Contracts

Abstract

If you are building a Windows 8 Store app as you read the chapters, by now, your app is mostly functional in what it is meant to do. However, remember the promise of the one Windows 8 ecosystem? As the user is using your Windows 8 Store app, you do not want the experience to be jarring, or worse—making the user jump through hoops to get something done. What we developers should do is integrate our Windows 8 Store apps as closely as possible with the operating system (OS) so that users have a seamless experience. Wouldn’t you like your app’s data to be searchable, even if the user is not explicitly running your app? How about talking to other apps so that you do not reinvent the wheel for a feature? All of this is accomplished through what we call Windows 8 app contracts. You will take a deep dive into several must-implement contracts, like Search, Share, Settings, and File Picker. You will start simple and take a look at lot of code to get contracts integration working end-to-end for your dream Windows 8 app. This chapter will be a tad long, but hang tight and pick the pieces you need. Implement some of these contracts and rest assured, your Windows 8 Store app will shine with OS integration that leads to increased usage—and ultimately a happier you.