MAUI Architecture
.NET Multi-platform App UI (MAUI) is a cross-platform framework for creating native mobile and desktop apps with C# and XAML. It builds on the foundations of Xamarin.Forms, enabling you to develop applications that can run on Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows from a single, shared codebase.
Core Concepts
MAUI's architecture is designed to provide a clean separation of concerns and maximize code reuse across platforms. Key concepts include:
- Single Project: MAUI consolidates all your platform-specific code, assets, and app logic into a single project. This simplifies project management and reduces overhead.
- Platform Abstraction: MAUI abstracts the underlying native UI toolkits of each platform (Android, iOS, macOS, Windows) behind a unified API. This allows you to write UI code once and have it render natively on each target.
- Shared Codebase: Your application logic, UI definitions (often in XAML), and resources can be shared across all target platforms.
- Native Performance: MAUI renders controls using native UI elements on each platform, ensuring a native look, feel, and performance.
High-Level Architecture Diagram
Conceptual diagram of MAUI's layered architecture.
Key Components
The MAUI architecture can be understood as a series of layers:
1. .NET MAUI API Layer
This is the primary API that developers interact with. It provides a rich set of controls, layouts, and APIs for building your application UI and logic. This layer is platform-agnostic and designed for maximum code sharing.
2. .NET MAUI Essentials
MAUI Essentials is a .NET library that provides cross-platform APIs for accessing device features such as sensors, storage, and network information. It simplifies common tasks that would otherwise require platform-specific code.
3. Platform Abstraction Layer (PAL)
This layer contains the platform-specific implementations of the MAUI API. For each target platform, there's a corresponding implementation that maps the MAUI API calls to the native platform APIs.
- Android: Implemented using Android UI and APIs.
- iOS: Implemented using UIKit and other iOS frameworks.
- macOS: Implemented using AppKit.
- Windows: Implemented using WinUI 3.
4. Native UI Toolkits
At the bottom of the stack are the native UI toolkits and operating system APIs for each platform. MAUI leverages these to render the UI and provide native behavior.
Development Workflow
With MAUI, your development workflow typically involves:
- Writing C# and XAML code in a single project.
- Using MAUI controls and layouts to define your UI.
- Leveraging MAUI Essentials for device features.
- The MAUI framework handles the translation of your shared code into native UI elements and behavior for each target platform.
- Deploying your application to Android, iOS, macOS, or Windows.
Benefits of MAUI Architecture
- Code Reusability: Significantly reduce the amount of code you need to write and maintain.
- Native Performance & Look: Deliver applications that feel and perform like native apps.
- Simplified Development: A unified project structure and API simplify the development process.
- Modern .NET: Built on modern .NET, providing access to the latest C# features and .NET libraries.