.Net Maui

What is .Net Maui?

.NET Multi-platform App UI (.NET MAUI) is a cross-platform framework for creating native mobile and desktop apps with C# and XAML. Using .NET MAUI, you can develop apps that can run on Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows from a single shared code-base. .NET MAUI is the evolution of Xamarin.Forms that expands capabilities beyond mobile Android and iOS into desktop apps for Windows and macOS. With .NET MAUI, you can build apps that perform great for any device that runs Windows, macOS, Android, & iOS from a single codebase.

Learn more

Strengths & Weaknesses

Strengths

• Cross-platform development: Like Xamarin, .NET MAUI allows developers to write code once and deploy it on multiple platforms, including iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and more.
• Native performance: .NET MAUI aims to provide near-native performance by leveraging platform-specific features and APIs.
• Unified API surface: .NET MAUI offers a unified API surface, making it easier to write cross-platform code while still having access to platform-specific APIs and features.
• Improved tooling: .NET MAUI promises to offer improved tooling and developer experiences compared to Xamarin.Forms, including better support for hot reloading, debugging, and testing.
• Strong community: Like Xamarin, .NET MAUI benefits from a strong and active developer community, with many resources available online for learning and problem-solving.

Weaknesses

• Learning curve: .NET MAUI requires developers to learn a new framework and API surface, which can be challenging for those who are not familiar with .NET or C#.
• Limited third-party libraries: As a new framework, .NET MAUI may have a smaller ecosystem of third-party libraries and components compared to more established frameworks like React Native or Flutter.
• Compatibility issues: As .NET MAUI is still in preview, it may have compatibility issues with certain platforms or devices, or with other .NET technologies.
• Platform-specific differences: While .NET MAUI aims to provide a unified API surface, there may still be platform-specific differences and challenges that developers need to address.
• Lack of documentation: As a new framework, .NET MAUI may have limited documentation and resources available, making it more difficult for developers to learn and troubleshoot issues.

Overall, .NET MAUI looks like a promising new framework for cross-platform development, with many potential benefits in terms of performance, tooling, and API surface. However, it may not be the best choice for all developers, especially those who require advanced access to native APIs or who need to work with a tight budget.

PWA Support

You can create a Progressive Web App (PWA) using .NET Multi-platform App UI (MAUI), a cross-platform UI toolkit for building mobile and desktop applications using C# and .NET.

.NET MAUI provides a tool called "Blazor WebAssembly" that allows you to reuse your codebase to create web applications, including PWAs, using the same UI controls as your mobile apps. By using Blazor WebAssembly, you can create a PWA that looks and feels like a native mobile app, with a high level of performance and efficiency.

Here are the basic steps to create a PWA with .NET MAUI and Blazor WebAssembly:

Install .NET MAUI on your development machine by following the instructions on the .NET MAUI website.

Create a new .NET MAUI project or use an existing one.

Add support for web by adding the following line of code to your MainPage.xaml.cs file:

public partial class MainPage : ContentPage { public MainPage() { InitializeComponent(); #if WASM Xamarin.Forms.Forms.Init(new Microsoft.MobileBlazorBindings.WebView.BlazorWebViewRenderer()); #endif } } Write your .NET MAUI views and controls as usual, using the same UI controls as your mobile apps.

Build your PWA by running the following command in your terminal:

dotnet build -t:RunBlazorWasm This will generate a static bundle of your PWA that can be served from a web server.

Configure your PWA by adding a manifest file and registering a service worker.

Test your PWA by serving it from a web server and opening it in a web browser.

By using .NET MAUI and Blazor WebAssembly, you can create a PWA that offers a native-like experience for your users, with features like offline support, push notifications, and more. Additionally, since .NET MAUI is a modern and cross-platform framework, there are many resources available to help you build and optimize your PWA.

Category

.NET MAUI (Multi-platform App UI) applications can also be described as native because they use native UI components and APIs provided by the target platform, whether it is Android, iOS, or other platforms like Windows and macOS. .NET MAUI allows developers to write code in C# or XAML, which is then compiled to native code for each platform. This means that the application's UI is rendered using native components rather than web technologies, which gives it a more native look and feel.

In addition, .NET MAUI offers a set of cross-platform APIs that allow developers to access platform-specific features like camera, file system, and sensors. This level of access to platform-specific features ensures that .NET MAUI applications are able to offer a truly native experience to users on multiple platforms.

Therefore, .NET MAUI applications can be considered as a native approach to building multi-platform mobile and desktop applications. .NET MAUI is built on top of Xamarin and leverages the power of .NET 6 and C# to deliver high-quality, performant applications with a consistent and modern UI on different platforms.

Compilation

.NET MAUI is built on top of the .NET 6 platform, which includes a new cross-platform runtime called the .NET Runtime (CoreCLR), and a set of libraries and tools for building cross-platform apps. When building a .NET MAUI app, the code is compiled ahead-of-time (AOT) into native code for the target platform, using the .NET Runtime and the platform-specific SDKs.

