Extending the .NET MAUI: GUI elements, backend and data connection
Plug-ins provide handy control elements, data visualization, access to sensors or synchronization with the backend – often free of charge and open source.
(Image: Erstellt mit KI (Midjourney) durch iX-Redaktion)
- Dr. Veikko Krypczyk
With the availability of the .NET MAUI 9 version in .NET 9.0, Microsoft has expanded the range of functions of the UI framework and also worked on the stability of the framework and the generated apps. Although .NET MAUI (Multi-Platform App UI) provides many basic functions, the standard offering is often not sufficient to efficiently cover all the requirements of an app. External libraries and third-party components close these gaps by providing extended UI elements, database integration, backend connections or platform-specific functions. They reduce the development effort, improve performance and simplify the implementation of complex features.
.NET MAUI is the cross-platform UI framework from Microsoft, which is based on .NET and enables a standardized code base for applications on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. Its flexible architecture allows close integration into native platform APIs. As the successor to Xamarin, .NET MAUI continues to focus on mobile apps with Android and iOS. However, it receives a growing number of features that are optimized for the development of desktop applications for Windows and macOS.
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The MAUI app can also serve as a native host for in-house web applications developed with Blazor (Blazor Hybrid). In addition to functions for creating the UI, .NET MAUI offers standardized APIs for addressing the camera, sensors or for interacting with the backend and databases.
The ecosystem of these libraries is growing continuously. Providers such as Telerik, Syncfusion or DevExpress supply extended UI controls, while database applications such as SQLite enable efficient data storage. Firebase, Supabase or services from Azure are available for the backend connection. There are also powerful tools for animations and media playback. In this article, we take a closer look at the ecosystem surrounding development with .NET MAUI.
What is included out of the box?
To assess the need for possible extensions, an overview of .NET MAUI's in-house controls helps. In terms of the UI, these are the views, i.e., the controls for displaying data and interacting with users. A comprehensive overview of these basic controls can be found in the “Views” section of the framework documentation:
(Image:Â Screenshot (Veikko Krypczyk))
In specific project requirements, richer UI components in terms of function and design are often desired. Third-party controls are available for this purpose, for example to display data in configurable charts or to design complex interactive diagrams such as a Kanban board.
UI libraries from Syncfusion
Syncfusion offers a collection of more than 60 UI components for .NET MAUI, including DataGrid, Charts, ListView and Scheduler. The portfolio also includes libraries for displaying and editing Excel, PDF, Word and PowerPoint files, which facilitate the integration of document management in applications.
(Image:Â Screenshot (Veikko Krypczyk))
A good overview of the controls, their functions, and design can be found in the Syncfusion .NET MAUI Controls Gallery app, which is available for all relevant target platforms (Android, iOS, Windows, macOS) via the respective store. The app displays the controls sorted by area and demonstrates each control using an example. Links to the source code show the use of the controls and lead to the manufacturer's documentation pages.
(Image:Â Screenshot (Veikko Krypczyk))
Further support is provided by the Essential UI Kit for .NET MAUI, a collection of ready-made XAML pages designed to help implement common UI layouts more quickly. It contains templates for login pages, dashboards, chat interfaces and other frequently used views. These templates are flexibly customizable and reduce development effort by enabling consistent UI standards. The source code is freely available and can be extended as required to meet individual design requirements.
In addition to the UI Kit, Syncfusion has released a set of open source .NET MAUI controls that provide a basis for advanced UI elements. This free collection includes diagrams, navigation bars and carousel controls that are optimized for mobile and desktop applications. As they are available as open-source projects, the code can be viewed, customized and adapted to specific requirements.
If the Include Sample Content checkbox is activated when creating a new project in Syncfusion, the open-source elements are directly included as a reference in the new project and some sample pages with the controls are generated. This gives you an impression of how to use the library.
(Image:Â Screenshot (Veikko Krypczyk))
Syncfusion offers different license models for the components. In addition to commercial licenses, there is a community license that is specially designed for individual developers and small companies. It allows up to five developers in companies with an annual turnover of less than one million US dollars to use the software free of charge. The community version includes the full range of functions of the UI components so that smaller teams can benefit from the extensive library. Larger companies require paid licenses that offer additional support and extended functions.
Controls from Telerik
Telerik UI for .NET MAUI is a comprehensive collection of over 60 UI components. Among the most important is the DataGrid, which can be used to display, sort, filter, and edit tabular data. The chart components offer various chart types and visualization options. The CollectionView is a powerful control element for lists that can sort and group the connected data. The DatePicker allows flexible date selection with various display options and the TabView offers intuitive navigation with tabs.
In addition to these central UI components, Telerik offers numerous other controls for navigation, data visualization, layouts, and user input. The company regularly expands the library. The latest update included the DataPager for controlling the data display in tables and the GridSplitter for customizing layouts. Thanks to extensive options for theming and styling, the UI can be flexibly adapted to individual design specifications.
If you want to get a quick overview of the possibilities of Telerik UI for .NET MAUI, you will find some demo apps. The app Controls Samples shows the most important UI components using interactive examples.
(Image:Â Screenshot (Veikko Krypczyk))
The Crypto Tracker app from Telerik demonstrates the controls in an application that displays the prices of cryptocurrencies as an example. It is available for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS and the source code is available on GitHub.
Telerik UI is commercially licensed. Each developer license includes one year of updates and technical support. There are no additional deployment fees and the components can be used in an unlimited number of applications as long as the license is active. Telerik offers a free 30-day trial that includes the full functionality of the UI components and technical support.
Components from DevExpress
DevExpress offers a comprehensive collection of UI components for .NET MAUI that are specifically designed for iOS and Android applications to create engaging mobile apps with a unified code base. The controls include the DataGrid, which enables high-performance display and editing of large data sets. It supports sorting, filtering and grouping of various data types. The Chart components offer over twenty interactive chart types, including bar charts, line charts and pie charts, with real-time data updates and fluid navigation and zoom options. For calendar functions, the Scheduler provides daily, weekly and monthly views with customizable styles and manages recurring appointments.
Another important control element is the CollectionView, which flexibly displays lists vertically or horizontally. It allows infinite scrolling, drag & drop, sorting and grouping. For user input, DevExpress offers a range of data editors, including text fields, combo boxes, date pickers and numeric editors that enable efficient data entry. Additionally, there are navigation components such as the TabView, which organizes content into tabs and allows for intuitive navigation within the app.
DevExpress provides the .NET MAUI components free of charge, although some advanced functions, such as the PDF Viewer and the HTML Editor, require a universal subscription. Variants for Windows and macOS are not currently planned.
