.NET MAUI: Cross Platform App Development 3.0
Every year, Microsoft hosts Build, one of the most important developer conferences in the world. The target audience are developers who work with Windows, Azure or other Microsoft products such as xamarin.Forms. As cross-platform app developers, it goes without saying that we can’t miss out on the spectacle. All the more so as this year’s edition of #MSBuild will be streamed live in its entirety due to the coronavirus situation.
xamarin "disappears"
Right at the beginning, Microsoft surprises us with a big announcement: xamarin, one of the most widely used cross-platform frameworks, is disappearing. But there’s no need to panic. xamarin is not being discontinued, but is being integrated into the existing .NET infrastructure. .NET and xamarin are therefore being merged. The result is the somewhat cumbersome word construct “.NET Multi-platform App UI”. More simply: .NET MAUI.
Cross-platform app development 3.0
However, .NET MAUI is more than just linguistic gymnastics; it heralds a new era in app development. For .NET developers, cross-platform now means macOS and Windows instead of Android and iOS. It will therefore be possible to provide the same project not only for mobile devices but also for desktop devices. .NET MAUI is therefore a universal UI system for all front-end applications. This closes a huge gap.
For companies, this means above all that it will be easier and above all cheaper to develop software for both mobile and desktop devices. This will open a few previously closed doors for many providers, particularly in the enterprise market.
What does this mean for xamarin apps?
While this opens up many new possibilities for companies and developers, the question naturally arises as to what the change means for existing projects. Microsoft promises to make the transition slowly and painlessly and to continue to support and develop xamarin until the official launch of .NET MAUI. Xamarin in its current form will also continue to be developed until the release of MAUI. For our diverse customer projects, this means that adjustments will be necessary – but these should remain within manageable limits.
It can be assumed that the first preview will be available towards the end of this year. The official launch of .NET MAUI is expected in November 2021.
