8 Best-Selling Desktop Development Books Millions Love

When Charles Petzold first mapped the intricacies of Windows programming, he created a reference that quickly became indispensable for developers. This fifth edition updates that foundation, guiding you through the essential Win32 APIs with detailed explanations of handling input, graphics, multithreading, and dynamic-link libraries. You’ll gain practical insights into Unicode support, printing, and even programming for the internet and intranets within the Windows environment. Whether you’re an aspiring programmer or seasoned developer working with Windows 95, 98, or NT, Petzold’s clear examples and thorough coverage equip you with the knowledge to master desktop applications.

When Joe Mayo first realized how daunting Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 could be for newcomers, he set out to create a guide that breaks down the IDE’s complexities into manageable lessons. You’ll gain hands-on skills in building applications using C#, VB.NET, ASP.NET, Silverlight, WPF, and WCF, with chapters that clearly annotate syntax and offer practical tips tailored for beginners. This book doesn’t just teach you to write code; it shows you how to customize and debug within Visual Studio itself, making it ideal if you want to master the development environment alongside programming basics. If you’re new to Microsoft development tools, this guide will help you build a solid foundation without overwhelming jargon or fluff.

This tailored book explores battle-tested desktop development methods designed to meet real-world challenges. It reveals essential techniques and practices refined through extensive experience, focusing on your unique background and goals. By tailoring content to your interests, it examines core desktop technologies, effective coding practices, and troubleshooting tactics that millions of developers have found valuable. This personalized guide blends proven knowledge with your specific learning needs, helping you gain insights that directly apply to your projects and skill level. It covers everything from user interface design to performance optimization, ensuring you build reliable, efficient desktop applications with confidence and clarity.

Matthew MacDonald brings his extensive experience as an MCSD developer and educator to this detailed exploration of Windows Presentation Foundation in .NET 4.5. You’ll start by reinforcing your C# knowledge while grasping foundational WPF concepts, then progress to advanced topics like control templating and data binding, with practical examples illustrating how to optimize your Windows desktop applications. The chapters on layout management and graphics rendering stand out for their clarity, helping you harness the full capabilities of WPF. If you’re aiming to deepen your mastery of Windows desktop interfaces and want a solid technical reference, this book offers exactly that without unnecessary fluff.

What started as the need to simplify the transition to Windows Vista's advanced graphics led Lori MacVittie to write this concise guide on XAML. You’ll gain a solid understanding of XAML syntax and core constructs, along with practical insights into leveraging Windows Presentation Foundation for rich user interfaces. The book breaks down complex topics like 3D rendering, animation, and layout controls into digestible examples, making it accessible whether you’re new to XAML or aiming to deepen your expertise. If you’re involved in .NET desktop development, especially targeting Vista-era technologies, this book offers a focused reference to speed up your learning curve without unnecessary distractions.

Drawing from his role as a client architect in the Java SE group at Sun Microsystems, Chet Haase crafted this book to share deep insights into building visually engaging desktop applications with Java. You’ll explore how to harness Swing and Java 2D to create dynamic graphical and animated effects that enhance user interaction without sacrificing performance. The book dives into practical topics like image handling, animation concepts, and customizing effects, making it a solid choice if you want to move beyond basic interfaces and add visual excitement to your software. It’s especially useful for developers looking to deepen their mastery of Java desktop UI programming and create applications that captivate users through richer visuals.

This tailored book explores a focused 90-day plan designed to accelerate your desktop development skills efficiently. It covers essential concepts, tools, and techniques for building desktop applications, combining popular knowledge with custom insights that match your background and interests. By concentrating on your specific goals, it reveals a clear path through practical coding, debugging, and deployment tasks that many developers find invaluable. This personalized guide breaks down complex topics into manageable steps, making rapid progress achievable without wading through unrelated material. Whether you’re new or seeking targeted growth, this book addresses your development journey with enthusiasm and clarity.

Michael Ekedahl's extensive experience in software development and certification training led him to craft this guide focused on advanced desktop application development using Visual Basic 6.0. The book dives into the latest features of VB6 at the time, such as the Install Wizard and Deployment Wizard, while also addressing crucial controls and development techniques beyond exam requirements. You gain detailed insights into preparing for Microsoft's certification exam #70-176, along with practical knowledge that supports building robust desktop solutions. This resource suits developers aiming to deepen their expertise in VB6 desktop applications, especially those pursuing official certification or working with legacy Microsoft technologies.

The methods Nick Randolph and his co-authors developed while deeply involved with Visual Studio 2010 reveal the nuanced capabilities of this IDE beyond just writing code. You gain detailed insight into customizing the interface to fit your workflow, mastering features like IntelliSense, code refactoring, and unit testing, and leveraging advanced tools for debugging, deployment, and extension. The book breaks down complex topics such as data handling with LINQ and the Entity Framework, application services, and internationalization with clear examples and chapter references. If you’re invested in Windows desktop development or want to harness Visual Studio 2010’s full power, this book guides you through practical, developer-focused expertise.

While working as a technical writer, Ellie Cutler observed that many SCO UNIX users struggled to find a single, reliable source for all system commands and programming needs. This book compiles an extensive catalog of user, programming, administration, and networking commands for SCO UNIX and Open Desktop, including shell syntax for multiple shells and tools like vi, sed, and awk. You'll find detailed chapters on compiler commands and network protocols such as TCP/IP and UUCP, making it a solid go-to reference. If you regularly work with SCO UNIX systems or need a thorough command reference, this book offers a no-frills, in-depth resource tailored to your daily demands.