Xamarin Platform is a developer's tool for cross-platform mobile application development. Here are its benefits that users like.
- Xamarin Platform comes in one package with a complete development toolset, including its own IDE.
- It allows engineers to share up to 90 percent of code across major platforms.
- The solution is known for flexibility.
- Users like that it is easy to use.
- Xamarin is easy to develop and maintain.
- It enables developers to make an app prototype in one day and test it without real devices in Visual Studio using simulation models.
- Since the solution is open source, there’s no need to invest in additional tools or integrate third-party apps to build, test, and deploy Xamarin apps.
- Xamarin allows you to create a platform-specific UI code layer.
- Xamarin cross-platform apps look 100% native on any device, providing a better user experience as compared to generic hybrid apps.
- Xamarin provides access to platform-specific SDKs via simple C# syntax.
- The solution allows users to call existing platform code (for example, Swift for iOS) if they need to reuse some modules or realize some platform-specific functions like barcode scanning, PayPal, or Google Analytics integration.
- The solution assists with best practices that new engineers can learn and adapt for rapid app development.
- Using Xamarin, users can use any code and write on Android and iOS with minimal changes.
- Xamarin supports building apps for Apple and Android watch devices. Engineers can use the solution’s Visual Studio both for Mac and Windows to build iOS Apple watch apps. Xamarin fully supports Android Wear as well.
- The solution makes it easy to share projects between operating systems.
- Developed apps can be debugged straight from the desktop or on devices and emulators.
- The solution uses one technology stack to code.
- Using Xamarin, users can build all of their apps via the Visual Studio or Visual Studio Code. In addition, Xamarin does not require switching between development environments.
- The cross-platform development tools are provided as a built-in part of the IDE at no additional cost.
- Xamarin Platform’s performance is constantly being improved to fully match the standards of native development.
- Xamarin allows users to create flawless experiences using platform-specific UI elements.
- Users also like that it is possible to build cross-platform apps for iOS, Android, or Windows.
- Due to its cross-platform application, Xamarin makes maintenance and updates easier.
- Because users can simply deploy changes or updates to source files, which are then applied to both iOS and Android apps, it helps save a lot of time and money while keeping apps up to date.
- Xamarin has an essentials library that provides multiple cross-platform APIs and can be used to access native features.
- Users also appreciate that Xamarin has great learning resources available. There is an online educational portal that helps people develop technical skills related to Microsoft products, including Xamarin. The platform provides courses for both beginners and experienced engineers.
- Xamarin has its own components store.
Users also like the Xamarin solution because of its robust set of features, some of which include:
- C# language: Xamarin uses a single language, C#, to create apps for all mobile platforms. Unlike other interpreted solutions, Xamarin is natively compiled, which makes it a go-to option for building high-performance apps with a native look and feel.
- Based on .NET framework: C# is a mature language with strong safety-typing that prevents code from unexpected behavior. As C# is one of the .NET framework languages, it can be used with a number of useful .NET features, such as Lambdas, LINQ, and Asynchronous programming.
- Xamarin forms: Xamarin has forms that are designed to create prototypes or mobile apps that can share up to 100 percent of the code across iOS and Android. In addition, the use of the forms significantly increases the speed of app development. It also allows for rapid prototyping and helps users produce apps with less platform-specific functionality.
- Full hardware support: Xamarin makes native-level app functionality possible. It eliminates all hardware compatibility issues, using plugins and specific APIs to work with common device functionality across platforms. Along with the access to platform-specific APIs, Xamarin also supports linking with native libraries, which allows for better customization and native-level functionality with little overhead.
- Security: With Xamarin, developers can secure applications without risking exposure. By using the solution’s code signing capabilities within Visual Studio, users can guarantee authenticity across all devices.
Even though users feel Xamarin is a great product, they do note some drawbacks.
- Xamarin is not considered to be the best option for apps with heavy graphics.
- The solution has slightly delayed support for the latest platform updates. To clarify, it’s impossible for third-party tools to provide immediate support for the latest iOS and Android releases, as it takes some time to implement the changes and/or introduce new plugins.
- There’s limited access to open source libraries. With Xamarin, you have to use the elements provided by the platform and some .NET open-source resources.
- Although Xamarin is a free open-source platform for individual developers, there is a high cost for professional and enterprise use.
- When using Xamarin to build mobile apps with a truly native look and feel, users still need to write a platform-specific layer of code using the native APIs of each platform.
- Xamarin apps are typically larger than native ones. Also, Xamarin apps usually need additional optimization.
- There might be some issues when integrating third-party resources with your Xamarin app. While most of the tools and libraries offer full support for native technologies, Xamarin support may not be provided by a vendor.
