The development of desktop solutions is still in great demand despite the huge popularity of cloud solutions and mobile applications. Web and mobile applications are gaining popularity due to their accessibility, but desktop applications have completely different, no less important advantages. Among them are the high performance of such programs, the possibility of customized settings for companies and users, offline access, and security. There is now a trend that many organizations are using desktop applications for their internal business needs. And software development companies, in turn, still have many desktop developers on their team and continue to serve different industries.
Pros of Desktop Apps
Desktop software is a type of application that is designed to run on computers, workstations, or other devices such as personal computers, workstations, kiosks, ATMs, POS, interfaces on medical equipment, and other types of devices. Unlike solutions that require the Internet to work, desktop applications work independently, ensuring the stable operation of systems. The ability for desktop applications to operate in autonomous mode is very important for regions with limited internet access or remote areas. Examples include research missions where desktop applications help perform critical functions. Desktop applications are reliable, performant, secure, and are also an ideal option for performing tasks that require offline access or hardware integration
One of the main reasons why desktop applications are still in demand is their versatility. They are used in various industries such as logistics, finance, insurance, design, gaming, etc. For example, in most cases, photo and video editing applications are desktop applications that perform rendering and resource-intensive tasks. Another example is ERP systems – enterprise resource planning – which help plan enterprise resources.
Desktop applications are considered reliable from a security perspective. When running locally on the user’s device, the risk of data leakage is minimized. Organizations that work with sensitive data (such as medical records or financial data) often prefer desktop solutions to meet all security and privacy regulations. It is also worth noting that desktop applications offer security options such as advanced encryption, multi-factor authentication, and more.
Desktop applications also have the advantage of a high degree of customization. Customization of applications can be done to the needs of a specific user or the organization as a whole. This ensures full integration of desktop software with existing company processes and makes them efficient.
One trend is the growing demand for AI and the creation of super-powerful desktop applications with AI options. Such desktop applications can perform extremely complex tasks with high performance. Examples include AI-based analytical tools that process huge amounts of data in real time.
Challenges of Desktop Apps and Solutions
One of the main challenges for desktop applications is to stay relevant in today’s era, when a lot of focus is on mobility and accessibility. Often, organizations are starting to address this challenge by resorting to hybrid approaches, such as combining desktop and web applications. In this case, the desktop application has a cloud-based synchronization feature so that users can access data from multiple devices.
The next big challenge is the rapid technological progress. That is why software development companies must keep up with the times and be aware of new trends. For example, this may include design practices, optimizing performance, or ensuring compatibility with certain technologies etc. Those desktop development companies that constantly invest in training their software developers provide advanced services to their clients and create modern solutions.
Technologies for the .NET Desktop Development
.NET desktop application development is one of the trends nowadays. .NET-related technologies enable the development of performant desktop solutions with rich user interface capabilities. Desktop development technologies/frameworks:
- WPF
- .NET MAUI
- Windows Forms
- WinUI with WinAppSDK
- Blazor Hybrid
Reasons to Hire Professional .NET Desktop Development Companies
Hiring a .NET desktop development company has a number of advantages for the customer. Specialized companies have extensive experience in implementing NET-based desktop applications; they know the possible challenges and ways to avoid them, they know the specifics of desktop applications, and they offer cost-effective solutions. Service providers can both create .NET desktop applications from scratch, taking into account all current trends and customer needs, and can also take over the maintenance of outdated desktop applications, their rework, or migration to more modern technology. When you work with a specialized desktop development company, you rely on professional expertise and qualified .NET desktop developers.
In addition to all of the above, the customer has flexibility in choosing a cooperation model: expanding their existing team by hiring an additional external .NET desktop developer, creating a dedicated .NET desktop development team, or completely handing over the project to the service providing company .NET desktop development companies have big experience in hardware integration, upgrading legacy systems, AI integration, etc. They follow all the best coding practices, security considerations, and compliance with industry regulations.
Advantages of the Modern Desktop Application Development
- Hybrid options, where desktop applications operate as the user interface for the cloud back-ends
- Cross-platform options. It is possible to develop cross-platform apps that will operate on Windows, macOS, and also on Android/iOS using .NET MAUI
- Integrations of the advanced artificial intelligence features, such as predictive analytics, recommendation algorithms, and more
- Offline-first approach enables the users to perform critical tasks or access information without interruption
- Advanced security and reduced risks of threats and data leaks
- Integration with the hardware and simple operation on devices like manufacturing machines, healthcare equipment, and more
- Perfect solution for the enterprise-level business applications
- High performance and the ability to process large amounts of data
- Perfect multitasking options and window management
Conclusion
Desktop applications have been, are, and will be in demand. In this article, we have revealed the reasons for this phenomenon and listed the main advantages of desktop solutions based on .NET. Desktop application development with .NET allows you to create modern, scalable, and reliable applications. .NET desktop development companies can advise their customers on the appropriateness of choosing a particular technology/framework for developing a solution based on the needs of the customers.