Silverlight Architecture - Part1

Silverlight has few basic properties:

• It integrates with various browsers on Windows and on the Macintosh.


• It enables rendering of richer user experiences that are defined by XAML.


• It render media (music and video).


• It enables programming that is consistent with the Web programming model.


• It is small.

Silverlight was designed to address these properties,

• Lightweight browser plug-in—Silverlight has Windows and Macintosh modules that are designed to enhance Internet Explorer (versions 6.0 and 7.0), Firefox 2.0, and Safari browsers. The December 2006 CTP for Windows is 1.1 MB in size.


• Native presentation runtime— Software-based browser enhancement that allows rendering of XAML-based interactive 2-D graphics, text, and media, in addition to the browser native rendering of HTML. XAML can be used inline, in a file, or in a package.


• Interactive video and audio—Cross-platform independent media runtime that can render Windows Media content (WMV and WMA) in addition to MP3 (will be available after the December 2006 CTP). Video and audio are handled as a media element in XAML, enabling flexibility in their presentation. Furthermore, the media support leverages the huge infrastructure and ecosystem around Windows Media, enabling cost-effective delivery of top-quality media.


• Programming layer—In consistency with the Web architecture, Silverlight XAML is exposed using a DOM model to JavaScript. That way, AJAX programs can utilize the extended markup rendering capability using the same programming paradigms and practices (on the client and on the server). After the December 2006 CTP, we will also enable a managed code programming model using a subset of full CLR that will enhance the programmability side of the browsers to enable more performant and more scalable Web applications.