.NET Multi-platform App UI (MAUI) is an open-source, cross-platform user interface (UI) framework developed by Microsoft. It is the evolution of the Xamarin.Forms framework and provides a single codebase that developers can use to build native applications for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows, as well as other platforms in the future.
MAUI is built on top of the .NET 6 platform and utilizes the latest features of C# 10 and XAML to provide a modern and productive development experience. With MAUI, developers can create visually appealing and responsive user interfaces that adapt to different device form factors and orientations.
One of the key benefits of using MAUI is its ability to share code across different platforms. Developers can use a single codebase to create applications that run on different operating systems, which significantly reduces development time and costs. MAUI provides a set of UI controls and layout managers that are platform-agnostic, allowing developers to write code that works on any platform.
MAUI also offers several features that make it easier for developers to build cross-platform applications. For example, it provides a simplified project structure and a streamlined API that allows developers to write less code and focus on building the app's functionality. MAUI also supports hot-reloading, which enables developers to see changes to the UI in real-time without having to rebuild the entire application.
Another significant advantage of MAUI is its ability to leverage the native capabilities of each platform. MAUI provides a set of platform-specific APIs that allow developers to access native functionality such as camera, accelerometer, and location services. This enables developers to create apps that take full advantage of the capabilities of each platform, resulting in a better user experience.
MAUI also offers support for modern UI paradigms such as dark mode and accessibility features. Developers can easily create applications that are accessible to users with disabilities and conform to industry standards and guidelines.
In summary, .NET MAUI is a modern cross-platform UI framework that offers several benefits to developers. With its ability to share code across different platforms, streamlined API, hot-reloading, and support for platform-specific functionality, MAUI provides a productive and efficient development experience. Additionally, its support for modern UI paradigms and accessibility features makes it an excellent choice for creating visually appealing and accessible applications. As the .NET ecosystem continues to evolve, MAUI is poised to become a go-to framework for building cross-platform applications.
Here are some coding examples in .NET MAUI using C#:
- Creating a new MAUI app project
To create a new MAUI app project, you can use the dotnet CLI. First, install the .NET MAUI workload using the following command:
dotnet workload install maui
Then, create a new MAUI app project using the following command:
This will create a new MAUI app project called "MyApp" in the current directory.
- Creating a simple UI using XAML
To create a simple UI in MAUI, you can use XAML. XAML is a markup language that allows you to define the structure and appearance of your UI in a declarative way.
Here's an example of a XAML file that defines a simple UI with a label and a button:
<StackLayout>
<Label Text="Hello, world!" FontSize="24" />
<Button Text="Click me" Clicked="OnButtonClicked" />
</StackLayout>
In this example, we're using a StackLayout to arrange the label and button vertically. The label has a Text property set to "Hello, world!" and a FontSize property set to 24. The button has a Text property set to "Click me" and an event handler called "OnButtonClicked" that will be called when the button is clicked.
- Handling events in code-behind
To handle events in MAUI, you can use code-behind. Code-behind is a pattern where you separate the UI definition in XAML from the code that handles events and implements the app's logic.
Here's an example of a code-behind file that handles the button click event:
using Microsoft.Maui.Controls;
public partial class MainPage : ContentPage
{
public MainPage()
{
InitializeComponent();
}
private void OnButtonClicked(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
DisplayAlert("Button clicked", "You clicked the button!", "OK");
}
}
In this example, we're creating a new class called "MainPage" that inherits from "ContentPage", which is a built-in MAUI control that represents a single page in the app. We're also defining a constructor that calls the "InitializeComponent" method to load the XAML file.
Finally, we're defining an event handler called "OnButtonClicked" that displays an alert dialog when the button is clicked. We're attaching this event handler to the button in the XAML file using the "Clicked" attribute.
- Accessing platform-specific functionality
To access platform-specific functionality in MAUI, you can use dependency injection. Dependency injection is a pattern where you separate the implementation of a service from the code that uses it, allowing you to replace the implementation with a platform-specific one.
Here's an example of a service that accesses the device's battery level:
public interface IBatteryService
{
int GetBatteryLevel();
}
public class BatteryService : IBatteryService
{
public int GetBatteryLevel()
{
return Device.RuntimePlatform switch
{
Device.Android => GetAndroidBatteryLevel(),
Device.iOS => GetiOSBatteryLevel(),
_ => throw new NotImplementedException(),
};
}
private int GetAndroidBatteryLevel()
{
return 50;
}
private int GetiOSBatteryLevel()
{
return 75;
}
}
In this example, we're defining an interface called "IBatteryService"