What is this?
.NET MAUI (Multi-platform App UI) is a cross-platform framework for building native mobile and desktop apps with C# and XAML — one shared codebase runs on Android, iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and Windows.
.NET MAUI (Multi-platform App UI) is a cross-platform framework for building native mobile and desktop apps with C# and XAML — one shared codebase runs on Android, iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and Windows.So it's a framework for writing apps, not an app itself?Right: it's a framework plus a unified SDK — one development stack with shared base class libraries and a toolchain — from which you compile native device apps for mobile, tablet, and desktop.
Right: it's a framework plus a unified SDK — one development stack with shared base class libraries and a toolchain — from which you compile native device apps for mobile, tablet, and desktop.How do I create my first MAUI app?With the dotnet CLI: run 'dotnet workload install maui' if the template is missing, then 'dotnet new maui -n NewApp' scaffolds a working starter project. Adding '-sc' gives a sample app with extra toolkits preloaded.
With the dotnet CLI: run 'dotnet workload install maui' if the template is missing, then 'dotnet new maui -n NewApp' scaffolds a working starter project. Adding '-sc' gives a sample app with extra toolkits preloaded.Do I need Visual Studio to develop with it?The scaffolding runs on plain dotnet commands; the README recommends pairing .NET with Visual Studio productivity tools and emulators, which significantly speed up building and testing apps across the device range.
The scaffolding runs on plain dotnet commands; the README recommends pairing .NET with Visual Studio productivity tools and emulators, which significantly speed up building and testing apps across the device range.Is MAUI the replacement for Xamarin.Forms?Yes — it's the evolution of Xamarin.Forms, expanding beyond Android and iOS phones into desktop apps for Windows and macOS, with the same C# and XAML approach.
Yes — it's the evolution of Xamarin.Forms, expanding beyond Android and iOS phones into desktop apps for Windows and macOS, with the same C# and XAML approach.What do I get out of the box in a new project?The plain template is a starter app; the '-sc' sample bundles the open-source Syncfusion Toolkit with over 30 additional controls, the .NET MAUI Community Toolkit with helpers and views, and the MVVM Toolkit.
The plain template is a starter app; the '-sc' sample bundles the open-source Syncfusion Toolkit with over 30 additional controls, the .NET MAUI Community Toolkit with helpers and views, and the MVVM Toolkit.Is it still actively updated?Yes — Current News in the README lists updates for .NET 10 (2025) and .NET 9 (November 2024), plus a 2024 Syncfusion open-source contribution partnership; changes are posted on the MAUI blog and News wiki.
Yes — Current News in the README lists updates for .NET 10 (2025) and .NET 9 (November 2024), plus a 2024 Syncfusion open-source contribution partnership; changes are posted on the MAUI blog and News wiki.Can I look at real apps built with it before committing?The README links a .NET MAUI Customer Showcase of apps built with the framework, alongside samples and a development guide you can evaluate first.
The README links a .NET MAUI Customer Showcase of apps built with the framework, alongside samples and a development guide you can evaluate first.What are similar projects?uno, Avalonia, MonoGame, runtime, DeskBox, lively, Files, MaterialDesignInXamlToolkit
uno, Avalonia, MonoGame, runtime, DeskBox, lively, Files, MaterialDesignInXamlToolkitWhich topics is it in?winui, xaml, winui3, user-interface, multi-platform, microsoft, mobile-development, dotnet, c#, csharp, hacktoberfest, mobile
winui, xaml, winui3, user-interface, multi-platform, microsoft, mobile-development, dotnet, c#, csharp, hacktoberfest, mobile