Windows 10 is finally here! Here are the essentials for you as a developer.

Visual Studio 2015 has released July 20 and Windows 10, the Windows 10 SDKandtheVisual Studio Universal Windows app development tools have finally released on July 29, just a few days ago.

Now is the time to start creating universal Windows 10 apps, that will be able to run on Windows 10 based PCs, smartphones, the Xbox One, Internet of Things devices and even the upcoming, highly anticipated Microsoft Hololens! iOS and Android developers will also be able, to make their apps run on Windows 10 based devices with very little change, using the new “platform bridges”. Classic Windows software (Win32, .NET and COM) can also be converted to an APPX package that can be distributed via the Windows Store – the best way to get your software to your users! And finally, website publishes can publish their unchanged webpages to the Windows Store for Windows 10 users to find. With the help of an XML manifest and JavaScript, “installed” websites will be able to use advanced Windows features, like Live Tiles, Cortana integration or the ability to send new appointments to the calendar app, just to name a few.

There is nothing standing between you and your own Windows 10 app now! We have created a list of essential learning videos to get you up to speed on everything new for developers in Windows 10.

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Introducing the Windows 10 App Model

Windows 10 dramatically expands the ways in which developers can build apps and games by adding several new programming models, and also expanding the app model to support a broader set of developer scenarios. Andrew will explore these in depth and give you the information you need to get started building Windows apps that leverage these features today.

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Design: UX Patterns and Responsive Techniques for Universal Windows Apps

Get to know some of the key advantages and interaction features of creating an app on the Universal Windows Platform. Along with fewer publishing restrictions and a shared code base, you’ll enjoy greater design flexibility, including new interactive and visual elements that can respond to contextual shifts across a wide array of devices.

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Cortana Extensibility in Universal Windows Apps

The leaders of the Cortana team will share how developers can tap into Cortana on Windows 10 to make their Universal Windows apps more discoverable and drive deep user engagement. We'll share how extensibility fits into the overall Cortana vision and how your apps can take advantage of new voice command capabilities. The presentation will be followed by a brief Q&A with the team.

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Moving to the Universal Windows Platform: Porting an App from Windows 8.1 XAML or Windows Phone Silverlight to Windows 10

Do you have a Windows 8.1 or Silverlight app today? Want to take advantage of moving to a single code base and delivering your app with ease on to multiple Windows devices? Come learn about porting strategies of moving your existing code to the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) for Windows 10 What works, what's difficult and how to be most productive in getting to Windows 10 quickly.

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Strategies for Developing Cross-Platform Applications with Visual Studio 2015

This session will cover the strategic decisions you have to make as a developer when targeting multiples platforms in your application. We will explore the tools and technologies that you have available in Visual Studio 2015 for both web and native applications that target Windows, iOS and Android devices.

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Converting your Classic Windows App (Win32, .Net, COM) to a Universal Windows App for Distribution in the Windows Store

Enabling existing Classic Windows applications (Win32, .NET, COM) to be part of the Store ecosystem is a key part of Windows 10. This session will cover in detail the technologies that will enable you to convert your app to a Windows APPX package, enabling it to be distributed by the Store and to take advantage of the Universal Windows Platform.

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Build Great Windows Apps with Your Android Code

This session will take you through a journey of leveraging the new Windows 10 SDK to help you take your Android app to Windows store. In this session we will explore the following: 1. Learn how to leverage your existing code to build a Universal Windows app 2. Using the Windows App Compatibility page to evaluate your existing Android application 3. Leveraging existing Android workflow to debug your app on a Windows Phone 4. Using Microsoft Services in your application 5. Leveraging exciting new tools that will ease your application development for Windows.

If you are looking for a comprehensive deep-dive training with over 20 hours of content, covering every aspect of Windows 10 for developers, the following, free Microsoft Virtual Academy training is the place for you to go. You can watch the 23 modules at your own pace and in your own order of relevance.

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A Developer's Guide to Windows 10

Want an in-depth look at the Universal Windows Platform (UWP)? Engaging experts Jerry Nixon and Andy Wigley show you how Windows capabilities and social integration can help you create amazing experiences on devices running Windows 10, including phones, tablets,  PCs, and even (coming soon) Xbox! Jerry and Andy offer demo-rich Windows 10 goodness, explore cool new features, and share practical guidance. Each module lasts about 30 minutes, so you can check out the topics that interest you most. Note: To refresh your basic knowledge of development languages, check out Programming in C# or explore the XAML modules in Developing Universal Windows Apps with C# and XAML.

To learn more about the new features in Visual Studio 2015, please visit the Visual Studio site, watch Visual Studio video series on Channel 9 or tune in to the recording of the Visual Studio 2015 launch event.