How to Run Visual Studio 2012 on Mac OS X - TechRepublic
Visual Studio 2012 Download for Mac
If you are a developer who uses Microsoft products and technologies, you might be familiar with Visual Studio 2012. It is an integrated development environment (IDE) that allows you to create applications for Windows, web, mobile, cloud, and more. It supports various programming languages, such as C#, VB.NET, C++, F#, HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, TypeScript, XAML, XML, and more. It also offers many features and tools to help you with coding, debugging, testing, deploying, and managing your projects.
Visual Studio 2012 Download For Mac
However, if you are a Mac user who wants to use Visual Studio 2012 on your machine, you might encounter some difficulties. That's because Visual Studio 2012 is not available for Mac OS X by default. It is designed to run only on Windows operating systems. So how can you download and install Visual Studio 2012 on your Mac? Is there any way to make it compatible with your Mac? Are there any alternatives to Visual Studio 2012 that you can use on your Mac?
In this article, we will answer these questions and more. We will explain what Visual Studio 2012 is, why it is useful for developers, and why it is not compatible with Mac OS X. We will also show you some possible solutions to run Visual Studio 2012 on your Mac, such as using virtual machines, dual booting, or using alternative IDEs. We will compare and contrast some of the best alternatives to Visual Studio 2012 for Mac users, such as Eclipse, VSCodium, MonoDevelop, Apache NetBeans, Qt Creator, etc. By the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of how to use Visual Studio 2012 on your Mac or choose another option that suits your needs.
Visual Studio 2012 Features
Visual Studio 2012 was released in September 2012 by Microsoft as the successor of Visual Studio 2010. It introduced many new features and improvements to support the development of modern applications for Windows 8 and other platforms. Some of the key features and capabilities of Visual Studio 2012 are:
Support for Windows 8: Visual Studio 2012 allows you to create Windows Store apps using C#, VB.NET, C++, or JavaScript. These are apps that run on Windows 8 devices and follow the Metro design language. You can also use XAML or HTML5 to design the user interface of your apps. Visual Studio 2012 provides templates, designers, and testing tools to help you with Windows Store app development.
Microsoft.NET Framework 4.5: This is the latest version of the .NET Framework that supports Windows Store apps and other types of applications. It includes new features and enhancements in areas such as asynchronous programming, data binding, web development, networking, security, and more. You can use Visual Studio 2012 to target .NET Framework 4.5 or earlier versions.
LightSwitch: This is a tool that simplifies the creation of data-centric business applications for desktop, web, and cloud. You can use LightSwitch to define the data model, business logic, and user interface of your applications without writing much code. You can also customize and extend your applications using C#, VB.NET, or JavaScript. LightSwitch integrates with Visual Studio 2012 and supports various data sources, such as SQL Server, Azure, SharePoint, OData, etc.
IIS Express: This is a lightweight version of the Internet Information Services (IIS) web server that runs on your local machine. You can use IIS Express to test and debug your web applications without installing the full IIS. IIS Express supports all the features of IIS 8, such as ASP.NET, PHP, SSL, WebSocket, etc. You can launch IIS Express from Visual Studio 2012 or from the command line.
Code Analysis and Code Metrics: These are tools that help you improve the quality and maintainability of your code. Code Analysis detects and warns you about potential errors, bugs, vulnerabilities, and best practices violations in your code. Code Metrics measures the complexity and cohesion of your code and provides you with metrics such as lines of code, cyclomatic complexity, depth of inheritance, etc. You can run Code Analysis and Code Metrics from Visual Studio 2012 or from the command line.
Unit Testing and Code Coverage: These are tools that help you test and verify the functionality and performance of your code. Unit Testing allows you to create and run automated tests for your code using various frameworks, such as MSTest, NUnit, xUnit.net, etc. Code Coverage measures how much of your code is covered by your tests and provides you with a graphical report. You can run Unit Testing and Code Coverage from Visual Studio 2012 or from the command line.
