> **Source:** [client-apps-integration](https://github.com/microsoft/aspire-samples/tree/main/samples/client-apps-integration)
> **AppHost:** C# AppHost
> **Tags:** csharp, dashboard, metrics

# Working with client apps in an Aspire application

This sample demonstrates working with client apps such as WinForms, WPF, etc., in an Aspire app, such that the client app is launched along with the AppHost project, can resolve services via service discovery, and logs, traces, and metrics are sent via OpenTelemetry to the dashboard.

![Screenshot of the WinForms app running and the Aspire dashboard behind it showing traces emitted from the client app.](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dotnet/aspire-samples/main/samples/client-apps-integration/images/client-apps-dashboard-winforms.png)

The app is based on the Aspire Starter App template, with the following additional elements:

- **ClientAppsIntegration.WinForms**: This is a WinForms application that displays the results of calling the weather API service application.
- **ClientAppsIntegration.WPF**: This is a WPF application that displays the results of calling the weather API service application.
- **ClientAppsIntegration.AppDefaults**: This is a class library that defines the default configuration for orchestrated apps. It's a more general version of the typical `ServiceDefaults` class library that's included in Aspire apps. The `ClientAppsIntegration.WinForms` and `ClientAppsIntegration.WPF` projects reference this project and calls its `AddAppDefaults()` method.
- **ClientAppsIntegration.ServiceDefaults**: This has been modified from the default `ServiceDefaults` template to be based on and extend the `ClientAppsIntegration.AppDefaults` class library. The `ClientAppsIntegration.ApiService` project references this project and calls its `AddServiceDefaults()` method.

## Pre-requisites

- A Windows OS supported by .NET 10 (e.g. Windows 11)
- [Aspire development environment](https://aspire.dev/get-stated/prerequisites/)
- [.NET 10 SDK](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet/10.0)
- [Visual Studio 2026](https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/vs/)

## Running the app

If using the Aspire CLI, run `aspire run` from this directory.

If using Visual Studio, open the solution file `ClientAppsIntegration.slnx` and launch/debug the `ClientAppsIntegration.AppHost` project.

If using the .NET CLI, run `dotnet run` from the `ClientAppsIntegration.AppHost` directory.

In the launched WinForms and WPF app, click on "Load Weather" button to have the app call the backend weather API and populate the grid with the results. To explore the error condition behavior, check the "Force Error" checkbox and click on the "Load Weather" button again.

In the Aspire dashboard, use the logs, traces, and metrics pages to see telemtry emitted from the client apps.