Is the Windows 10/11 SDK required for C++ development in VS?

Question

I am planning to develop a C++ application in Visual Studio 2022.

However, when I select the "Development with C++" option while installing, one of the selected components was Windows 11 SDK. Also, I need to reduce installation space for I have ~90GB of space, and I am developing over many platforms (C#, Java, HTML, OpenRA, Yuri's Revenge).

None of the sources I have read state whether this is optional. They only mention that the Windows SDK includes libraries for C++ applications to run. Previously while installing, the installer froze on the SDK, so I would prefer to skip it if possible.

Answer 1

As far as I'm concerned, It depends on what kind of project you are developing.

The Windows SDK provides access to all of the APIs and development features exposed by the Windows OS. The Windows SDK is required for building Windows apps as well as other types of components (such as services and drivers).

The Windows App SDK provides a unified set of APIs and tools that are decoupled from the OS and released to developers via NuGet packages. If you develop standard C++ Program. You could also code/get it manually as needed, but it's more convenient to use the windows SDK.

Refer to the links:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/windows-app-sdk/system-requirements

https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/downloads/windows-sdk/

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/windows/how-to-use-the-windows-10-sdk-in-a-windows-desktop-application?view=msvc-170