IntelliTrace: This is a tool that records the execution history of your code and allows you to debug it in a historical context. You can use IntelliTrace to inspect the state of your variables, objects, exceptions, events, etc. at any point in time during the execution of your code. You can also compare different snapshots of your code to identify changes and issues. IntelliTrace is available only in Visual Studio 2012 Ultimate edition.
Code Clone Analysis: This is a tool that detects and highlights duplicate or similar code fragments in your solution. You can use Code Clone Analysis to identify and eliminate redundant or inconsistent code that may cause errors or maintenance problems. You can also use Code Clone Analysis to refactor your code and improve its readability and reusability. Code Clone Analysis is available only in Visual Studio 2012 Premium and Ultimate editions.
Team Foundation Server Express: This is a free version of the Team Foundation Server (TFS) that provides source control, work item tracking, build automation, and team collaboration features for small teams of up to five developers. You can use Team Foundation Server Express to manage your projects and collaborate with your team members using Visual Studio 2012 or other clients. You can also upgrade to the full TFS if you need more features or users.
These are just some of the features and capabilities of Visual Studio 2012 that make it a powerful and versatile IDE for developers. However, as we mentioned earlier, Visual Studio 2012 is not compatible with Mac OS X by default. So how can you run it on your Mac? Let's find out in the next section.
Visual Studio 2012 Compatibility with Mac
Visual Studio 2012 is designed to run only on Windows operating systems, such as Windows XP SP3, Windows Vista SP2, Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8, Windows Server 2003 R2 SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, or Windows Server 2012. It does not support Mac OS X or any other operating systems. This means that you cannot install Visual Studio 2012 directly on your Mac machine. You will need to use some workaround methods to run it on your Mac. There are three main ways to run Visual Studio 2012 on your Mac: - Using a virtual machine - Using a dual boot - Using an alternative IDE Let's look at each of these methods in detail and see their pros and cons. Using a virtual machine
A virtual machine (VM) is a software that emulates a computer system and runs on another computer system. You can use a VM to run a different operating system (such as Windows) on your Mac without affecting your Mac's native operating system (such as Mac OS X). You can also switch between the two operating systems easily and share files and resources between them.
To use a VM to run Visual Studio 2012 on your Mac, you will need to do the following steps:
Download and install a VM software on your Mac, such as VMware Fusion, Parallels Desktop, VirtualBox, etc.
Download and install a Windows operating system on the VM software, such as Windows 7 or Windows 8. You will need a valid license key for the Windows operating system.
Download and install Visual Studio 2012 on the Windows operating system. You will need a valid license key for Visual Studio 2012.
Launch the VM software and start the Windows operating system. You can then run Visual Studio 2012 on the Windows operating system as you would normally do.
The advantages of using a VM to run Visual Studio 2012 on your Mac are:
You can use Visual Studio 2012 and all its features and tools on your Mac without any compatibility issues.
You can run Visual Studio 2012 and Mac OS X simultaneously and switch between them easily.
You can share files and resources between Visual Studio 2012 and Mac OS X, such as copy and paste, drag and drop, network access, etc.
The disadvantages of using a VM to run Visual Studio 2012 on your Mac are:
You will need to buy and install two additional software: a VM software and a Windows operating system. This will cost you money and disk space.
You will need to have enough RAM and CPU power to run both Visual Studio 2012 and Mac OS X smoothly. This may affect the performance and speed of your Mac.
You may encounter some bugs or errors when running Visual Studio 2012 on a VM, such as graphics issues, keyboard shortcuts conflicts, etc.
Using a dual boot
A dual boot is a method that allows you to install two different operating systems (such as Windows and Mac OS X) on separate partitions of your hard drive. You can then choose which operating system to boot into when you start your Mac. You can only use one operating system at a time, but you can access the files and resources of the other operating system from within the current one.
To use a dual boot to run Visual Studio 2012 on your Mac, you will need to do the following steps:
Download and install Boot Camp Assistant on your Mac. This is a utility that helps you create a partition for Windows on your hard drive and install the necessary drivers for Windows to work on your Mac.
