Introduction to Silverlight 1.0

  • Article

Microsoft Silverlight is a cross-browser, cross-platform implementation of the .NET Framework for building and delivering the next generation of media experiences and rich interactive applications for the Web and devices. This topic provides information for developing with the 1.0 release of Silverlight. Silverlight 1.0 utilizes the XAML markup language and JavaScript to create applications.

Note   Silverlight 1.1 (currently available as an Alpha version) lets you use languages other than JavaScript, including .NET Framework languages such as C# and Visual Basic. See the QuickStart documentation for Silverlight 1.1 Alpha for more information.

This topic contains the following sections:

  • Silverlight Scenarios
  • Silverlight Features
  • Getting Started

Silverlight Scenarios

Silverlight is designed for Web page content that is connected to a host (that is, will not work offline), that deeply engages the user, and that can render on any browser. Silverlight can be used for the following Web application scenarios:

  • Web media - Branded playback with events, video, and marketing mix, dynamic videos with ads, audio playback, and so forth.
  • Rich islands on a page (mini applications) — Casual games and gadgets.
  • Web visualization elements — Navigation properties, data visualization, and ads.

For demonstrations of these types of Silverlight-based applications, see the Silverlight Showcase. For additional samples, including samples you can download, see the Silverlight Gallery.

Silverlight Features

Silverlight 1.0 (which uses JavaScript) provides the following features:

  • Rich content capabilities: With Silverlight, you can add a variety of rich content, including video, animations, text, 2-D graphics, and visual effects to your Web pages. These features will run in any browser and will deliver a richer customer experience than HTML alone.
  • XAML markup language: Silverlight-based applications use a powerful declarative markup language called Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML) as the foundation for creating engaging graphics, animation, and media. XAML is similar to HTML, but it is more powerful and extensible.
  • Tools: Tools such as Microsoft Expression Blend and Microsoft Expression Design improve the productivity and collaboration of designers and developers who create Silverlight-based applications.
  • Integration with the server: XAML integrates seamlessly with ASP.NET AJAX, and provides richer presentation capabilities than ASP.NET AJAX alone.
  • No compilation: JavaScript is interpreted by the browser rather than having to be compiled. You can embed JavaScript code directly in HTML files and simply refresh the Web page to test the changes you made.
  • Small download: All Silverlight-based applications require customers to download a small plug-in (1-3 MB) that is easy and fast to install.

Note   For additional information about Silverlight architecture and a detailed list of features, see Silverlight 1.0 Architecture.

Getting Started

The following resources will help you get started creating Silverlight-based applications.

  • QuickStarts: These practical, hands-on examples help you get started creating your applications quickly, without going into a lot of detail.
    • Silverlight 1.0 QuickStart shows how to create Silverlight-based applications using XAML and JavaScript.
    • Silverlight QuickStart Using Microsoft Expression Blend demonstrates how to use Microsoft Expression Blend to create Silverlight-based applications. This design tool can greatly simplify and speed up common procedures such as drawing shapes, creating gradients, creating animations, applying transforms, and much more. A free trial of Expression Blend is available.
    • Silverlight 1.1 Alpha QuickStarts show how to create Silverlight-based applications by using Silverlight 1.1 Alpha. Like Silverlight 1.0, Silverlight 1.1 uses XAML. It also can use other languages (for example, C# and Visual Basic) instead of JavaScript.
  • Samples: You can view and download Silverlight samples from the Silverlight Gallery. New samples are periodically added to this online resource. For larger, real-world samples, see the Silverlight Showcase.
  • Overviews: The Overviews and How-to Topics section discusses various Silverlight development concepts such as object positioning, mouse and keyboard support, graphics, multimedia, and animations.
  • Reference: The Reference section provides documentation on all the individual objects, methods, properties, events, and enumerations used in Silverlight 1.0.