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As a general programming framework, MFC can't anticipate every programmer's every need. For example, MFC makes it easy to build the interface for a spreadsheet application, but you must provide all of the important display and computation logic.
Note MFC is not a general function library, like the C run-time library. You cannot simply call MFC class member functions in an otherwise non-MFC context. From within MFC, you can still call Win32 API functions directly, particularly those that MFC does not choose to encapsulate. But most MFC functions are members of a class, and you must have an object of the class before you can call any of its member functions. For related information, see Win32 Programming: Overview.
Despite its generality, MFC does support you in many specialized ways:
| Support For | See |
| OLE visual editing | OLE in MFC: Overview |
| Automation | Automation: Overview |
| ActiveX Controls | ActiveX Controls: Overview |
| Internet programming | Internet Support: Overview |
| Windows Common Controls | Controls: Overview |
| DAO Database Programming | Databases: Overview |
| ODBC Database Programming | Databases: Overview |
| Multithreaded Programming | Multithreaded Programs: Overview |
| Network Programming | Windows Sockets for Network Programming: Overview |
| Portability | Porting and Upgrading Home Page |