Microsoft has announced the general availability of Edge WebView2 for .NET 5, .NET Core, and .NET Framework WinForms and WPF. Developers can now use Microsoft’s new embedded web control for .NET and Fixed Version distribution mode in production applications, the company has confirmed. In October, Microsoft announced WebView2 for Win32 C/C++ environments.
Edge WebView2 expanded to more programming environments
Built on top of Edge Chromium, WebView2 eliminates the dependency on a specific version of Microsoft Edge. It uses Edge Chromium as the rendering engine to display web content in native applications. It also allows developers to implement modern web technologies in existing and upcoming apps. The WebView2 brings the best of the web to your native desktop application (Hybrid applications).
If you are a developer, you can host web content in native applications with WebView2 Runtime.
“We want to thank all of our early users and developers that engaged with us throughout the WebView2 Preview period. The tremendous amount of support and enthusiasm we’ve received from the community has been unparalleled. Constant feedback, bug reports, and feature requests have helped shape the WebView2 product roadmap and we look forward to continuing to respond to the needs of the community,” said Palak Goel, Program Manager, Microsoft Edge.
WebView2 benefits
- Use the entire web platform and libraries that exist within the web ecosystem.
- Web development enables faster deployment and iteration.
- Consistent user experience across Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10.
- Access the full set of Native APIs.
- Add web code to your codebase for increased re-use across multiple platforms.
- Find new feature requests when WebView2 is released as GA.
- Regular platform updates and security patches.
- Choose to package the Chromium bits in your application (coming soon).
- Add web components piece by piece to your native application.
How to get started
WebView2 supports the following programming environments:
- Win32 C/C++ (GA)
- .NET Framework 4.6.2 or later
- .NET Core 3.1 or later
- .NET 5
- WinUI 3.0 (Preview)
Make sure you have installed both Microsoft Edge (Chromium) and the WebView2 SDK installed. Now, get started with suitable environments, including Win32 C/C++, WPF, WinForms, and WinUI3.
Fix Couldn’t find Edge installation error on Windows 11
If you see this error when trying to open Microsoft Edge on Windows 11, then you need to go to Microsoft Store and download and install WebView2.
