| Windows NT | … |
|---|---|
| Developer | Microsoft, with Dave Cutler as the lead architect |
| Written in | C, Assembly language (core) C++, Rust1 (user mode applications, kernel graphical subsystem) C# (user mode applications)2 |
| Working state | Current |
| Source model | • Closed-source • Source-available (through Shared Source Initiative) |
| Initial release | July 27, 1993 (as Windows NT 3.1) |
| Latest release | 26H1 (10.0.28000.2340) (June 23, 20263) [±] 25H2 (10.0.26200.8737) (June 23, 20264) [±] |
| Latest preview | • Release Preview : 25H2 (10.0.26200.8728) (June 12, 2026 (2026-06-12) 5) [±] • Release Preview (26H1) : (10.0.28000.2333) (June 12, 2026 (2026-06-12) 6) [±] • Beta : 25H2 (10.0.26220.8690) (June 19, 2026 (2026-06-19) 7) [±] • Beta (26H1) : (10.0.28020.2308) (June 19, 2026 (2026-06-19) 8) [±] • Experimental : 25H2 (10.0.26300.8697) (June 19, 2026 (2026-06-19) 9) [±] • Experimental (26H1) : (10.0.28120.2315) (June 19, 2026 (2026-06-19) 10) [±] • Experimental (Future Platforms) : (10.0.29613.1000) (June 19, 2026 (2026-06-19) 11) [±] |
| Update method | Windows Update, Windows Server Update Services |
| Supported platforms | x86-64 and ARM64 (and historically Intel i860, DEC Alpha, Itanium, MIPS, PowerPC, IA-32 and ARM32) |
| Kernel type | Hybrid |
| Influenced by | RSX-11, VAXELN, VAX/VMS, MICA, Mach (kernel) MS-DOS, OS/2, Windows 3.1 (userland) |
| Default user interface | Graphical (Windows shell) |
| License | Depending on version, edition or customer choice: Trialware, commercial software, volume licensing, OEM-only, SaaS, S+S12 |
| Official website | windows.com |
(echo:: @ ᯤ)
Footnotes
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Thurrott, Paul (April 29, 2023). “Microsoft is Rewriting Parts of the Windows Kernel in Rust”. Retrieved January 6, 2026. ↩
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Lextrait, Vincent (September 2025). “The Programming Languages Beacon” (v19 ed.). Archived from the original on March 23, 2026. Retrieved April 14, 2026. ↩
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“June 23, 2026—KB5095091 (OS Build 28000.2340) Preview”. Microsoft Support. Microsoft. ↩
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“June 23, 2026—KB5095093 (OS Builds 26200.8737 and 26100.8737) Preview”. Microsoft Support. Microsoft. ↩
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“Windows 11 Insider Release Preview Build 26100.8728/26200.8728”. Microsoft Learn. June 12, 2026. ↩
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“Windows 11 Insider Release Preview Build 28000.2333”. Microsoft Learn. June 12, 2026. ↩
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“Windows 11 Insider Beta Preview Build 26220.8690”. Microsoft Learn. June 19, 2026. ↩
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“Windows 11 Insider Beta (26H1) Preview Build 28220.2308”. Microsoft Learn. June 19, 2026. ↩
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“Windows 11 Insider Experimental Preview Build 26300.8697”. Microsoft Learn. June 19, 2026. ↩
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“Windows 11 Insider Experimental (26H1) Preview Build 28120.2315”. Microsoft Learn. June 19, 2026. ↩
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“Windows 11 Insider Experimental (Future Platforms) Preview Build 29613.1000”. Microsoft Learn. June 19, 2026. ↩
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For more information on how Microsoft licenses its products, see Microsoft Software Assurance, DreamSpark, DreamSpark Premium, BizSpark, MSDN § Software subscriptions, Microsoft TechNet § Subscriptions and downloads, and client access license. ↩