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MAUI

A C# and XAML framework for building one app that runs on Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows.

GitHub Download 10.0.120
Stars
23.3k
Forks
2k
Licence
MIT
Language
C#
Last update
4 days ago
Type
Framework

What it is

Dotnet MAUI is a cross-platform framework from Microsoft for building mobile and desktop apps with C# and XAML. You write one shared codebase and it can run on Android, iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and Windows. It is the successor to Xamarin.Forms, extended to desktop.

  • Create a new cross-platform app with the dotnet new maui template
  • Start from a sample app that includes the Syncfusion and Community Toolkit controls
  • Build a single app that runs on Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows
  • Use the MVVM Toolkit and Community Toolkit helpers in a MAUI project

Great for

  • C# developers who want to target phones and desktops from one codebase
  • Teams already using Visual Studio and the .NET ecosystem
  • Developers migrating existing Xamarin.Forms apps
  • Students learning cross-platform app development in C#

Not ideal for

  • Developers who need only web apps, since this targets native device apps (the README does not cover web output)
  • People who prefer JavaScript or Dart, because the framework uses C# and XAML
  • Projects needing a platform outside the listed Android, iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and Windows targets
Step-by-step guide: how to use MAUIInstall, first run, examples, tips and FAQs
Avalonia vs MAUIMAUI vs React Native

How to get it

  1. 1

    Install with a package manager

    You'll need: .NET SDK (version not stated in the README)

    Install the MAUI workload (if the maui template is missing)

    dotnet workload install maui

    Create a new app from the template

    dotnet new maui -n NewApp
  2. 2

    Run it

    • Install the .NET MAUI workload if the maui template is not available
    • Run dotnet new maui -n NewApp to create a starter app
    • Open the new project in Visual Studio or build it with the dotnet CLI
    • Run the app on an emulator or device for your target platform
  3. 3

    Get the most out of it

    • Start from the sample app with dotnet new maui -n NewApp -sc to get Syncfusion controls
    • Add the .NET MAUI Community Toolkit for extra helpers and views
    • Use the MVVM Toolkit for view-model patterns
    • Read the official What's new in .NET 10 page for current features

Downloads

Source code (.zip)main branch · straight from GitHubRelease 10.0.120Release notes and sourceOfficial website & docsdot.net/maui

Strengths

  • One shared codebase targets five platforms listed in the README
  • Backed by Microsoft and the .NET team, with official documentation and samples
  • Works with Visual Studio tooling and emulators

Trade-offs

  • The README is truncated and gives little detail on platform-specific limits or performance
  • Depends on the .NET workload and Visual Studio setup, which can be heavy for beginners
  • Some features and controls come from third-party toolkits rather than the core framework

How it compares

ProjectStarsTypeLevelUpdatedBest for
maui (this)23.3kFrameworkintermediate4 days agoC# developers who want to target phones and desktops from one codebase
react-native127kFrameworkintermediate4 days agoWeb developers who already know React and want to build mobile apps
Avalonia31.7kFrameworkintermediate4 days agoC# developers who already know XAML or WPF
expo53.3kFrameworkintermediate4 days agoDevelopers who want to build iOS and Android apps with React and JavaScript
framework718.8kFrameworkintermediate6 days agoDevelopers who already know HTML, CSS and JavaScript and want to build mobile-style apps
fastlane42.3kCLIintermediate4 days agoiOS developers who repeat the same build and release steps by hand

Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.