Windows Core OS, a modular version of Windows 10

guest · Mar 26, 2020

Windows Core OS: The complete guide
October 20, 2019 (Updated March 16, 2020)
https://www.windowscentral.com/windows-core-os

Trying to keep up with Microsoft's internal Windows Core OS (WCOS) project is no easy task. Even we find it challenging to keep up with all the different codenames, plans, and changes being made to Windows with Windows Core OS. So, to try and keep things in line, we've compiled this ultimate guide for Windows Core OS, CShell, and everything in between.

Windows Core OS is something we've been writing about since early 2017 and has been in the works for much longer. It's the future of Windows, which takes the shared code of OneCore and builds a modern, legacy-free OS on top of it. Windows Core OS, along with CShell, allows Microsoft to create new versions of Windows 10 quickly, and share standard components and features across different device types and WCOS versions quickly and easily.

It's essentially a modular platform. Any feature or function Microsoft builds for it can then be applied to any Windows Core OS device that it wants.
Click to expand...

There are a whole bunch of different codenames and words used to describe the different versions of WCOS. So we've tried to include all the names Microsoft uses for these editions of Windows Core OS.
Windows Core OS for laptops and foldable PCs / Windows 10X
Windows 10X (codenamed Santorini, Lite OS, and Modern PC) is a flavor of Windows Core OS that appears to be for both foldable PCs and traditional laptops and tablets.
Windows Core OS for Mixed Reality devices / Windows Holographic
Windows Holographic (codenamed Oasis) is the flavor of Windows Core OS for Mixed Reality experiences like HoloLens 2. HoloLens 2 is Microsoft's first shipping Windows Core OS product.
Windows Core OS for Xbox / GameCore
Details around GameCore are pretty scarce, but here's what we know so far. It's a version of Windows Core OS designed for the Xbox; specifically, the next-generation Xbox codenamed Scarlett.
The main focus on this variant is to allow game developers to build once, run everywhere, including full Windows 10.
Click to expand...

In the original pitch for Windows Core OS, legacy Win32 programs were not in the picture, not really.
This functionality will be made available where it makes sense, like on Windows 10X. Win32 programs, by default, are sandboxed and containerized on Windows Core OS.

Windows Core OS, out of the box, doesn't ship with any of the legacy Win32 programs you find on Windows 10 today. Many of them will be made available as optional features that you can either enable from Settings or download from the Microsoft Store. Things like the legacy Control Panel or File Explorer won't be part of Windows Core OS, however.
Click to expand...

Log in or Sign up

Windows Core OS, a modular version of Windows 10

guest Guest

Log in or Sign up

Windows Core OS, a modular version of Windows 10

guest Guest

Useful Searches