Developer Tools Overview

The next major developer tools releases are Visual Studio 2005 (formerly code-named Whidbey) and an update for the .NET Framework run-time system. Major new features include a new team development system with features for source-code control, bug tracking, application modeling, and load testing; ASP.NET 2.0, a substantial improvement to Microsoft’s Web programming framework with new features for Web content management and personalization; a much improved Visual Basic development environment, which supports “edit-and-continue” (dynamic modification of code being debugged); and development support for server-side programming with SQL Server 2005 (code-named Yukon). The Visual Studio Tools for Office, which support development of Word- and Excel-based custom solutions, will get an update about the same time as Visual Studio 2005.

Beyond 2005, the next tools release is Visual Studio Orcas, for programming on Windows Longhorn, which will incorporate the .NET Framework and present a new API set (called WinFX). However, the late delivery of Visual Studio 2005 suggests that Orcas will not be available until 2007, after the Windows Longhorn client ships. Meanwhile, developers will be able to write for Longhorn using Whidbey. However, they will lack important tools, such as a visual user interface designer for the Avalon graphics system.