Xamarin – The Veteran
Xamarin was Microsoft’s way of letting C# developers build mobile apps for iOS-iPhone and Android without learning Swift, Kotlin, or sacrificing their sanity.
It provided a way to share most of the codebase while still letting you write platform-specific tweaks. It even had Xamarin.Forms, which let you build UIs that (mostly) worked across platforms.
But, let’s be honest: Xamarin.Forms sometimes felt like a duct-taped solution. It worked… but not always smoothly.
MAUI – The New Kid on the Block
MAUI (Multi-platform App UI) is basically Xamarin.Forms 2.0 on steroids.
Microsoft took everything Xamarin.Forms did, gave it a protein shake, hit the gym, and came back stronger.
MAUI isn’t just for mobile—it lets you build for iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac with a single codebase. The dream, right?
🔥 Key Differences
| Feature | Xamarin | MAUI |
|---|---|---|
| Supported Platforms | iOS, Android, (Mac, kinda) | iOS, Android, Windows, MacOS |
| UI Framework | Xamarin.Forms | MAUI (built-in, improved) |
| Project Structure | Separate iOS/Android projects | Single project (because who loves clutter?) |
| Performance | Good, but not great | Faster and more optimized |
| Native APIs | Requires dependency services | Easier with platform-specific handlers |
| Community Support | Decent, but aging | Growing rapidly |
🚀 What MAUI Does Better
Single Project Structure
Xamarin had separate projects for iOS and Android, which meant juggling files like a circus act. MAUI simplifies this with a single project, making life easier.Performance Boosts
With .NET 6/7 and ahead, MAUI ditches Xamarin’s old baggage and runs smoother, faster, and cleaner.Better UI Customization
MAUI’s Handlers replace Xamarin’s Renderers, making it way easier to tweak native controls.Desktop Support
Xamarin kinda supported Mac, but MAUI actually supports Windows and macOS properly.
😰 Should You Migrate?
If you’re already neck-deep in a Xamarin project, migrating might feel like moving houses mid-lease. But here’s the thing:
- New projects? Go MAUI. No brainer.
- Existing projects? Stick to Xamarin for now, but plan for MAUI, since Microsoft is phasing out Xamarin in May 2024.
Yep, Xamarin is going the way of Internet Explorer. If you don’t migrate, future-you might be stuck maintaining a fossil.
🤔 Key Ideas
- Xamarin is like your reliable old car—it’s been great, but its days are numbered.
- MAUI is the future, and Microsoft is all in.
So if you’re starting fresh, go MAUI. If you’re on Xamarin, start thinking about migration before it’s too late.