Microsoft Will Open Source the Windows App SDK — Just Don’t Ask About When as “this isn’t a flip-the-switch moment, it’s a deliberate process”

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Microsoft recently disclosed their intentions to make the Windows App SDK open-source, as revealed by Beth Pan, a member of the Windows App SDK team at Microsoft, in a blog post on GitHub towards the end of last week.

In the post, Pan confirms that there is an intention to begin moving the Windows App SDK towards a more open and collaborative future, and that plans for truly open sourcing the repo are being made, but that no specific time frame has been committed to.

As a dedicated follower, I’ve noticed the curiosity and anticipation about open-sourcing the repository. Although I can’t promise an exact timeline for completing all milestones, rest assured that we are steadily working towards this goal. This isn’t about flipping a switch; it’s about a thoughtful, deliberate process.

The reason for this lies in the extensive integration of WinUI and the Windows App SDK within the Windows operating system. Some segments of the code delve into confidential parts of the OS, which are not allowed to be made publicly available as open-source. Consequently, the team working on the Windows App SDK must separate the components that can be open-sourced from those parts of Windows that cannot.

Pan explains, “We’re being mindful of how we allocate resources. This work is taking place simultaneously with other essential tasks such as security, platform maintenance, and support for current products. Our main focus at the moment is on fundamental projects that create value for contributors and enhance transparency. We are coordinating this work with Microsoft’s broader business objectives to guarantee ongoing support and significant impact in the long run.

As an analyst, I’ve noticed that Microsoft seems to be following a strategic roadmap for the open-sourcing of the Windows App SDK. Over the next six months or more, it appears there are four crucial stages we can expect them to pass through before they can fully embrace this open-source approach.

  • Phase 1: Increased Mirror Frequency
    After the WASDK 1.8 release (end of August), we’ll begin more frequent mirroring of internal commits to GitHub to increase transparency and show progress.
  • Phase 2: 3rd Party Devs Build Locally
    External developers will be able to clone and build the repo locally, with documentation to guide setup and dependencies.
  • Phase 3: 3rd Party Devs Contribute & Run Tests
    Contributors will be able to submit PRs and run tests locally. We’re working to untangle private dependencies and make test infrastructure publicly accessible.
  • Phase 4: GitHub as Center of Gravity
    GitHub becomes the primary place for development, issue tracking, and community engagement. Internal mirrors will be phased out.

Although the plan for making the Windows App SDK open source has been announced, it appears we’re yet to see it come into fruition. This news might excite developers of Windows apps who are eager to contribute towards enhancing the Windows App SDK.

Lately, there’s been growing concern among developers that Microsoft might be neglecting the Windows App SDK. Important problems and apprehensions remain unresolved, and it seems quite some time has passed without significant new features being incorporated into the development kit.

However, the news that the company plans to make it open-source has sparked renewed optimism among developers. Here’s hoping that the Software Development Kit (SDK) will continue to receive funding in the coming years, as there are numerous problems and innovative ideas that developers are eager to address.

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2025-08-06 16:17