Updating for the AI age

Author: GrantMeStrength

hub/apps/get-started/windows-developer-glossary.md

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 title: Windows developer glossary
 description:  A glossary of terms related to Windows application development.
 ms.topic: glossary
-ms.date: 12/16/2024
+ms.date: 9/24/2025
 ms.localizationpriority: medium
 ms.collection: windows11
 audience: new-desktop-app-developers
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ Often referred to as "app model". The combination of deployment, isolation, life
 
 Describes the way in which your app is packaged before being deployed and installed by users. An app can be packaged, unpackaged, or packaged with external location (see the [Windows developer FAQ](/windows/apps/get-started/windows-developer-faq#what-s-the-difference-between-apps-that-are-packaged--unpackaged--and-packaged-with-external-location)).
 
+#### Azure AI Foundry
+
+A managed platform for building, evaluating, and deploying generative AI applications with foundation models. Formerly known as Azure AI Studio. See [Azure AI Foundry documentation](/azure/ai-foundry/).
+
 #### Bootstrapper
 
 A redistributable component providing an API to find and load the Windows App SDK framework package for the calling process. In a packaged with external location or unpackaged app, you can opt to load the Windows App SDK framework package explicitly by calling Bootstrapper APIs such as [MddBootstrapInitialize](/windows/windows-app-sdk/api/win32/mddbootstrap/nf-mddbootstrap-mddbootstrapinitialize). Also see [Reference the Windows App SDK framework package at run time](../windows-app-sdk/use-windows-app-sdk-run-time.md).
@@ -33,6 +37,10 @@ A redistributable component providing an API to find and load the Windows App SD
 
 C++/WinRT is a standard C++17 language projection for Windows Runtime (WinRT) APIs, implemented as a header-file-based library, and designed to provide you with first-class access to modern Windows APIs. [C++/WinRT](/windows/uwp/cpp-and-winrt-apis/).
 
+#### DirectML
+
+A high‑performance, hardware‑accelerated API for machine learning on Windows that runs on a broad range of GPUs (and increasingly NPUs) using the DirectX 12 stack. See [DirectML overview](/windows/ai/directml/dml-intro).
+
 #### Dynamic Dependencies
 
 [Dynamic Dependencies](https://github.com/microsoft/WindowsAppSDK/blob/main/specs/dynamicdependencies/DynamicDependencies.md) makes framework packages accessible to all kinds of apps: packaged and unpackaged.
@@ -57,6 +65,10 @@ An app that uses multiple technologies. For example, a .NET MAUI app that uses B
 
 A C/C++ runtime library linkage technique that simplifies deployment. Also referred to simply as *Hybrid CRT*. See [Hybrid C/C++ runtime library linkage (hybrid CRT linkage)](../windows-app-sdk/migrate-to-windows-app-sdk/migrate-to-windows-app-sdk-ovw.md).
 
+#### Large language model (LLM)
+
+A transformer-based model trained on large corpora to understand and generate natural language (and sometimes images/audio). Supports tasks like chat, summarization, and code generation. See [Azure OpenAI models](/azure/ai-services/openai/concepts/models).
+
 #### Managed apps
 
 "Managed" refers to the "managed runtime" of .NET, which provides managed services such as garbage collection and security assurances. If you're building an app with .NET, you're building a managed app.
@@ -77,6 +89,20 @@ Traditionally, "native" refers to applications built without using the .NET runt
 
 .NET Multi-platform App UI. A cross-platform framework for creating native mobile and desktop apps with C# and XAML. An evolution of `Xamarin.Forms` extended from mobile to desktop scenarios, with UI controls rebuilt from the ground up for performance and extensibility. [What is .NET MAUI?](/dotnet/maui/what-is-maui).
 
+#### Neural Processing Unit (NPU)
+
+A dedicated on‑device AI accelerator optimized for transformer operations and other ML workloads. Windows apps can target NPUs via APIs like [DirectML](/windows/ai/directml/dml-intro).
+
+
+#### OCR
+
+Text recognition, also known as optical character recognition (OCR), is supported in Windows AI Foundry through a set of artificial intelligence (AI)-backed APIs that can detect and extract text within images and convert it into machine readable character streams. See [Get started with AI Text Recognition](/windows/ai/apis/ocr).
+
+#### ONNX Runtime (ORT)
+
+A high‑performance, cross‑platform inference engine for models in the ONNX format. On Windows, ORT commonly uses the DirectML execution provider for GPU/NPU acceleration. See [ONNX Runtime documentation](https://onnxruntime.ai/docs/). WindowsML uses ONNX Runtime under the hood.
+
+
 #### Packaged app
 
 For definitions of apps that are packaged, unpackaged, and packaged with external location, see [Deployment overview](../package-and-deploy/index.md). That topic also explains the advantages and disadvantages of each option.
@@ -85,6 +111,10 @@ For definitions of apps that are packaged, unpackaged, and packaged with externa
 
 For definitions of apps that are packaged, unpackaged, and packaged with external location, see [Deployment overview](../package-and-deploy/index.md). That topic also explains the advantages and disadvantages of each option.
 
