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Create Your First App with DevExpress Mobile UI for .NET MAUI (Visual Studio for Windows)

  • 5 minutes to read

You can use the DevExpress template (recommended) or standard project template to create a new .NET MAUI application.

The following video guides you through creating your first .NET MAUI project based on DevExpress components in Visual Studio for Windows:

Prerequisites

  • Visual Studio 2022 17.8 or higher
  • .NET 8

  • .NET MAUI workload

    Use the command below in a terminal to install the .NET MAUI workload:

    dotnet workload install maui

    Also, you can use the Visual Studio Installer to install .NET and the .NET MAUI workload.

Install DevExpress Project Templates and Create a Project

DevExpress project templates are distributed in two ways: as a .vsix file or a NuGet package (CLI project templates). VSIX templates allow you to create an empty, tabbed, or flyout DevExpress .NET MAUI application in Visual Studio for Windows.

The project created based on DevExpress templates will include references to corresponding DevExpress NuGet packages and register all required handlers. The predefined pages will also declare XAML namespaces for DevExpress controls.

Install Templates

Do any of the following to install VSIX DevExpress project templates for .NET MAUI:

  • In the Visual Studio Marketplace, navigate to DevExpress .NET MAUI Project Templates for Visual Studio 2022. Download and install the extension.

  • In Visual Studio, navigate to Extensions > Manage Extensions. In the opened window, go to Online > Visual Studio Marketplace. Find DevExpress .NET MAUI Project Templates and click Download. Restart Visual Studio.

    Manage Extensions

Tip

The DevExpress .NET MAUI Project Templates reference the latest version of DevExpress components. We recommend that you always use the latest version. If you do not wish to update, disable automatic template updates to use previous versions of DevExpress components. To do this, navigate to Installed, select the extension, and disable the Automatically update this extension option.

Create a DevExpress .NET MAUI Project

In Visual Studio, invoke File > New > Project. In the Create a new project window, find the DevExpress v24.1 Mobile App (.NET MAUI) template and click Next.

Create a new project

Configure the Project

In the Configure your new project window, specify the required fields and click Create.

Configure your new project

In the invoked New mobile app window, select the main page type:

New Mobile App

If a non-blank template is selected, the project also contains the Sign Up, Log In, About, and other auxiliary pages that you can configure.

You can also select the target platforms and controls that you plan to use. The wizard creates the corresponding projects in the solution and installs NuGet packages.

Use Standard Project Templates / Add DevExpress MAUI Components to an Existing Project

In Visual Studio, select File > New > Project. In the Create a new project window, find the .NET MAUI App template and click Next.

Create a new project

For more information, refer to the following help topic: Build your first app.

If you use standard templates, you should install DevExpress NuGet packages, register handlers, and declare XAML namespaces. We also recommend that you remove unsupported platforms such as Windows and Mac Catalyst in the project file (.csproj). 

...
<!--Default target frameworks-->
<!-- <PropertyGroup>
        <TargetFrameworks>net8.0-android;net8.0-ios;net8.0-maccatalyst</TargetFrameworks>
        <TargetFrameworks Condition="$([MSBuild]::IsOSPlatform('windows'))">$(TargetFrameworks);net8.0-windows10.0.19041.0</TargetFrameworks>
</PropertyGroup> -->

<!--Supported target frameworks-->
<PropertyGroup>
        <TargetFrameworks>net8.0-android;net8.0-ios</TargetFrameworks>
</PropertyGroup>
...

See the following help section for more information: Supported Platforms.

Install DevExpress NuGet Packages

Tip

Before you install DevExpress NuGet Packages, make certain to register the DevExpress NuGet gallery.

Topic: Register DevExpress NuGet Gallery to Access Mobile UI for .NET MAUI.

Follow the steps below to install NuGet packages using the NuGet Package Manager:

  1. In the Solution Explorer window, right-click Dependencies and select Manage NuGet Packages.

    Visual Studio - Package Sources

  2. In the NuGet Package Manager window, select the DevExpress package source, activate the Browse tab, find the required DevExpress.Maui.~ package, and click Install.

