Beyond the basics

Prabha KularathnaIFS Labs

Introduction

Why Xamarin?

Status-quonative apps

Cross platformvia HTML/JavaScript

• Multiple code Lines• Training costs• Development costs• Maintenance costs• Extra effort to

maintain cross-consistency in UX

• It’s a Web View! Sluggish

• Jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none

• Keeping up with hardware spec diversity / evolution

“Xamarin – best of both worlds”

Potential value

History

Ximian(1999)

(2001)

started

Acquired by(2003)

v1.0 (2004)v2.0 (2008)Touch (2009)

Shipped

Acquired by(2011)

Laid off team

(2011)

Droid (2011)v3.0 (2012)

Shipped

Nat FriedmanMiguel de Icaza

Xamarin

App Logic

iOS UI Android UIWin Phone

UI

NativeAndroid app

NativeiOS app

NativeWin Phone app

App Architecture

Common Language Infrastructure (CLI)

Standard: ECMA-335

C#

VB.NET

Any other .NET

Language

C# Compiler

VB.NET Compiler

Other Compiler

CILCode

Source CodeBytecode

Windows(Windows Phone)

Play Station 3

Nintendo Wii

Solaris

Native Platform

Development time in the IDE Runtime on the platform

Apple OSX (iOS)

Linux (Android)

BSD

MonoApp / Application Architecture

Common Language Infrastructure (CLI)

Standard: ECMA-335

CILCode

Bytecode Mono Android

Mono iOS

Mono OSX

Mono Windows Mobile

C#C# Compiler

Source Code

Native Platform

Development time in the IDE Runtime in the device

XamarinApp Architecture

Development time in the IDE

C#Compile C# CIL

Code

Source CodeBytecode

Core .NET Android APIs

*. Java Libraries

*. Android Libraries

Core .NET PCL APIs

3rd Party .NET PCL APIs

3rd Party .NET Android APIs

Xamarin AndroidApp Architecture

Development time in the IDE

C#Compile C# CIL

Code

Source CodeBytecode

Core .NET Android APIs

*. Java Libraries

*. Android Libraries

Core .NET PCL APIs

3rd Party .NET PCL APIs

3rd Party .NET Android APIs

Your code

From ‘NuGet’ and ‘Xamarin Component Store’

Xamarin SDK

Android SDK

JDK

Xamarin AndroidApp Architecture

Runtime in the device

C#Compile C# CIL

Code

Source CodeBytecode

Core .NET Android APIs

*. Java Libraries

*. Android Libraries

Core .NET PCL APIs

3rd Party .NET PCL APIs

3rd Party .NET Android APIs

Your “APK” Device

Linux KernelMono Runtime

Xamarin AndroidApp Architecture

App Logic

UI

NativeAndroid app

NativeiOS app

NativeWin Phone app

Xamarin FormsApp Architecture

Portfolio

Xamarin StudioXamarin for Visual Studio

Portfolio

Xamarin Memory and Performance Profiler

Portfolio

NuGetXamarin Component Store

Portfolio

Xamarin Test Cloud

Portfolio

Xamarin Insights

DEMO

Xamarin

1. Native: Lightning fast

2. Everything you get from given platform

3. Code reuse

4. C#

• Mature

• Short learning curve

• Rich features (Async, Lambdas, LINQ)

5. Rich tooling & ecosystem

Advantages

Xamarin

1. UI layer not cross-platform

• Xamarin Forms is still immature

2. Learning curve : 3rd technology

3. Expensive!

• Hopefully prices may come down when developer community grows…

Disadvantages

Xamarin

My impression working with Xamarin: Awesome!

Questions?