Nikolay Kostov's Blog

Video lecture about the history of Windows and Windows-based applications.

The video is recorded in 2015 in a training I was delivering in Telerik Academy.

Windows OS is a widely used operating system for desktop and mobile devices. The history of Windows OS for desktop dates back to Windows 3.0 and has evolved through various versions, culminating in Windows 10. Similarly, the history of Windows OS for mobile began with Windows CE and has evolved through Windows Mobile, Windows Phone, to Windows 10 Mobile.

There are several ways to develop Windows applications, including using MFC, WinForms, WPF, and the Universal Windows Platform (Win10). Universal Windows Apps were introduced in Windows 8.1 and allowed developers to create apps that could run on multiple devices. The Universal Windows Platform (Win10) provides a common platform for building Windows apps that can run on a variety of devices, including desktops, tablets, and smartphones.

In addition to these platforms, there are other platforms for developing Windows apps, such as Unity3D, Xamarin, and Apache Cordova. These platforms provide alternative options for building Windows apps and allow developers to utilize their existing skills and knowledge.

Topics covered:

• History of Windows OS for Desktop
  • From Windows 3.0 to Windows 10
• History of Windows OS for Mobile
  • From Windows CE to Windows Mobile to Windows Phone to Windows 10 Mobile
• Ways to Develop Windows Applications
  • MFC, WinForms, WPF
  • Windows Universal Apps (Win 8.1)
  • Universal Windows Platform (Win10)
• Other Platforms for Windows Apps
  • Unity3D, Xamarin, Apache Cordova

Video lecture about the code first approach in Entity Framework.

The video is recorded in 2014 in a training I was delivering in Burgas, Bulgaria.

Entity Framework Code First is a method of developing software applications that utilizes the Entity Framework and focuses on the code-first approach. The modeling workflow of Entity Framework Code First involves defining domain classes or models that represent the objects in the application. These models are then used to create a database using the DbContext and DbSets classes.

A database connection is established and managed by the DbContext class, and the database is created based on the models defined in the domain classes. Code First Migrations are used to manage database changes and keep track of the evolution of the database over time.

The mappings between the domain classes and the database are configured using either Data Annotations or Fluent API. Data Annotations are attributes that are added to the models to specify the properties of the database, such as the primary key, data type, etc. Fluent API is a more flexible way of defining mappings that allows developers to use a fluent API syntax instead of data annotations.

Topics covered:

• Modeling Workflow
• Code First Main Parts
  • Domain Classes (Models)
  • DbContext and DbSets
  • Database connection
• Using Code First Migrations
• Configure Mappings
  • Data Annotations and Fluent API

Video lecture with an introduction to the Entity Framework ORM.

The video is recorded in 2014 in a training I was delivering in Burgas, Bulgaria.

Topics covered:

• ORM Technologies – Basic Concepts
• Entity Framework – Overview
• Reading Data with EF
• Create, Update, Delete using Entity Framework
• Extending Entity Classes
• Executing Native SQL Queries
• Joining and Grouping Tables
• Attaching and Detaching Objects

Video lecture with an introduction to the SQL language.

The video is recorded in 2014 in a training I was delivering in Burgas, Bulgaria.

Topics covered:

• SQL and T-SQL Languages
• Introducing the SELECT SQL Statement
  • Allowed Operators
  • The WHERE Clause
  • Sorting with ORDER BY
  • Selecting Data From Multiple Tables
• Selecting Data From Multiple Tables
  • Natural Joins
  • Join with USING Clause
  • Inner Joins with ON Clause
  • Left, Right and Full Outer Joins
  • Cross Joins
• Inserting Data
• Updating Data
• Deleting Data

Video lecture with an introduction to SQL Server.

The video is recorded in 2014 in a training I was delivering in Burgas, Bulgaria.

Topics covered:

• SQL Server Services
• Types of Databases
• Authentication and Permissions
• SQL Server Management Studio
• Moving a SQL Server Database
  • Through Backups and Restore
  • By Detaching and Attaching