A single form with multiple panels or MDI Forms. Which option is more efficient for program performance?

Question

I’m a beginner in C#. I’m developing a simple application, which has several windows. Depending on what you need to do in the program, the user needs to open multiple windows to get to the required page. I would like to make it lighter and more usual. I saw that one of the ways that could do this is by using several panels and side or top buttons (more or less how Ccleanner works). Or create child forms (MDI).

I would like to know whether one of the two options can make the programme too cumbersome, whether one of them is more effective than the other, or whether the result on the programme’s performance will be the same for both.

I also saw that it is possible to use Tabcontrol. But it is not possible to customize the colors of its frame. This proceeds?

Answer 1

I particularly prefer the child forms approach because it’s more natural to Windows Forms and you can assemble a well-looking menu with icons at the top of the parent form just using the standard controls.

As for the performance of the application in relation to the two options you went through unless you do something very strange with the Panels there will be no noticeable difference.

Answer 2

From a look at the Toolstrip tool, with it you can make it look like the Ccleaner interface you mentioned. You can format it in several ways and leave as you need.