    Visual Studio - Install Package

The DevExpress NuGet Gallery includes the following packages and components:

DevExpress.Maui.Core
Contains classes, interfaces, and enums that implement the basic functionality of DevExpress components for MAUI. This package also includes such components as DXButton, SlideView, DXScrollView, DXStackLayout, DXWrapLayout, and DXDockLayout.
DevExpress.Maui.Grid
Contains the DataGridView component.
DevExpress.Maui.Editors
Contains DataFormView, Chip, ChoiceChipGroup and other chip groups, TextEdit, and other data editors.
DevExpress.Maui.CollectionView
Contains the DXCollectionView component.
DevExpress.Maui.TreeView
Contains the DXTreeView component.
DevExpress.Maui.Charts
Contains the ChartView and PieChartView components.
DevExpress.Maui.Scheduler
Contains the MonthView, WeekView, and other scheduler views.
DevExpress.Maui.Controls
Contains the TabView, DXPopup, BottomSheet, and ShimmerView controls.
DevExpress.Maui.HtmlEditor*
Contains classes that implement the HtmlEdit functionality.
DevExpress.Maui.Gauges
Contains classes and interfaces that implement the RadialGauge and RadialProgressBar functionality.
DevExpress.Maui.Pdf*
Contains classes that implement the PdfViewer functionality.

* This control requires a license to our Universal Subscription. Without a valid license, you cannot use the control within your .NET MAUI application.

Register Handlers for DevExpress Components

Use any of the DevExpress.Maui.MauiAppBuilderExtensions_* methods to register the assembly. The following table lists methods and assemblies that they register:

Method Assembly
UseDevExpress(MauiAppBuilder, Boolean) DevExpress.Maui.Core.dll
UseDevExpressCharts(MauiAppBuilder) DevExpress.Maui.Charts.dll
UseDevExpressCollectionView(MauiAppBuilder) DevExpress.Maui.CollectionView.dll
UseDevExpressControls(MauiAppBuilder) DevExpress.Maui.Controls.dll
UseDevExpressDataGrid(MauiAppBuilder) DevExpress.Maui.DataGrid.dll
UseDevExpressDataGridExport(MauiAppBuilder) DevExpress.Maui.DataGrid.Export.dll
UseDevExpressEditors(MauiAppBuilder) DevExpress.Maui.Editors.dll
UseDevExpressGauges(MauiAppBuilder) DevExpress.Maui.Gauges.dll
UseDevExpressHtmlEditor(MauiAppBuilder) DevExpress.Maui.HtmlEditor.dll
UseDevExpressPdf(MauiAppBuilder) DevExpress.Maui.Pdf.dll
UseDevExpressScheduler(MauiAppBuilder) DevExpress.Maui.Scheduler.dll
UseDevExpressTreeView(MauiAppBuilder) DevExpress.Maui.TreeView.dll

When you reference a DevExpress .NET MAUI control, you need to register it in your application’s MauiAppBuilder (MauiProgram.cs file). For example, if your project references a DevExpress.Maui.DataGrid.dll, you should register this assembly and all assemblies that are referenced by the DataGrid:

using DevExpress.Maui;

namespace DXMauiApp1 {
    public static class MauiProgram {
        public static MauiApp CreateMauiApp() {
            var builder = MauiApp.CreateBuilder();
            builder
                .UseMauiApp<App>()
                .UseDevExpress(useLocalization: false)
                .UseDevExpressCollectionView()
                .UseDevExpressControls()
                .UseDevExpressEditors()
                .UseDevExpressDataGrid()
                .ConfigureFonts(fonts => {
                    fonts.AddFont("OpenSans-Regular.ttf", "OpenSansRegular");
                    fonts.AddFont("univia-pro-regular.ttf", "Univia-Pro");
                    fonts.AddFont("roboto-bold.ttf", "Roboto-Bold");
                    fonts.AddFont("roboto-regular.ttf", "Roboto");
                });

            return builder.Build();
        }
    }
}

You can use our code analyzer to reference all required assemblies.

Declare XAML Namespaces

You can declare the xmlns:dx="http://schemas.devexpress.com/maui" XAML namespace and then use it to access any of DevExpress .NET MAUI control:

<ContentPage xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/dotnet/2021/maui"
             xmlns:dx="http://schemas.devexpress.com/maui"
             xmlns:ios="clr-namespace:Microsoft.Maui.Controls.PlatformConfiguration.iOSSpecific;assembly=Microsoft.Maui.Controls"
             ios:Page.UseSafeArea="true"
             x:Class="DXMauiApp1.MainPage">

    <dx:DataGridView/>
    <dx:TextEdit/> 
    <dx:PdfViewer/> 
    <dx:HtmlEdit/>
</ContentPage>
See Also