is now supported in addition to the C # language, as well as providing the means to migrate WPF applications (Windows Presentation Foundation). The project also plans to implement support for the Microsoft LightSwitch development environment and ensure compatibility with popular .NET and JavaScript libraries, which are planned to be delivered in the form of out-of-the-box packages.

The project code is written in C # and is distributed under the MIT license. Silverlight compiled applications can be run in any WebAssembly-enabled desktop and mobile browser, but direct compilation is currently only possible on Windows using Visual Studio.

OpenSilver is distributed as a NuGet package (on NuGet.org) and as a VSIX extension for Visual Studio 2019 (or higher) that contains the project templates.

To create a new OpenSilver-type project, it is recommended to download the project templates first. To do so, they must go to the official OpenSilver website and click Download, log in with their Microsoft account and download the OpenSilver.VSIX file. This extension for Visual Studio will install project templates and other elements such as the XAML editor.

Finally if you are interested in knowing more about it, you can check the details and more about the project In the following link.


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  1.   Rolling said

    Curious development of this technology, since at the time Silverlight did not get to have the success of flash and very few used it

    Although if it serves to continue using flash, welcome