Most of us were expecting a new Windows 10 SDK and assorted tools to arrive in time for Microsoft’s Build Developer Conference next month. Instead, the company surprised by releasing an enormous SDK and Visual Studio Tools for Windows 10 package on Monday, five weeks ahead of the annual gathering of the Windows faithful.

Microsoft clearly aims to give developers a head start on building Windows apps.(A note on terminology: What used to be known as Metro apps, then Windows 8 apps, Windows Store, modern, then universal apps, are now simply called Windows apps — this week anyway.

Although you’ll find references to all those earlier terms scattered through the documentation. As Paul Thurrott explains on his website, what used to be called Windows programs or Windows apps are now known as Windows desktop apps).

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