Xamarin Forms Development

What is Xamarin?

Xamarin (pronounced ZAM-er-in - (it took us a while too!)) is a Microsoft framework that lets you build mobile apps for iOS, Android and Windows from a single C# codebase. The original goal was simple: to stop you having to write the same app three times and let you share core logic across platforms without giving up that sweet, sweet native performance.

There are two main elements to Xamarin:

• Xamarin.Native – Where you build separate UIs for each platform

• Xamarin.Forms – Where you write the UI once and share it everywhere

Although Xamarin has officially reached end of support and reluctantly handed the crown to .NET MAUI, it’s still very much alive in many organisations around the world, running their critical applications and simply refusing to die.

Xamarin.Forms - The “write once, run everywhere” approach

Xamarin.Forms is where things can become especially efficient. You write both your logic and your UI in a shared C# / XAML codebase, meaning you design the app once and can then deploy it to Android, iOS and Windows. Fewer screens to maintain, fewer bugs to chase and far fewer late nights spent wondering why one platform behaves differently from the others. Developers rejoice!

Xamarin.Native - For control freaks

If you're a bit of a perfectionist and need your app to look and feel exactly right, without compromise on each platform, Xamarin.Native gives you that control. You're able to build separate UIs using native tools such as UIKit (iOS) and Android.Views (Android), whilst still sharing your business logic in C#. It’s the best of both worlds - native performance and platform specific sass without rewriting everything from scratch.

Key benefits of Xamarin

Code reusability - One of Xamarin’s most revered party tricks is that you can reuse your logic across platforms. Less time - faster delivery - reduced costs. A win, win for all involved.

Access to native APIs - If you need to use device specific features such as cameras, GPS or gyroscopes then you're in luck. Xamarin gives you full access to native APIs so you can tap into all the platform goodies.

Visual Studio integration - If you’re already utilising Visual Studio, Xamarin is a natural choice. It’s fully integrated so you can build, test and debug in an environment you already know and understand.

Wearables and IoT development - Xamarin is also used to build apps for wearables (think smartwatches and fitness bands) and even Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

Community and support - Xamarin support may be at it's end but it still has a solid ecosystem and a loyal community. That being said, things are slowing down a bit as the dev crowd gradually shifts over to MAUI and newer alternatives.

Best projects for Xamarin

Xamarin is still a solid choice for delivering cross platform applications as we have mentioned already but there are other projects where it can be equally effective:

Customer facing mobile apps

If you're after an app that's aimed at clients or consumers - shopping apps, booking platforms, loyalty programs or service portals - Xamarin offers a native feel to each platform which means your users won’t notice that it’s the same app behind the scenes (and hopefully they'll be impressed by your dedication).

Data heavy apps

Xamarin is a great choice if your app needs to run data intensive processes such as dashboards, analytics, reporting or field service apps. You can access cloud services, local databases and device sensors whilst presenting information in a refined and responsive interface.

Rapid prototyping/MVPs

If you're unsure about the feasibility of your app idea, Xamarin.Forms can be used to build MVPs or proof of concepts because you can build a functional, cross platform app quickly and test user feedback all from one shared codebase. 

Apps requiring native features

If you need your app to access cameras, GPS, push notifications or sensors then congratulations. Xamarin gives you full access to platform specific APIs, so you get the native functionality your app needs without giving up the reusable code aspect.

How can we help?

Here at Cool Code Company, we have extensive experience in building applications in Xamarin and more recently, migrating them to alternative platforms. We can help you maintain your existing Xamarin apps to keep them running on top form, develop new Xamarin apps or if you’re ready to move on, we can help migrate your projects to more modern platforms that are still supported including .NET MAUI. Our focus is on making the transition simple, minimising downtime and keeping costs under control.

Your questions answered on Xamarin

Q) What is Xamarin used for?

A) Xamarin is predominantly used for cross platform mobile application development.

Q) Is Xamarin Hybrid or Native

A) Xamarin is primarily used for native development however, it does provide some hybrid functionality when developers use Xamarin Forms to create a shared User Interface.

Q) What is the Microsoft replacement for Xamarin?

A) Xamarin has been replaced with MAUI (Multi-platform App UI) meaning, MAUI is generally a good choice for mobile application development in C# although there are other alternatives to consider as well.

Q) Can I use Xamarin without Visual studio?

A) Yes, a popular alternative is JetBrains Xamarin SDK. This is a customised build of Xamarin GitHub sources with some tweaks, improvements and additional code.

Further Reading

Xamarin Discontinued: What This Means for App Developers