The Windows Live Writer (WLW) SDK is a legacy developer kit created by Microsoft to extend the capabilities of its popular, now-discontinued desktop blogging client. It allows .NET developers to build custom plugins, and blog providers to customize the application’s behavior to match their platforms.
While the official Microsoft SDK has been archived following the product’s end-of-life in 2017, its architectural principles still live on through its open-source successor, Open Live Writer. Core Architecture & API Types
The SDK fundamentally splits into two major extensibility layers, utilizing .NET technologies like C#.
Content Source Plugins: This allows developers to build custom modules that insert rich media or text formatting directly into the WYSIWYG editor. Examples include custom code syntax highlighters, Flickr image inserters, or map tools.
Provider Customization API: Built specifically for weblog engine hosts (like WordPress or TypePad), this API allows platforms to dictate how Windows Live Writer interacts with their custom servers. It overrides standard client settings, enables custom tagging systems, and implements specific publishing policies. Key Extension Classes
To build a content plugin, developers implement core namespaces and override key lifecycle classes: www.stephanmiller.com Windows Live Writer – Stephan Miller
Leave a Reply