Modernizing your apps with .NET MAUI - Sweekriti Satpathy - NDC Oslo 2024

.NET MAUI is Microsoft’s unified framework for building cross-platform applications targeting iOS, Android, macOS and Windows from a single codebase

The Upgrade Assistant tool significantly simplifies migration from Xamarin to MAUI by:

• Automating project file updates
• Converting namespaces and dependencies
• Providing detailed analysis reports
• Supporting incremental migrations

Key improvements in MAUI compared to Xamarin:

• Single project structure instead of multiple head projects
• Unified .NET runtime and tooling
• Improved performance and bug fixes
• Simplified handler system replacing custom renderers
• Better platform-specific code organization

Migration strategies:

• Can migrate incrementally by feature/page
• Sandbox testing recommended before full migration
• Analyze native code and dependencies first
• Consider hybrid approaches with Blazor for web components
• Version control strongly recommended during migration

Windows desktop migration paths:

• WinUI 3 is recommended for modern Windows apps
• WinForms and WPF apps can gradually transition to MAUI
• Blazor Hybrid offers alternative modernization path
• Legacy apps can stay on .NET Core if needed

Support considerations:

• Xamarin Forms support ending May 2024
• MAUI ships with .NET releases
• Regular platform updates for iOS/Android changes
• Active community ecosystem and Microsoft support
• Production-ready with many successful customer migrations