Download and install a Windows operating system on the Boot Camp partition, such as Windows 7 or Windows 8. You will need a valid license key for the Windows operating system.
Download and install Visual Studio 2012 on the Windows operating system. You will need a valid license key for Visual Studio 2012.
Restart your Mac and hold down the Option key during startup. You can then choose whether to boot into Mac OS X or Windows. You can then run Visual Studio 2012 on the Windows operating system as you would normally do.
The advantages of using a dual boot to run Visual Studio 2012 on your Mac are:
You can use Visual Studio 2012 and all its features and tools on your Mac without any compatibility issues.
You can access the files and resources of both Visual Studio 2012 and Mac OS X from within either operating system.
The disadvantages of using a dual boot to run Visual Studio 2012 on your Mac are:
You will need to buy and install an additional software: a Windows operating system. This will cost you money and disk space.
You will need to restart your Mac every time you want to switch between Visual Studio 2012 and Mac OS X. This may be inconvenient and time-consuming.
You may encounter some compatibility or performance issues when running Visual Studio 2012 on a different hardware than it was designed for, such as graphics, sound, network, etc.
Using an alternative IDE
An alternative IDE is a software that provides similar or comparable features and tools to Visual Studio 2012, but is compatible with Mac OS X or other operating systems. You can use an alternative IDE to create applications for Windows, web, mobile, cloud, and more, using various programming languages and frameworks. You can also import or export your projects from or to Visual Studio 2012 if needed.
To use an alternative IDE to run Visual Studio 2012 on your Mac, you will need to do the following steps:
Download and install an alternative IDE on your Mac, such as Eclipse, VSCodium, MonoDevelop, Apache NetBeans, Qt Creator, etc.
Download and install the necessary plugins, extensions, or components for the alternative IDE to support the programming languages, frameworks, and platforms that you want to use, such as C#, VB.NET, C++, F#, HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, TypeScript, XAML, XML, Windows Store apps, .NET Framework 4.5, LightSwitch, IIS Express, etc.
Launch the alternative IDE and create or open your projects. You can then use the alternative IDE to code, debug, test, deploy, and manage your projects as you would normally do.
The advantages of using an alternative IDE to run Visual Studio 2012 on your Mac are:
You can use an alternative IDE and most of its features and tools on your Mac without any compatibility issues.
You can use an alternative IDE and Mac OS X simultaneously and switch between them easily.
You can use an alternative IDE that is free or open source, which will save you money and disk space.
The disadvantages of using an alternative IDE to run Visual Studio 2012 on your Mac are:
You may not be able to use some of the features and tools that are exclusive to Visual Studio 2012, such as IntelliTrace, Code Clone Analysis, Team Foundation Server Express, etc.
You may have to learn a new interface, workflow, or syntax when using an alternative IDE, which may take some time and effort.
You may encounter some compatibility or performance issues when importing or exporting your projects from or to Visual Studio 2012, such as missing features, broken references, corrupted files, etc.
Visual Studio 2012 Alternatives for Mac
As we have seen, there are several ways to run Visual Studio 2012 on your Mac, but none of them are perfect. You may have to compromise on some aspects, such as cost, performance, functionality, or convenience. Therefore, you may want to consider using an alternative IDE that is compatible with Mac OS X and provides similar or comparable features and tools to Visual Studio 2012.
There are many alternative IDEs that you can use on your Mac, but we will focus on some of the best ones that are suitable for Windows, web, mobile, cloud, and more development. We will compare and contrast them based on their features, compatibility, usability, and popularity. Here are some of the best alternatives to Visual Studio 2012 for Mac users:
Eclipse
Eclipse is a free and open source IDE that supports various programming languages, such as Java, C#, C++, PHP, Python, Ruby, etc. It also supports various platforms and frameworks, such as Windows Store apps, .NET Framework 4.5, LightSwitch, IIS Express, etc. You can use Eclipse to create applications for Windows, web, mobile, cloud, and more.
