MAUI Deployment

This section covers the essential steps and considerations for deploying your .NET MAUI applications to various target platforms.

Note: Deployment processes can vary slightly based on the target platform and your development environment. Always refer to the platform-specific documentation for the most up-to-date information.

Target Platforms

.NET MAUI enables you to build native applications for the following platforms:

Windows macOS Android iOS

General Deployment Steps

While specific commands and configurations differ, the general flow for deploying a .NET MAUI application involves:

Building the Release Version: Compiling your application for the target platform in release mode.
Packaging: Creating platform-specific packages (e.g., MSIX for Windows, IPA for iOS, APK for Android).
Signing: Digitally signing your application to ensure its authenticity and integrity.
Distribution: Publishing your application through app stores or other distribution channels.

Platform-Specific Deployment Guides

Windows

For Windows, you typically create an MSIX package. This package is used for sideloading or distribution through the Microsoft Store.

Steps:

Ensure you have the Windows SDK and appropriate development tools installed.
Build your MAUI project in Release configuration:
```
dotnet publish -f net7.0-windows -c Release
```
Use Visual Studio or the command line to generate an MSIX package. This often involves configuring project properties in your .csproj file.

Refer to the official Microsoft Learn documentation for Windows deployment.

Android

Deploying to Android involves creating an APK or App Bundle file.

Steps:

Set up the Android SDK and an Android emulator or connected device.

Build your MAUI project for Android:

dotnet publish -f net7.0-android -c Release

Sign your application with a keystore file.
Generate an APK or App Bundle.

Tip: For production, it's recommended to create an Android App Bundle (.aab) which is optimized for the Google Play Store.

See the detailed guide on Android deployment for .NET MAUI.

iOS

Deploying to iOS requires a macOS machine with Xcode installed.

Steps:

Ensure you have Xcode installed and configured.
Build your MAUI project for iOS:
```
dotnet publish -f net7.0-ios -c Release
```
Provision your app with an Apple Developer account.
Archive your app using Xcode to create an IPA file.
Distribute via TestFlight or the App Store.

For more details, consult the iOS deployment guide.

macOS

Deploying to macOS involves creating a standard macOS application bundle.

Steps:

Build your MAUI project for macOS:
```
dotnet publish -f net7.0-maccatalyst -c Release
```
(Note: Using Mac Catalyst for cross-platform compatibility, or target native macOS directly.)
Code signing your application for distribution.
Packaging for distribution (e.g., as a DMG file).

Learn more about deploying MAUI apps to macOS.

Important: Always ensure your project's target framework and runtime identifiers are correctly set in your .csproj file for successful builds and deployments.

This overview provides a starting point. Detailed platform-specific instructions, including command-line arguments, configuration settings, and best practices, are available in the dedicated sections linked throughout this document.