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+# Getting Started with Windows App SDK in Visual Studio Code
+
+This guide covers how to create and build Windows App SDK projects using
+Visual Studio Code (or VS Code-based editors like Cursor) instead of
+Visual Studio.
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+1. **Windows 10 version 1809 or later** (build 17763+)
+2. **Visual Studio Build Tools 2022** (or full Visual Studio 2022)
+   - Even when using VS Code as your editor, you need the MSVC build tools
+     and Windows SDK installed. Install them from
+     [Visual Studio Downloads](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads/)
+     under "Tools for Visual Studio" > "Build Tools for Visual Studio 2022".
+   - In the installer, select:
+     - "Desktop development with C++" workload (for C++ projects)
+     - ".NET desktop development" workload (for C# projects)
+     - Windows 10/11 SDK
+3. **Visual Studio Code** with recommended extensions:
+   - [C# Dev Kit](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ms-dotnettools.csdevkit) (for C# projects)
+   - [C/C++](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ms-vscode.cpptools) (for C++ projects)
+
+## Creating a C# WinUI 3 Project
+
+### Using the command line
+
+```bash
+# Install the WinUI 3 project templates
+dotnet new install Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK.Templates
+
+# Create a new WinUI 3 project
+dotnet new winui3 -n MyApp
+cd MyApp
+```
+
+### Adding the Windows App SDK NuGet package manually
+
+If you are starting from an existing project:
+
+```bash
+dotnet add package Microsoft.WindowsAppSDK
+dotnet add package Microsoft.Windows.SDK.BuildTools
+```
+
+### Building and running
+
+```bash
+# Restore dependencies
+dotnet restore
+
+# Build the project
+dotnet build
+
+# Run the application
+dotnet run
+```
+
+Or use VS Code's integrated terminal and the C# Dev Kit's build/debug support.
+
+## Creating a C++ WinUI 3 Project
+
+C++ WinUI 3 projects use MSBuild `.vcxproj` files. You can create them via
+the Visual Studio Build Tools command line and edit in VS Code:
+
+```bash
+# Build using MSBuild from Developer Command Prompt
+msbuild MyApp.vcxproj /p:Configuration=Release /p:Platform=x64
+```
+
+To get IntelliSense working in VS Code, configure your `c_cpp_properties.json`
+to include the Windows SDK and WinAppSDK NuGet package paths.
+
+## Working with Electron + Windows App SDK
+
+If you are using Electron and want to access Windows App SDK APIs:
+
+1. Use a **native Node.js addon** (N-API/node-addon-api) that links against
+   the Windows App SDK libraries.
+2. Add the Windows App SDK NuGet package to your native addon's build
+   configuration.
+3. Call WinRT APIs from the native addon using C++/WinRT.
+
+Example `binding.gyp` snippet for node-gyp:
+
+```json
+{
+  "targets": [{
+    "target_name": "winrt_bridge",
+    "sources": ["src/bridge.cpp"],
+    "include_dirs": [
+      "<path-to-cppwinrt-headers>",
+      "<path-to-windowsappsdk-headers>"
+    ],
+    "libraries": [
+      "WindowsApp.lib"
+    ]
+  }]
+}
+```
+
+## Debugging in VS Code
+
+### C# Projects
+
+The C# Dev Kit extension provides built-in debugging. Add a `launch.json`:
+
+```json
+{
+  "version": "0.2.0",
+  "configurations": [
+    {
+      "name": "Launch WinUI App",
+      "type": "coreclr",
+      "request": "launch",
+      "program": "${workspaceFolder}/bin/Debug/net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0/MyApp.exe",
+      "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}"
+    }
+  ]
+}
+```
+
+### C++ Projects
+
+Use the C/C++ extension's debugger with a `launch.json` targeting your built
+executable.
+
+## Known Limitations
+
+- **XAML Designer**: The visual XAML designer is only available in Visual Studio.
+  When using VS Code, you edit XAML files as text.
+- **XAML Hot Reload**: Not available in VS Code. You must rebuild to see
+  XAML changes.
+- **Project Templates**: Limited template support compared to Visual Studio's
+  template wizard.
+- **Package Identity**: Creating MSIX packages is easier through Visual Studio
+  or the command-line `makeappx` tool. VS Code does not have integrated MSIX
+  packaging support.