The advantages of using Eclipse as an alternative to Visual Studio 2012 on your Mac are:
You can use Eclipse and all its features and tools on your Mac without any compatibility issues.
You can use Eclipse and Mac OS X simultaneously and switch between them easily.
You can use Eclipse for free and customize it with various plugins and extensions.
You can use Eclipse to create applications for multiple platforms and frameworks with a single IDE.
The disadvantages of using Eclipse as an alternative to Visual Studio 2012 on your Mac are:
You may not be able to use some of the features and tools that are exclusive to Visual Studio 2012, such as IntelliTrace, Code Clone Analysis, Team Foundation Server Express, etc.
You may have to learn a new interface, workflow, or syntax when using Eclipse, which may take some time and effort.
You may encounter some compatibility or performance issues when importing or exporting your projects from or to Visual Studio 2012, such as missing features, broken references, corrupted files, etc.
VSCodium
VSCodium is a free and open source IDE that is based on Visual Studio Code, but without the telemetry and licensing issues. It supports various programming languages, such as C#, VB.NET, C++, F#, HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, TypeScript, XAML, XML, etc. It also supports various platforms and frameworks, such as Windows Store apps, .NET Framework 4.5, LightSwitch, IIS Express, etc. You can use VSCodium to create applications for Windows, web, mobile, cloud, and more.
The advantages of using VSCodium as an alternative to Visual Studio 2012 on your Mac are:
You can use VSCodium and most of its features and tools on your Mac without any compatibility issues.
You can use VSCodium and Mac OS X simultaneously and switch between them easily.
You can use VSCodium for free and customize it with various extensions and themes.
You can use VSCodium to create applications for multiple platforms and frameworks with a single IDE.
The disadvantages of using VSCodium as an alternative to Visual Studio 2012 on your Mac are:
You may not be able to use some of the features and tools that are exclusive to Visual Studio 2012, such as IntelliTrace, Code Clone Analysis, Team Foundation Server Express, etc.
You may have to learn a new interface, workflow, or syntax when using VSCodium, which may be different from Visual Studio 2012 or Visual Studio Code.
You may encounter some compatibility or performance issues when importing or exporting your projects from or to Visual Studio 2012, such as missing features, broken references, corrupted files, etc.
MonoDevelop
MonoDevelop is a free and open source IDE that supports various programming languages, such as C#, VB.NET, F#, C++, Python, Ruby, etc. It also supports various platforms and frameworks, such as Windows Store apps, .NET Framework 4.5, LightSwitch, IIS Express, etc. You can use MonoDevelop to create applications for Windows, web, mobile, cloud, and more.
The advantages of using MonoDevelop as an alternative to Visual Studio 2012 on your Mac are:
You can use MonoDevelop and all its features and tools on your Mac without any compatibility issues.
You can use MonoDevelop and Mac OS X simultaneously and switch between them easily.
You can use MonoDevelop for free and customize it with various add-ins and themes.
You can use MonoDevelop to create applications for multiple platforms and frameworks with a single IDE.
The disadvantages of using MonoDevelop as an alternative to Visual Studio 2012 on your Mac are:
You may not be able to use some of the features and tools that are exclusive to Visual Studio 2012, such as IntelliTrace, Code Clone Analysis, Team Foundation Server Express, etc.
You may have to learn a new interface, workflow, or syntax when using MonoDevelop, which may be different from Visual Studio 2012.
You may encounter some compatibility or performance issues when importing or exporting your projects from or to Visual Studio 2012, such as missing features, broken references, corrupted files, etc.
Apache NetBeans
Apache NetBeans is a free and open source IDE that supports various programming languages, such as Java, C#, C++, PHP, HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, TypeScript, etc. It also supports various platforms and frameworks, such as Windows Store apps, .NET Framework 4.5, LightSwitch, IIS Express, etc. You can use Apache NetBeans to create applications for Windows, web, mobile, cloud, and more.
The advantages of using Apache NetBeans as an alternative to Visual Studio 2012 on your Mac are: