Overview:

Microsoft Silverlight, especially in its 64-bit version, was an essential tool for developers looking to create immersive web applications and rich media experiences. However, it’s important to note that as of my last knowledge update in September 2021, Microsoft had announced that Silverlight was reaching the end of its life cycle, and web technologies like HTML5 and JavaScript were becoming more widely adopted for similar purposes.

Developers were encouraged to transition to these newer technologies for web application development. Therefore, it’s crucial to verify the current status of Silverlight and explore alternative technologies if you are looking to develop web applications in a modern context.

Developer’s Description:

Microsoft Silverlight was a powerful development framework and runtime environment designed to create rich and interactive web applications, multimedia experiences, and streaming media content. It provided developers with a set of tools and libraries to build cross-platform, browser-based applications that could run on Windows and Macintosh systems. While the platform had a strong focus on media and graphics, it also offered capabilities for building data-driven applications.

Key Details:

• Name: Microsoft Silverlight (64-bit)
• Category: Software development framework and runtime environment
• Developer: Microsoft Corporation
• Latest Version (as of 2021): Silverlight 5
• Supported Platforms: Windows (64-bit)
• License: Proprietary (Microsoft EULA)
• Key features and capabilities of Microsoft Silverlight included:
  1. Rich Multimedia Support: Silverlight offered excellent support for audio, video, and vector graphics, making it suitable for creating engaging media-rich web applications.
  2. Cross-Browser and Cross-Platform Compatibility: Developers could target multiple web browsers on both Windows and Mac OS, making it easier to reach a broader audience.
  3. XAML-based UI Development: Silverlight used XAML (eXtensible Application Markup Language) for designing user interfaces, providing a flexible and declarative approach to UI development.
  4. .NET Framework Integration: Developers could leverage their existing knowledge of .NET languages (such as C# and VB.NET) to build Silverlight applications, enhancing productivity.
  5. Streaming Media: Silverlight supported smooth streaming of high-quality video and adaptive streaming for efficient use of bandwidth.
  6. Isolated Storage: It allowed applications to store data locally on the user’s machine, enhancing offline capabilities.