What is Avalonia?
Avalonia is what happens when someone looks at WPF and thinks, “What if this could work everywhere?” And by everywhere, I mean Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and even the web.
If that makes you excited, congratulations—you’re officially a UI nerd.
Avalonia is an open-source, cross-platform UI framework for .NET that gives you XAML-based development with a modern twist. It’s basically WPF’s adventurous cousin that doesn’t want to be tied down to Windows.
A Bit of History
Avalonia started around 2013 with the goal of bringing WPF-like UI development to multiple platforms. Back then, .NET developers were stuck in a weird spot:
- WPF was great, but it was Windows-only.
- Xamarin existed, but making good-looking UIs across multiple platforms was a pain.
- MAUI didn’t exist yet (spoiler: it’s basically Xamarin.Forms 2.0).
Avalonia stepped in with a “hold my coffee” attitude and started delivering a proper, skinnable, and performant cross-platform UI framework.
Avalonia vs. WPF, Xamarin, and MAUI
| Feature | Avalonia | WPF | Xamarin.Forms | MAUI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web | Windows Only | iOS, Android, UWP (painful styling) | iOS, Android, Mac, Windows |
| XAML Support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Open Source | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Performance | Good, GPU-accelerated | Good, but Windows-only | Decent, but clunky UIs | Improved over Xamarin |
| Styling | CSS-like, flexible | Classic WPF XAML Styling | Limited | More flexible but still Xamarin-ish |
| Maturity | Growing fast | Battle-tested | Mature but dated | New-ish (still evolving) |
In short:
- WPF is rock solid but chained to Windows.
- Xamarin.Forms was kind of like a rushed group project.
- MAUI is Xamarin.Forms 2.0, but still figuring things out.
- Avalonia is clean, fast, and actually fun to use.
When Should You Use Avalonia Instead of MAUI?
Use Avalonia if:
- You want true cross-platform desktop and mobile support (including Linux).
- You love WPF but don’t want to be stuck with Windows.
- You want high-performance UI rendering that doesn’t feel sluggish.
- You enjoy modern XAML styling with a CSS-like approach.
- You want something open-source and community-driven.
Use MAUI if:
- You primarily target mobile (iOS/Android) but also want Windows and Mac support.
- You’re already deep into the Microsoft ecosystem and prefer official support.
- You don’t need Linux or web UI.
- You want something backed directly by Microsoft (even if it’s evolving slowly).
The Verdict
If you’re building a modern cross-platform app and don’t need heavy Microsoft ecosystem integration, Avalonia is an amazing choice. It’s fast, flexible, and fun to work with.
But if you’re all-in on Microsoft, dealing with mobile apps, and want the “official” framework, then MAUI might be the better fit—just be ready for some growing pains.
Either way, welcome to the world of cross-platform .NET UI frameworks, where “write once, run anywhere” is almost true (until you hit that one weird platform bug).
Key Ideas
| Topic | Summary |
|---|---|
| Avalonia Overview | Cross-platform UI framework for .NET with XAML-based development. |
| History | Inspired by WPF, aimed at solving multi-platform UI problems. |
| Comparison | Avalonia is more flexible than MAUI, but MAUI integrates better with Microsoft tools. |
| When to Use | Choose Avalonia for desktop-focused apps, MAUI for mobile-first apps with official Microsoft backing. |