Building Mobile Applications using .NET MAUI

Launched as Xamarin 2.0 in 2013 but later merged into .NET 6 and renamed in 2022, .NET MAUI is an open-source platform that offers a wide range of features to help simplify mobile app development, including cross-platform support, single project management, and hot reload functionality.

With .NET MAUI, mobile app developers can quickly and easily build high-quality mobile applications optimized for performance and user experience. Thanks to its flexible architecture and robust set of tools, it is a popular choice among developers looking to create mobile apps across a range of mobile platforms, including Android and iOS.

The .NET MAUI architecture

.NET MAUI is easy to learn and use, making it a smart choice for developers of all experience levels. The prerequisites for development are Visual Studio 2022 with the .NET MAUI workload installed and knowledge of both C# and .NET.

It simplifies multi-platform app development, allowing developers to create apps for any platform through a single project. .NET MAUI unifies APIs across platforms and provides access to native features of each platform. .NET 6 also provides three separate frameworks: .NET for Android, .NET for iOS, .NET for macOS, and Windows UI 3 library, allowing developers to write code once and run it on any supported .NET 6 compatible device. 

.NET MAUI reduces the complexity of cross-platform development and enables developers to focus on delivering effective user experiences with minimal effort.

(Image source: Microsoft.com)

Benefits of .NET MAUI for Mobile App Development

There are several benefits that make .NET MAUI an excellent choice for mobile app developers. These include:

Opensource

.NET MAUI is open source. The source code can be downloaded at Github. The MIT license allows commercial use, modification, distribution, and private use. Developers have full control over their code. This is a huge advantage for mobile app developers who want to create mobile apps quickly and easily without having to worry about licensing fees or other restrictions.

Cross platform

.NET MAUI supports multiple mobile platforms, including Android and iOS. This allows developers to build mobile applications that can be deployed across different mobile devices, saving time and effort in the development. 

In addition, .NET MAUI provides cross-platform APIs for native mobile functionality, such as camera and sensor access and mobile-specific user interface controls. 

Single project management

The .NET MAUI architecture allows mobile app developers to create a single mobile application that can be deployed across multiple mobile platforms. This simplifies mobile app development by reducing the number of required projects from different mobile platforms and makes it easier for developers to maintain mobile applications.

Hot reload 

In addition to simplifying mobile app development with its cross-platform capabilities, .NET MAUI also provides hot reload functionality, which enables developers to continuously deploy changes and updates in real-time during mobile app development. 

Overall, .NET MAUI is an ideal platform for mobile app developers looking to simplify mobile app development and create high-quality mobile applications with a close-to-native experience. Whether you are just getting started with mobile app development or looking to increase your productivity, .NET MAUI is the right choice for you. 

Need help developing an app that can run on Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows from a single shared codebase?  Talk to our mobile app development experts at Expeed Software today.