Credit: Microsoft

Microsoft has announced the dates for its annual Build developer conference: May 24 to 26. And like the past two Build events, the 2022 Build will be virtual due to continued worries about the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Build is a showcase for what Microsoft is doing for and with developers in the cloud, in its own apps and across Windows and other platforms. Registration for this year's event -- which will be free -- will be open in late April, according to the company's Build site.

In 2020, Microsoft made a conscious effort to refocus Build on developers rather than on higher-level, cross-company strategies. Last year at Build, which was from May 25 to 27, Microsoft announced the 0.8 preview release of Project Reunion; tools for building collaborative apps in Teams; support for Linux GUI apps in the Windows Subsystem for Linux; Azure Confidential Ledger; Power Fx's ability to build apps with GPT-3 and more.

Microsoft Inspire, its annual event for partners, will be held July 12 to 13 and be virtual, not in-person, officials have said. Microsoft isn't holding a Spring Ignite event this year, but its fall Ignite event for IT pros is expected around November. Officials have not said yet publicly whether Ignite will be virtual, hybrid, or in-person.

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