HTML, or the HyperText Markup Language, is the standard markup language for the web.
It's very easy to learn and understand, free, supported by all browsers, search engine friendly, and can be integrated easily with other programming languages. It's lightweight too.
But when it comes to desktop computers, or on interfaces that are not web browsers, HTML can be an issue.
In this case, Microsoft decides to ditch HTML on its Windows 11, the successor of Windows 10.
But that is only on its Microsoft Store.
On Windows 10, Microsoft's Windows Store behaves just like a web browser, in which it will receive HTML documents from Microsoft's web server, and render the documents into a multimedia page, thanks to JavaScript, adorned with some Cascading Style Sheets (CSS).
This allows Microsoft to easily structure the documents by creating structural semantics for text such as headings, paragraphs, lists, links, quotes and other items.
But on desktop, the HTML/CSS web components can slow down the experience significantly, especially when clicking on “get” or install” buttons. Or worse, as sometimes things just don't work properly when users attempt to download medium to large-sized apps and games.
According to Microsoft, the Microsoft Store on Windows 11 has been “redesigned from the ground up”.
In the operating system's preview build that is at this time, available to only Windows Insiders, which gives interested users a closer look at the new operating system, the Microsoft Store on Windows 11 replaces Microsoft Store on Windows 10's HTML/CSS reliance on the front-end and C++ on the back-end, with XAML/C#.
This way, Microsoft Store on Windows 11 is fully “UWP”.
That, according to Microsoft officials.
As a result, the Store performance has improved significantly. What's more, downloads no longer fail.
Microsoft also stated the that the Microsoft Store on Windows 11 has its interface redesigned from its predecessor, with extra responsive scrolling and added area for extra content material.
With the moment, Microsoft also announced that it is changing its Microsoft Store business model too, in which it is allowing developers to retain a 100% of their income.
This is a huge blog, and a huge difference to what developers can earn on competing platforms, like on Google and Apple, where they are subjected to a huge 30% cut.
Microsoft hopes that by giving developers all the money, they will try their best to develop applications and games for its Microsoft Store application market.
"Starting July 28, app developers will also have an option to bring their own or a third party commerce platform in their apps, and if they do so they don’t need to pay Microsoft any fee. They can keep 100% of their revenue," said Microsoft in a blog post.
And for another huge blog to competitors, Microsoft also said that users of Windows 11 can "run your favorite Android mobile games and apps on Windows."
"We also announced a partnership with Amazon to bring their catalog of Android apps and games to Windows. Windows customers will be able to discover Android apps in the Microsoft Store, and acquire them through the Amazon Appstore."