What framework is used by Xamarin?

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What framework does Xamarin use to create cross platforms apps?
Does it use .Net Framework?
Is it the same .Net Framework we use to create apps for Windows?
So, can i just port my existing .Net App to Android via Xamarin?

I just don't get exactly how Xamarin works, because i couldn't find something useful.

Posted 6-Apr-15 5:48am

Ziya1995

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Ravi Bhavnani · Accepted Answer · 2015-04-06T06:00:00

Solution 1

Xamarin has "ported" a subset of the .NET framework to work with Android, iOS and OSX. Recently, Microsoft has made available a new profile (Portable Class Library project) that ensures cross-platform compatibility across Xamarin (Android and iOS) and Windows Phone.

By "porting", I mean Xamarin exposes the Android and iOS APIs via C# bindings, allowing you to build apps using C#, and more easily share non-UI code across the different mobile platforms. Xamarin Forms is an extension that makes it easier to share UI code across these platforms. However, Xamarin Forms is best suited for simple apps.

See this link for more info: How does Xamarin work?[^]

/ravi

Posted 6-Apr-15 6:00am

Ravi Bhavnani

Updated 6-Apr-15 6:02am

v2

Comments

Ziya1995 6-Apr-15 12:09pm

1. Portable Class Library has no GUI.
2. Everything written in Xamarin should be Cross Platform and run on Windows desktop, IOS, Android and Mac.
But i see Xamarin.IOS and Xamarin.Android - they are separate.
I see Xamarin APIs and they are separate for IOS, Android, Mac.
What does it mean?

Can i write once in Xamarin GUI and run on all 4 platforms including Windows desktop?

Ravi Bhavnani 6-Apr-15 12:14pm

1) Correct. PCLs are used to build shared business logic.

2) No, everything written in Xamarin is NOT cross platform! Xamarin.IOS is the C# binding to iOS. Xamarin.Android is the C# binding to Android. This allows you to access the standard iOS and Android APIs from C#.

/ravi

Ravi Bhavnani 6-Apr-15 12:16pm

> Can i write once in Xamarin GUI and run on all 4 platforms including Windows desktop?
No. Windows desktop (WinForms/WPF) is not supported.

Essentially, only UI code written using Xamarin Forms is portable across iOS, Android and Windows Mobile.

/ravi

Ziya1995 6-Apr-15 12:29pm

Is it native or my app created in Xamarin needs some Virtual Machine?

Ravi Bhavnani 6-Apr-15 12:47pm

Xamarin generates IL which is packaged in the .apk (in the case of Android) and runs on top off Mono. The process of converting IL to a form consumable by Dalvik (and the newer Android VM) is transparent. For all practical purposes, the .apk generated by Xamarin is no different than one generated when building a native app.

IMHO, the nice thing about Xamarin is that it allows me to leverage my C# skills and the .NET framework. Caveat: I still need to know the Android API (which is not hard to pick up) in order to build Android apps. The same applies for iOS.

Edit: Xamarin Forms controls translate to native controls.

/ravi

Ravi Bhavnani 6-Apr-15 12:49pm

Please see this cool free book on Xamarin Forms by Petzold.

http://developer.xamarin.com/guides/cross-platform/xamarin-forms/creating-mobile-apps-xamarin-forms/

/ravi

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 6-Apr-15 13:49pm

You are almost right, I voted 4. First of all, Xamarin is yet another CLR implementation. So essentially, Xamarin is the framework the inquirer is asking about, a different implementation. I would call the phrase about "C# binding" inaccurate. C# is just compiled in CIL code, which is the same as in .NET, will work without recompilation on Xamarin, if the API used is compatible with the Xamarin subset.
—SA

Ravi Bhavnani 6-Apr-15 13:54pm

Hi SA,

By "C# binding" I meant Xamarin offers C# bindings to the Android SDK and allows C# code (e.g. developer defined callbacks) to be invoked by Android callable wrappers. Is this not true?

/ravi

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 6-Apr-15 13:58pm

This was somewhat uncertain expression. You could better explain what do you really mean by "binding". This "binding" is no different from what happens when you reference an assembly placed in GAC.
—SA

Ravi Bhavnani 6-Apr-15 14:02pm

Gotcha!

/ravi

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 6-Apr-15 14:02pm

:-)