Controls & Modern UI Design

The windows controls - the basic and custom controls - are available for users to create in assembler via calls to the win32 api. The image below shows examples of some of the most commonly used ones (see here for a full list of controls):

Over the years newer UI technologies and frameworks have appeared and improved on the standard controls available in windows, and in some cases have given the developers new controls, or ways to create newer UI controls with more flexibility, more customization and better ways to present information to their end-users. GDI+, Windows Forms, DirectX/Direct3D, OpenGL, Vulcan, Windows Presentation Foundation, Microsoft Design Language & Microsoft Fluent Design System show us that the evolution of modern UI/UX has changed, taking inspiration from many sources including web 2.0 UI style designs.

Unfortunately for assembly language developers, enthusiasts or hobbyists, we have been left behind to some extant - even though it is still possible in some cases, with some work and knowledge, to interface with some of the above mentioned technologies or frameworks.

But that does not mean all is lost. We can adapt and take inspiration from all those new UI/UX design styles and create something similar for ourselves in assembly language - with a little work.