In Detail
Microsoft Silverlight is a programmable web browser plug-in that enables features including animation, vector graphics, and audio-video playback-features that characterize Rich Internet Applications. Silverlight makes possible the development of RIA applications in familiar .NET languages such as C# and VB.NET.
Silverlight is a great (and growing) Line of Business platform and is increasingly being used to build business applications. Silverlight 3 made a big step in LOB; Silverlight 4 builds upon this further. This book will enable .NET developers to feel the pulse of business application development with Silverlight quickly.
This book is not a general Silverlight 3/4 overview book. It is uniquely aimed at developers who require an introduction to building business applications with Silverlight. This book will focus on building a suite of real-world, useful business applications in a practical hands-on approach. This book is for .Net developers, providing the answers to many questions that are encountered when creating business applications in Silverlight, ultimately enabling rapid development with ease!
This book teaches you how to build business applications with Silverlight 3 and 4. Building a suite of applications, it begins by introducing you to the basic tools and skills needed to get started in Silverlight development. It then dives deeply into the world of business application development, covering all the required concepts needed to build sophisticated business applications and provide a rich user experience. Chapters include: building a public website, adding rich media to the website, incorporating RIA into your website, and much more!
By following the practical steps in this book, you will learn what's needed to create rich business applications-from the creation of a Silverlight application, to enhancing your application with rich media and connecting your Silverlight application to various Data Sources.
This book is based on Silverlight 4, Visual Studio 2010, WCF RIA Services and Expression Blend 3, since Expression Blend 4 was released after publication. However, you can also use Expression Blend 4 with this book as downloadable code is now available.
Approach
A Beginner's Guide tutorial, this book offers learning and techniques through a suite of business applications. It contains step-by-step instructions for developers who want to build rich business applications using Silverlight. The book focuses on practical examples and has a friendly approach, with the opportunity to learn by experiment and play. It uses illustrations, screenshots, and interactive experiences to understand the most complex topics related to Silverlight business application development. It is designed in such a way that you can refer to topics chapter by chapter, and read them in no particular order.
Who this book is for
If you are a .NET developer who wants to build business applications with Silverlight, then this is the book for you. No experience of programming Silverlight is required. Basic understanding of Visual Studio, C#, .Net development, XML, and Web development concepts (HTTP, Services) is required.