For iOS and macOS, .NET MAUI compiles the code to native code using the LLVM compiler, which generates optimized ARM and x86 code respectively. For Android and Windows, .NET MAUI compiles the code using the .NET Runtime and the platform-specific SDKs, which generate optimized native code for the target platform.

.NET MAUI also includes a set of UI components, called Xamarin.Forms, which provides a consistent set of user interface controls that work across all the supported platforms. The UI components are written in C# and XAML, which allows developers to reuse the same code for building user interfaces across different platforms.

Overall, .NET MAUI compiles C# code into optimized native code using the .NET Runtime and the platform-specific SDKs, providing high-performance applications with fast startup times and responsive user interfaces. The framework also includes a set of UI components, called Xamarin.Forms, that allow developers to build shared user interfaces across multiple platforms.

Offline Capabilities

• Local data storage: .NET MAUI apps can use various local storage mechanisms such as SQLite, File System, and Preferences to store and retrieve data when there is no internet connection available.
• Caching: .NET MAUI apps can cache data locally, allowing them to access previously downloaded content without an internet connection. This can improve app performance and reduce data usage.
• Background Sync: With the .NET MAUI Backgrounding API, apps can periodically synchronize data with the server in the background, even when the app is not actively being used.
• Push notifications: .NET MAUI apps can use push notifications to send users important updates and alerts even when the app is not running or the device is offline.
• Offline UI: .NET MAUI provides the ability to design and implement offline user interfaces that are displayed to users when the app is offline. This can be useful for providing users with relevant information and functionality, even when they are not connected to the internet.

Overall, .NET MAUI provides various capabilities and tools to create offline-first mobile applications that provide a seamless experience for users, even when they are not connected to the internet.

Native Capabilities

.NET MAUI (Multi-platform App UI) is a cross-platform UI framework for building native mobile, desktop, and web applications using .NET and C#. It is the successor to Xamarin.Forms and provides a full range of native capabilities, including access to native APIs, platform-specific functionalities, and third-party libraries.

.NET MAUI provides developers with a comprehensive set of tools and resources to build applications that can take full advantage of the underlying operating system's features and functionalities. Additionally, .NET MAUI provides a fast development cycle and enables developers to build applications for multiple platforms, including iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and the web.

.NET MAUI also provides additional features such as support for hot reload, a UI toolkit that allows for the creation of shared UI code across multiple platforms, and the ability to use Xamarin.Forms components in .NET MAUI applications. Overall, .NET MAUI provides a powerful and flexible framework for building cross-platform mobile applications with access to full native capabilities.

Performance

.NET MAUI is a new cross-platform framework that builds upon the features of Xamarin.Forms and expands upon them to provide a more robust set of tools and capabilities for building high-performance mobile apps.

.NET MAUI leverages the .NET runtime, which provides a just-in-time compilation (JIT) process that optimizes app performance at runtime. Additionally, .NET MAUI introduces new features such as a new markup language for building UI, improved performance for animations and transitions, and more.

Furthermore, .NET MAUI is designed to offer a highly productive developer experience, allowing developers to write less code and reuse more code across different platforms. This can lead to faster development times and fewer bugs or errors.

Overall, .NET MAUI provides an excellent performance for building cross-platform mobile apps. However, as with any technology, the performance of the app ultimately depends on the specific app and how well it is optimized.

Platform Compatibility

.NET MAUI (Multi-platform App UI) is a modern cross-platform framework for building native apps for iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows using a single codebase in C#. It is compatible with the latest versions of iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows, and also supports popular development tools such as Visual Studio and Visual Studio for Mac. .NET MAUI is built on top of the .NET 6 runtime and can leverage the latest features and improvements provided by it. Additionally, .NET MAUI supports a variety of deployment targets such as the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, and Microsoft Store, making it a highly compatible platform for building native mobile apps.

Language Support

.NET MAUI supports several programming languages, including:

C# XAML (for UI design) HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (for web and hybrid apps) It also supports integration with existing .NET libraries and frameworks, allowing developers to use a wide range of tools and technologies.

Learning Curve

.NET MAUI is a cross-platform framework for building mobile and desktop apps using C# and .NET. It is designed to be a successor to Xamarin and will incorporate many of the same concepts and tools.

Since .NET MAUI is still under development, there is currently limited documentation and resources available. However, developers with prior experience using Xamarin should be able to transition relatively easily to .NET MAUI. Developers who are new to Xamarin and .NET may have a steeper learning curve, but the available resources should be sufficient to get started.

Furthermore, .NET MAUI uses native user interface (UI) components, which means developers need to be familiar with the UI design patterns and concepts of each platform they are targeting. Additionally, .NET MAUI will have a new set of APIs and tools that developers will need to learn.

Overall, the learning curve of .NET MAUI is estimated to be medium to high, based on its similarities to Xamarin and the currently available information. However, as the framework continues to develop and more resources become available, this rating may change.

Development Time and cost

Time

.NET MAUI is a new cross-platform framework that is still in preview mode, making it difficult to determine development time and cost. However, the use of a single codebase for multiple platforms can potentially reduce development time. Still, there may be a learning curve for developers unfamiliar with .NET and/or XAML. .NET MAUI is an open-source framework, so there are no licensing costs, but other costs may arise from developer salaries, software/hardware, testing, and other expenses. The development time and cost may change as the framework matures.

