Xamarin Essentials

What is Xamarin Essentials?

Xamarin.Essentials is a unified API that provides developers with access to native device features. It allows you to:

• Access device hardware (e.g., accelerometer, compass, GPS).
• Interact with device settings (e.g., flashlight, screen brightness).
• Utilize platform-specific features (e.g., sharing content, launching URLs).
• Manage application data (e.g., preferences, secure storage).

By abstracting away platform-specific implementations, Xamarin.Essentials significantly reduces the amount of code you need to write and maintain for cross-platform applications.

Key Features and APIs

Xamarin.Essentials offers a comprehensive set of APIs for various device functionalities. Some of the most commonly used features include:

1. Device Information

Retrieve details about the device such as:

• Model: e.g., "iPhone 13 Pro"
• Manufacturer: e.g., "Apple"
• Operating System: e.g., "iOS 15.0"
• Platform: e.g., "Android"
• Unique ID: A unique identifier for the device.

using Xamarin.Essentials;

public class DeviceInfoViewModel
{
    public string DeviceModel => DeviceInfo.Model;
    public string Manufacturer => DeviceInfo.Manufacturer;
    public string AppVersion => AppInfo.VersionString;
}

2. Geolocation

Get the current location of the device using GPS or other location services.

using Xamarin.Essentials;
using System;

public async Task GetCurrentLocation()
{
    try
    {
        var request = new GeolocationRequest(GeolocationAccuracy.High, TimeSpan.FromSeconds(10));
        var location = await Geolocation.GetLocationAsync(request);

        if (location != null)
        {
            Console.WriteLine($"Latitude: {location.Latitude}, Longitude: {location.Longitude}");
        }
    }
    catch (FeatureNotSupportedException fnsEx)
    {
        // Handle not supported on device exception
        Console.WriteLine($"Geolocation not supported: {fnsEx.Message}");
    }
    catch (PermissionException pEx)
    {
        // Handle permission exception
        Console.WriteLine($"Permission denied: {pEx.Message}");
    }
    catch (Exception ex)
    {
        // Unable to get location
        Console.WriteLine($"Error getting location: {ex.Message}");
    }
}

3. Share Content

Allow users to share text, files, or URIs to other applications.

using Xamarin.Essentials;
using System;

public async Task ShareText(string textToShare)
{
    await Share.RequestAsync(new ShareTextRequest
    {
        Text = textToShare,
        Title = "Share Text"
    });
}

4. Secure Storage

Save sensitive data securely on the device.

using Xamarin.Essentials;

public void SaveAndLoadSecureData()
{
    // Save
    SecureStorage.SetAsync("user_token", "your_secret_token_here");

    // Load
    string token = await SecureStorage.GetAsync("user_token");
    if (token != null)
    {
        Console.WriteLine($"Loaded token: {token}");
    }
}

Getting Started

To use Xamarin.Essentials in your project:

1. Install the Xamarin.Essentials NuGet package to your Xamarin.iOS, Xamarin.Android, and Xamarin.UWP projects.
2. Initialize Xamarin.Essentials in your AppDelegate.cs (iOS), MainActivity.cs (Android), or App.xaml.cs (UWP) file. For example, in Android:

protected override void OnCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState)
{
    Xamarin.Essentials.Platform.Init(this, savedInstanceState);
    // ... other initialization code
}

public override void OnRequestPermissionsResult(int requestCode, string[] permissions, Android.Content.PM.Permission[] grantResults)
{
    Xamarin.Essentials.Platform.OnRequestPermissionsResult(requestCode, permissions, grantResults);
    // ... other permission handling
}

Resources

Here are some helpful resources to further your understanding of Xamarin.Essentials:

• Official Xamarin.Essentials Documentation
• Xamarin.Essentials GitHub Repository
• Microsoft Developer Blogs - Xamarin Essentials
• Stack Overflow - Xamarin.Essentials Tag

Community Contributions

We encourage you to share your experiences, ask questions, and contribute to the Xamarin.Essentials community. Your insights help make mobile development easier for everyone.

Join the discussion: Mobile Development Forums