Cross-platform mobile apps: Development with Xamarin
Xamarin is a Microsoft Framework that allows you to create iOS and Android apps. This Framework is open-source and completely free. Thanks to its large active community, it is easy to find support for any problems encountered. Members are competent and do not hesitate to help developers.
Why use Xamarin for multi-platform development?
Using Xamarin to develop a cross-platform application saves valuable time. The team in charge of developing the mobile app will be able to easily generate it in IOS, Android and Windows Phone thanks to the Xamarin.Forms tool. In a nutshell, Xamarin.Forms is the tool to generate iOS and Android applications using the developer's unique code.
Xamarin also offers a complete library (Xamarin.Essentials) of IOS and Android features (e.g geolocation, camera, ...) and their implementation in the developer code is quite simple.
The adaptation to different types of screen is also done quickly thanks to XAML. Switching from a desktop to a mobile version is then simplified.
The Framework is suitable for any type of application, whether small or large. However, it will be necessary to adapt the structure and architecture of the project.
The plus: Thanks to Xamarin and its Microsoft technologies, it's easy for a .Net developer to learn and/or integrate an ongoing project. It is then possible to reuse existing resources and skills.
What is the architecture of a Xamarin mobile app?
- Choosing the platform on which to develop the project: IOS / Android / Universal Windows platform.
- Choosing an architecture (pattern) for example: MVVM (Model View Viewmodel) making it easier to test.
- Project development shared in .Net
- Development of graphical interfaces (IU) of different platforms in the shared project through Xamarin.Forms.
- Development of logical and graphic feature exceptions on iOS or Android projects. For example: modifying a visual component (e.g. the timepicker) by Xamarin.Forms default or specifying different logical behaviors depending on the target platform.
See illustration above (source: www.medium.com)
Applications developed in Xamarin at Technology Partner
Technology Partner teams have already developed several applications in Xamarin including these two projects:
- A helicopter booking app around the world.
- A private jet booking app around the world for LXA FlyerApp (See project sheet)
- An application under development for a department of the Luxembourg Ministry (ongoing project sheet)
Written by Aurelien Kauten & Charline Pennisi