+#### PowerToys
+
+A set of utilities for power users to tune and streamline their Windows experience for greater productivity. See [PowerToys documentation](https://docs.microsoft.com/windows/powertoys/).
+
 #### Progressive web app (PWA)
 
 An application that you build by using web technologies, and that can be installed and can run on all devices, from one codebase. See [Overview of Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)](/microsoft-edge/progressive-web-apps-chromium/) for more information about building PWAs.
@@ -105,6 +135,10 @@ The codename for the Windows App SDK. No longer in use.
 
 A set of recommended responsible development practices to use as you create applications and features. See [Developing Responsible Generative AI Applications and Features on Windows](/windows/ai/rai/) to learn more about the RAI principles and how they apply to Windows development.
 
+#### Small language model (SLM)
+
+A compact model (for example, Microsoft Phi‑3) designed to run efficiently on client devices (CPU/GPU/NPU) with lower latency and cost, suitable for many on‑device AI scenarios. See [Small language models on Azure](/azure/ai-services/small-language-models/) and [Get started with Phi Silica](/windows/ai/apis/phi-silica).
+
 #### Universal Windows Platform (UWP)
 
 An application development platform and application model that uses Windows Runtime (WinRT) APIs to deliver packaged apps. UWP apps run in a sandboxed environment, and they inherit the security of the UWP platform. [Learn more about UWP](/windows/uwp/).
@@ -128,13 +162,17 @@ Lets you create, package, and deploy Visual Studio extensions. [Get started with
 
 A control that allows app developers to embed web content (HTML/CSS/JS) in their native apps using the Microsoft Edge (Chromium) rendering engine. You can use WebView2 in WinUI 3, Win32 C++, WPF, and WinForms, and it offers a developer preview for WinUI 2 / UWP support. See [Introduction to Microsoft Edge WebView2](/microsoft-edge/webview2/).
 
+#### Windows AI Foundry
+
+Windows AI Foundry offers AI-backed features and APIs on Windows 11 PCs. These features are in active development. See [What is Windows AI Foundry?](/windows/ai/windows-ai-foundry/).
+
 #### Windows API
 
 Refers to the entire set of Windows APIs including Win32 APIs, COM APIs, UWP WinRT APIs, and the WinRT/Win32 APIs that are part of WinAppSDK and WinUI 3.
 
 #### Windows App SDK
 
-A set of new developer components and tools that represent the next evolution in the Windows app development platform. The successor to UWP / WinUI 2 for desktop application development. It lifts libraries from the OS into a standalone SDK that you can use to build backwards-compatible desktop apps. See [Overview of app development options](./index.md).
+A set of new developer components and tools that represent the next evolution in the Windows app development platform. The successor to UWP / WinUI 2 for desktop application development. It lifts libraries from the OS into a standalone SDK that you can use to build backwards-compatible desktop apps, and is often used to ship new features and capabilities. See [Overview of app development options](./index.md).
 
 #### Windows Forms
 
@@ -148,22 +186,22 @@ A UI framework for building Windows desktop applications. WPF applications are b
 
 The Windows SDK is a collection of headers, libraries, metadata, and tools that allow you to build desktop and UWP Windows apps. The Windows SDK is not the same as the [Windows App SDK](#windows-app-sdk).
 
-#### WinUI
-
-WinUI is the modern native user interface (UX) framework for both Windows desktop and UWP applications. [WinUI](../winui/index.md).
-
 #### WinUI 2
 
 WinUI 2 is tightly integrated with Windows SDKs, and provides official native Windows UI controls and other user interface elements for UWP applications (and desktop applications using XAML Islands). See [WinUI 2](/windows/uwp/get-started/winui2/).
 
-#### WinUI 3
+#### WinUI (aka WinUI 3)
 
 The latest and recommended UI framework for Windows desktop apps. This framework is made available through the Windows App SDK, and has been decoupled from the Windows operating system. WinUI 3 uses [Fluent Design](https://aka.ms/fluent) to provide a native UX framework for Windows desktop apps. It will feel very familiar if you've worked with WinUI 2. Note that WinUI 3 apps are commonly referred to as "WinUI apps". See [WinUI 3](../winui/winui3/index.md).
 
 #### XAML Islands
 
 XAML Islands lets you host WinRT XAML controls in non-UWP desktop (Win32, WinForms, WPF) apps starting in Windows 10, version 1903. [Host WinRT XAML controls in desktop apps (XAML Islands)](../desktop/modernize/xaml-islands/xaml-islands.md).
 
+#### Windows ML
+
+Windows APIs for running ONNX models locally in Windows apps, with hardware acceleration via DirectML where available. See [Windows ML](/windows/ai/windows-ml/).
+
 ## Related content
 
 - [Windows developer FAQ](windows-developer-faq.yml)