Layout with WinUI

Effective layout is crucial for building responsive and visually appealing Windows applications with WinUI. This section covers the fundamental layout panels and concepts available to arrange your UI elements.

Core Layout Panels

WinUI provides several powerful layout panels that help you organize your content efficiently.

Grid

A powerful panel for creating complex row and column structures. Perfect for tabular data or precise element alignment.

StackPanel

Arranges child elements in a single line, either horizontally or vertically.

VariableSizedWrapGrid

Arranges items in rows and columns, allowing them to span multiple cells and wrapping when space runs out.

RelativePanel

Positions elements relative to each other or the panel itself. Great for responsive layouts.

CommandBar and AppBarButton

Specialized controls for top or bottom app bars, managing command and action buttons.

Understanding the Grid Panel

The Grid is one of the most versatile layout panels. It divides its available space into rows and columns, into which child elements can be placed.

Defining Rows and Columns

You define rows and columns using the RowDefinitions and ColumnDefinitions properties. You can specify sizes using pixels, star (`*`) for proportional sizing, or Auto for sizing based on content.

<Grid>
    <Grid.RowDefinitions>
        <RowDefinition Height="Auto"/>
        <RowDefinition Height="*"/>
        <RowDefinition Height="100"/>
    </Grid.RowDefinitions>
    <Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
        <ColumnDefinition Width="1*"/>
        <ColumnDefinition Width="2*"/>
    </Grid.ColumnDefinitions>

    <TextBlock Grid.Row="0" Grid.Column="0" Text="Header"/>
    <ContentPresenter Grid.Row="1" Grid.Column="0" Grid.ColumnSpan="2"/>
    <Button Grid.Row="2" Grid.Column="1" Content="Action"/>
</Grid>

Responsive Layouts with RelativePanel

RelativePanel allows you to position elements based on their relation to other elements or the panel boundaries. This is excellent for creating layouts that adapt to different screen sizes.

Common Positioning Options:

RelativePanel Example

StackPanel for Linear Arrangement

StackPanel is ideal for laying out items in a single row or column. Use the Orientation property to switch between horizontal and vertical.

Horizontal StackPanel

Vertical StackPanel

VariableSizedWrapGrid

This panel is perfect for displaying collections of items, like images or tiles, that can wrap to the next row or column and may have varying sizes.

Responsive Grid Example

Best Practices