Learn .NET MAUI - Full Course for Beginners | Build cross-platform apps in C#

3 min read 8 months ago
Published on Sep 08, 2024 This response is partially generated with the help of AI. It may contain inaccuracies.

Introduction

This tutorial is designed to guide you through the basics of .NET MAUI (Multi-platform App UI), enabling you to build beautiful native cross-platform applications for iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows using C#. By following this step-by-step guide, you will learn how to design user interfaces, implement the MVVM (Model-View-ViewModel) pattern, navigate between pages, and access platform features.

Step 1: Install .NET MAUI

  • Visit the official .NET MAUI website to download and install the required tools
  • Ensure you have Visual Studio installed with the .NET MAUI workload.
  • Follow the installation instructions specific to your operating system (Windows or macOS).

Step 2: Create Your First .NET MAUI App

  • Open Visual Studio and create a new project.
  • Select "MAUI App" from the project templates.
  • Name your project and choose a location to save it.
  • Click “Create” to generate the project structure.

Step 3: Understand Project Architecture

  • Get familiar with the folder structure
    • Platforms: Contains platform-specific code and resources.
    • Resources: Contains images and styles used in your app.
    • Views: Holds the XAML files for your app’s user interfaces.
  • Review the App.xaml and MainPage.xaml files to see the starting point of your application.

Step 4: Implement MVVM Pattern

  • Create models to represent your data.
  • Create a ViewModel class
    • Implement INotifyPropertyChanged to notify the view of property changes.
    • Example code:
      public class SampleViewModel : INotifyPropertyChanged
      {
          private string _sampleProperty;
          public string SampleProperty
          {
              get => _sampleProperty;
              set
              {
                  _sampleProperty = value;
                  OnPropertyChanged(nameof(SampleProperty));
              }
          }
          public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
          protected void OnPropertyChanged(string propertyName) => PropertyChanged?.Invoke(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
      }
      

Step 5: Build User Interfaces with XAML

  • Open MainPage.xaml and start designing your UI.
  • Use layouts such as StackLayout, Grid, and CollectionView for organizing your content.
  • Example of a simple layout:
    <StackLayout>
        <Label Text="{Binding SampleProperty}" />
        <Entry Text="{Binding SampleProperty}" />
    </StackLayout>
    

Step 6: Navigation Between Pages

  • Create additional pages as needed (e.g., SecondPage.xaml).
  • Implement navigation using the Shell or NavigationPage
    • Example of navigating to another page:
      await Navigation.PushAsync(new SecondPage());
      

Step 7: Access Platform Features

  • Use platform-specific APIs, such as geolocation
    • Add necessary permissions in the AndroidManifest.xml or equivalent for other platforms.
    • Example of accessing geolocation:
      var location = await Geolocation.GetLastKnownLocationAsync();
      

Step 8: Implement Dark and Light Themes

  • Define resources for light and dark themes in App.xaml.
  • Switch themes based on user preferences:
    <Application.Resources>
        <ResourceDictionary>
            <Style TargetType="Label">
                <Setter Property="TextColor" Value="Gray" />
            </Style>
        </ResourceDictionary>
    </Application.Resources>
    

Conclusion

By following these steps, you have gained the foundational knowledge needed to start building cross-platform applications with .NET MAUI. As you progress, consider exploring more advanced topics such as HTTP REST calls, data binding with the .NET Community Toolkit, and integrating platform-specific functionalities. For further learning, check out the provided resources and documentation linked above. Happy coding!