Microsoft Introduces Tools and Services for Small Developers at Build 2017 Event

As expected, Microsoft Build 2017 did not disappoint when it came to announcements and a few surprises. The event, Microsoft’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) annual developer conference, the tech company invited software developers to join them to learn about the latest new technologies and plans on the horizon.

The event held May 10 – 12 in downtown Seattle, WA introduced exciting new tools and service for developers to meet them where they are and help them be more successful.

Microsoft Tools and Services for Developers from Build 2017

With 500 million Windows 10 monthly active devices, Microsoft noted in a press release that Windows together with Microsoft Office and Microsoft Azure now offer developers “more than a billion opportunities” to connect their innovations with Microsoft customers.

Some of the new tools and services for developers showcased by Microsoft at Build 2017 included:

1. A preview of Azure IoT Edge, technology that extends the intelligence — and other benefits — of cloud computing to edge devices.
2. New Microsoft Azure and Visual Studio services and tools to help modernize existing applications and quickly build intelligent apps for all major platforms, including Azure Cosmos DB to power planet-scale cloud services and data-intensive applications.
3. New MySQL- and PostgreSQL-managed services that join Azure SQL Database to give developers expanded choice and flexibility on a service platform that delivers high availability and scalability, with minimal downtime, and data retention and recovery.
4. An early preview of Microsoft’s new database migration services, which will allow Oracle and SQL Server customers to more easily move their data and quickly modernize their apps.
5. General availability of Visual Studio 2017 for Mac, which enables developers to work seamlessly across Windows and Mac environments with full support for mobile, web and cloud workloads.

At Build, Microsoft also announced it’s launching Cortana Skills Kit in public preview, meaning app developers will be able to create new “skills” — or voice apps — for Cortana. It also said it’s offering 29 Cognitive Services, giving developers a wide range of options for incorporating off-the-shelf and custom AI capabilities with just a few lines of code.

“In a world of near infinite compute power and an exponential growth in data, we are focused on empowering every developer to build applications for this new era of intelligent cloud and intelligent edge,” said Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft.

Image: Microsoft

This article, "Microsoft Introduces Tools and Services for Small Developers at Build 2017 Event" was first published on Small Business Trends