14 DAY TRIAL // With Windows 10 just around the corner, Microsoft’s mission to bring more apps in the store is getting the last chance, so the company’s trying anything that’s possible to make sure that developers have all the tools they need to create these apps.
As a result, the final version of Visual Studio 2015 is now available for download, so if you’re looking for the most powerful tools to create apps for Windows 10, this is the right way to go.
Microsoft says that Visual Studio 2015 can be used not only for Windows apps but also for Android and iOS, and describes it as the perfect solution for developers who want to port their apps from non-Windows platforms to Windows 10.
It supports C#, Visual Basic, C++, Python, Node.js and HTML/JavaScript, it offers advanced debugging, automated and manual testing, as well as plenty of templates to start from for developers working on all platforms.
As far as universal apps are concerned, Visual Studio 2015 provides a rich set of tools to configure your build for all devices, including PCs, tablets, and smartphones, but also options to optimize the app for x86 or ARM devices.
Versions and pricing
Visual Studio 2015 will be available in three different versions, each of them specifically created to address a certain developer category and to bring more advanced capabilities for creating apps.
First of all, there’s the free Visual Studio Community, which can be downloaded without paying a single cent by anyone out there.
Then, there’s the Visual Studio Professional 2015 with MSDN, which costs $1,200 for a one-year subscription per user and $800 for a renewal.
The most advanced version is Visual Studio Enterprise Edition 2015 with MSDN, which combines Visual Studio Premium 2013 with MSDN and Ultimate 2013 with MSDN in a single package available for $13,300 for a new subscription and $4,250 for a renewal subscription.