What Is Xamarin?

Xamarin is an open-source framework by Microsoft that allows you to create native Android, iOS, and Windows apps using C# and .NET. It includes:

Xamarin.Forms for UI abstraction

Xamarin.Native (iOS/Android) for platform-specific control

Access to native APIs and performance

MVVM pattern support for clean architecture

Enter .NET MAUI: The Future of Xamarin

.NET MAUI (Multi-platform App UI) is the next generation of Xamarin.Forms, built directly into .NET 6 and above. It offers:

✅ A single project structure
✅ Support for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows
✅ Native UI controls with C# or XAML
✅ Deep integration with Visual Studio and .NET SDKs
✅ Hot Reload, performance boosts, and modern app architecture

MAUI = Xamarin evolution + modern .NET platform

Xamarin vs .NET MAUI: Quick Comparison

How .NET MAUI Works

MAUI apps are compiled into native code and leverage platform-specific SDKs. You can:

Use XAML to define UI

Use C# code-behind or MVVM pattern for logic

Access native APIs using dependency services or interfaces

Share almost 95% of code across platforms

Getting Started with .NET MAUI

1. Install .NET SDK

bash

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dotnet --list-sdks

Ensure you have .NET 6+ and Visual Studio 2022+ with MAUI workloads installed.

2. Create a MAUI App

bash

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dotnet new maui -n HelloMaui cd HelloMaui dotnet build

Run on:

Android emulator or device

iOS simulator (Mac)

Windows (WinUI)

macOS (Catalyst)

Sample MAUI UI (XAML)

xml

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<ContentPage xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/dotnet/2021/maui"             x:Class="HelloMaui.MainPage">    <VerticalStackLayout Spacing="25" Padding="30">        <Label Text="Welcome to .NET MAUI!"               FontSize="32"               HorizontalOptions="Center" />        <Button Text="Click me!"                Clicked="OnCounterClicked"/>    </VerticalStackLayout> </ContentPage>

Key Features of Xamarin/MAUI

✅ Native performance with access to platform APIs
✅ One codebase for multiple platforms
✅ MVVM and DI support
✅ Blazor Hybrid support (web + native)
✅ Flexible UI options (XAML, C#, or Blazor)
✅ Hot Reload & Hot Restart for faster development cycles

MAUI Use Cases

📱 Cross-platform mobile apps

💼 Enterprise dashboards on desktop + mobile

🛠️ Utility apps with native capabilities

📦 Hybrid apps combining web and native (via Blazor)

🧭 Apps needing shared logic across Android/iOS/Windows/macOS

Real-World Examples

Microsoft Store apps built with WinUI and MAUI

Internal tools at enterprises using shared MAUI logic

Startups launching MVPs across platforms simultaneously

Healthcare and logistics apps with offline support using native APIs

Best Practices for Xamarin/MAUI Development

Use MVVM with frameworks like CommunityToolkit.Mvvm

Isolate platform-specific code with dependency injection

Optimize with AOT compilation and linker settings

Test on real devices for UI/UX consistency

Use Essentials for common APIs (GPS, sensors, storage, etc.)

Tooling and Ecosystem

🛠️ Visual Studio 2022+ (Windows/Mac)

📱 Emulators for Android and iOS

🔌 .NET MAUI Community Toolkit

📦 NuGet packages for maps, charts, payments, and more

🧪 Unit testing with xUnit or NUnit + MAUI TestUtils

Conclusion

Whether you're modernizing Xamarin projects or building greenfield applications, .NET MAUI is the future of cross-platform .NET app development. With MAUI, you can build native mobile and desktop apps using a unified .NET stack and C# skills you already have.

At CoDriveIT, we empower developers and teams to harness Xamarin/MAUI for building scalable, high-performance apps across platforms—from Android to iOS to Windows and macOS.

visit our website www.codriveit.com