Cost

In summary, .NET MAUI is a promising cross-platform framework that could potentially reduce development time through a single codebase, but the learning curve and cost will depend on several factors. As .NET MAUI is still in preview mode, it is difficult to determine the actual development time and cost. Nonetheless, as an open-source framework, it can be a cost-effective option for businesses.

Support & Maintenance

Based on Microsoft's track record of providing strong developer support and documentation for its technologies, it is likely that .NET MAUI will have good support and maintenance options available. Additionally, since .NET MAUI is designed to be cross-platform and share code with other .NET-based platforms, it may be easier to maintain and update apps built with this technology.

As .NET MAUI is still in development and not yet widely used in production, it remains to be seen how easy it will be to make updates and changes to apps built with this technology. However, based on Microsoft's focus on providing a streamlined and modern development experience, it is possible that .NET MAUI will offer good ease of use and maintenance capabilities. Therefore, at this stage, I would rate .NET MAUI as "Good" based on the available information.

Developer Availability

It's difficult to determine the availability of .NET Maui developers specifically in South Africa as the framework has only recently been released and its adoption may still be limited. However, .NET developers in general are in demand in South Africa and there is a growing community of .NET developers in the country.

South Africa has a well-developed software industry and many software development companies in the country use .NET as their primary technology stack. Additionally, there are many training programs, technical colleges, and universities that offer courses in .NET development, which can help developers in South Africa to improve their skills and stay up to date with the latest technologies.

Given that .NET Maui is a new cross-platform mobile development framework, it may take some time for the community of developers in South Africa to grow and for experienced developers to emerge. However, the availability of .NET developers in general in the country suggests that there is potential for a pool of skilled .NET Maui developers to develop in the future.

Overall, I would describe the availability of .NET Maui developers in South Africa as "Unknown," given the newness of the technology and lack of data specific to .NET Maui. However, there is potential for growth in the community of .NET developers in South Africa, which may lead to an increase in the availability of .NET Maui developers in the future.

Scalability

.NET MAUI is a cross-platform framework from Microsoft that supports building scalable and adaptable mobile apps that can run on multiple platforms. It provides responsive UIs, layout options, and support for multiple languages, including C#, F#, and VB.NET. Its component-based architecture and pre-built components enable developers to build beautiful and responsive user interfaces. .NET MAUI also supports advanced features like hot reloading and provides a high level of flexibility to improve scalability. The scalability potential of mobile applications developed with .NET MAUI can be rated as "High."

UX & Design

.NET MAUI is a platform in preview that aims to provide a consistent user experience and modern design across different platforms. It offers a collection of controls, layouts, and styles that can be customized to match platform design guidelines. There is also a visual designer tool available to create UIs without the need to write code. With its ability to create native user interfaces for each platform using a shared C# codebase, .NET MAUI is expected to provide a flexible and customizable design with a native-like user experience. The quality of the design will depend on the needs of the application, the skill of the designers and developers involved, and the target audience.

Security

The security of .NET MAUI apps is largely dependent on how developers implement security features such as data encryption, secure communication protocols, and authentication mechanisms.

Therefore, it is difficult to provide a general rating without more specific information. However, .NET MAUI provides developers with a wide range of security features and tools, making it possible to develop secure applications when implemented properly.

CSS & Styling

When styling applications written in .NET MAUI, you can use a combination of XAML, styles, and themes to create a visually appealing and user-friendly UI.

• XAML: .NET MAUI uses XAML (eXtensible Application Markup Language) to define the structure and layout of the UI. XAML allows you to define the layout of the UI using a markup language that is similar to HTML. You can use XAML to create UI elements, set their properties, and define their behavior.
• Styles: Styles in .NET MAUI allow you to define a set of common properties for a group of UI elements. You can use styles to define the font, color, and other properties of your UI elements, and apply them to multiple elements in your app. Styles can also be used to change the appearance of your app dynamically based on user actions.
• Themes: Themes in .NET MAUI allow you to define a set of styles that apply to your entire app. Themes can be used to create a consistent look and feel across your app, and make it easier to maintain your app's UI. .NET MAUI provides built-in themes that you can use, or you can create your own custom themes.
• Data bindings: Data bindings in .NET MAUI allow you to bind the data in your app to the UI elements. You can use data bindings to display data from a data source, or to update the data in real-time as it changes.
• Effects: Effects in .NET MAUI allow you to apply visual effects to your UI elements. You can use effects to create a custom look and feel for your app, or to add visual feedback to user interactions.
• Cascading Style Sheets (CSS): .NET MAUI also provides support for Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), which allows you to style your app using a stylesheet language similar to CSS used in web development. You can use CSS to create a separate stylesheet file or inline styles within XAML to customize the appearance of the UI elements in your app.

Overall, styling applications in .NET MAUI involves a combination of XAML, styles, themes, data bindings, effects, and CSS. By using a mix of these techniques, you can create visually appealing and responsive UIs for your multi-platform applications.