Microsoft Windows SDK

What's new in this version:

WINDOWS ACK 2.2:
- As of November 28, 2012, either Windows ACK 2.2 or the previous version (9200) is required when submitting desktop apps for Windows certification. Windows ACK 2.2 is also required for app submissions to the Windows Store as of December 11, 2012. Windows ACK 2.2 includes bug fixes as well as three new tests
- Optimized binding references (when using bindings, WinJS.Binding.optimizeBindingReferences should be set to TRUE in the app’s JavaScript to optimize the memory usage)
- Branding validation (apps should not use the default icons generated by Visual Studio or included in the SDK samples)
- Private code signing (remove any private code signing keys, such as .pfx files, from the package).

Windows Store apps:
- The Windows SDK provides all the headers, libraries, Windows Metadata files, and tools to build the new Windows Store apps introduced with Windows 8.

NET Framework 4.5 SDK:
- The Windows SDK includes the reference assemblies, tools, headers, and libraries needed to build applications that target the .NET Framework 4.5.

Integrated DirectX SDK:
- The DirectX SDK is now part of the Windows SDK. Many of the tools and components that originally shipped in the DirectX SDK now ship as part of the Windows SDK to support building great DirectX applications for Windows using only a single SDK. Directions for using the DirectX SDK with the new Windows SDK through Visual Studio 2012 can be found here, if you need to continue to use the DirectX SDK for access to legacy components.

Decreased size:
- At roughly 300 MB, this version of the SDK is about half the size of the Windows SDK for Windows 7 and the .NET Framework 4. Therefore, the newer version installs faster and has a smaller system footprint.


UPDATED OR REMOVED FEATURES:

Command-line build environment:
- The Windows SDK no longer ships with a complete command-line build environment. The Windows SDK now requires a compiler and build environment to be installed separately. By removing the command-line build environment, the Windows SDK no longer ships the following components: Windows SDK Platform Toolset, Visual C++ Compilers and C Runtime (CRT), and Windows SDK Configuration Tool.

Microsoft Help Viewer:
- The Microsoft Help Viewer no longer ships as part of the Windows SDK.

NET framework tools and reference assemblies:
- The Windows SDK for Windows 8 includes support for the .NET Framework 4.5 development tools and reference assemblies. Tools and reference assemblies for previous versions of the .NET Framework aren't included in this version of the Windows SDK. You can continue to download and install the Microsoft Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 4 to acquire tools and reference assemblies for previous versions of the .NET Framework.

IntelliSense:
- The XML documentation comments for the .NET Framework reference assemblies no longer ship as part of the Windows SDK.

Samples:
- All Windows samples have been moved to the Windows Dev Center. The Windows Dev Center provides access to hundreds of demonstrative samples which are filterable by technology, programming language, and development platform. Samples are available for Windows Store apps and Desktop apps. Additional samples are available on the MSDN Code Gallery.

Tools:
- Many obsolete or deprecated tools have been removed from the Windows SDK. The following tools have been removed: Apatch.exe, Bind.exe, Checkv4.exe, Consume.exe, DeviceSimulatorForWindowsSideShow.msi, Err.exe, FDBrowser.exe, FXCopSetup.exe, Guidgen.exe, Make-Shell.exe, MDbg.exe, Mpatch.exe, MSIZap.exe, PTConform.exe, ReBase.exe, sddlgen.exe, setenv.cmd, SetReg.exe, SoapSuds.exe, Sporder.exe, TcpAnalyzer.exe, TSPDesigner.exe, UTL2IDL.exe, ValidateSD.exe, VirtualLightSensor.exe, WinDiff.exe, WpfPerf.exe.