dotnet-uno-platform
Originally fromwshaddix/dotnet-skills
SKILL.md
dotnet-uno-platform
Uno Platform core development: Extensions ecosystem (Navigation, DI, Configuration, Serialization, Localization, Logging, HTTP, Authentication), MVUX reactive pattern, Toolkit controls, Theme resources (Material/Cupertino/Fluent), Hot Reload, and single-project structure. Covers Uno Platform 5.x+ on .NET 8.0+ baseline.
Scope
- Uno Platform single-project structure with conditional TFMs
- Extensions ecosystem (Navigation, DI, Configuration, Serialization, HTTP, Auth)
- MVUX reactive pattern
- Toolkit controls and theme resources (Material/Cupertino/Fluent)
- Hot Reload
Out of scope
- Per-target deployment (WASM, iOS, Android, Desktop) -- see [skill:dotnet-uno-targets]
- MCP server integration for live documentation -- see [skill:dotnet-uno-mcp]
- Uno Platform testing -- see [skill:dotnet-uno-testing]
- General serialization patterns -- see [skill:dotnet-serialization]
- AOT/trimming for WASM -- see [skill:dotnet-aot-wasm]
- UI framework selection decision tree -- see [skill:dotnet-ui-chooser]
Cross-references: [skill:dotnet-uno-targets] for per-target deployment, [skill:dotnet-uno-mcp] for MCP integration, [skill:dotnet-uno-testing] for testing patterns, [skill:dotnet-serialization] for serialization depth, [skill:dotnet-aot-wasm] for WASM AOT, [skill:dotnet-ui-chooser] for framework selection, [skill:dotnet-accessibility] for accessibility patterns (AutomationProperties, ARIA mapping on WASM).
Single-Project Structure
Uno Platform 5.x uses a single-project structure with conditional TFMs for multi-targeting. One .csproj targets all
platforms via multi-targeting.
<!-- MyApp.csproj -->
<Project Sdk="Uno.Sdk">
<PropertyGroup>
<TargetFrameworks>
net8.0-browserwasm;
net8.0-ios;
net8.0-android;
net8.0-maccatalyst;
net8.0-windows10.0.19041;
net8.0-desktop
</TargetFrameworks>
<OutputType>Exe</OutputType>
<UnoFeatures>
Extensions;
Toolkit;
Material;
MVUX;
Navigation;
Configuration;
Hosting;
Http;
Localization;
Logging;
LoggingSerilog;
Serialization;
Authentication;
AuthenticationOidc
</UnoFeatures>
</PropertyGroup>
</Project>
```text
The `UnoFeatures` MSBuild property controls which Uno Extensions and theming packages are included. The Uno SDK resolves these features to the correct NuGet packages automatically.
### Project Layout
```text
MyApp/
MyApp/
App.xaml / App.xaml.cs # Application entry, resource dictionaries
MainPage.xaml / .xaml.cs # Initial page
Presentation/ # ViewModels or MVUX Models
Views/ # XAML pages
Services/ # Service interfaces and implementations
Strings/ # Localization resources (.resw)
en/Resources.resw
Assets/ # Images, fonts, icons
appsettings.json # Configuration (Extensions.Configuration)
Platforms/ # Platform-specific code (conditional compilation)
Android/
iOS/
Wasm/
Desktop/
MyApp.Tests/ # Unit tests (shared logic)
```text
---
## Uno Extensions
Uno Extensions provide opinionated infrastructure on top of the platform. All modules are registered through the host builder pattern.
### Host Builder Setup
```csharp
// App.xaml.cs
public App()
{
this.InitializeComponent();
Host = UnoHost
.CreateDefaultBuilder()
.UseConfiguration(configure: configBuilder =>
configBuilder.EmbeddedSource<App>()
.Section<AppConfig>())
.UseLocalization()
.UseNavigation(RegisterRoutes)
.UseSerilog(loggerConfiguration: config =>
config.WriteTo.Debug())
.ConfigureServices((context, services) =>
{
services.AddSingleton<IProductService, ProductService>();
})
.Build();
}
```text
### Navigation
**Package:** `Uno.Extensions.Navigation`
Region-based navigation with route maps, deep linking, and type-safe parameter passing. Navigation is driven declaratively from XAML or imperatively from code.
```csharp
// Route registration
private static void RegisterRoutes(IViewRegistry views, IRouteRegistry routes)
{
views.Register(
new ViewMap(ViewModel: typeof(ShellModel)),
new ViewMap<MainPage, MainModel>(),
new ViewMap<ProductDetailPage, ProductDetailModel>(),
new DataViewMap<ProductDetailPage, ProductDetailModel, ProductEntity>()
);
routes.Register(
new RouteMap("", View: views.FindByViewModel<ShellModel>(),
Nested: new RouteMap[]
{
new("Main", View: views.FindByViewModel<MainModel>()),
new("ProductDetail", View: views.FindByViewModel<ProductDetailModel>())
})
);
}
```text
```xml
<!-- XAML-based navigation using attached properties -->
<Button Content="View Product"
uen:Navigation.Request="ProductDetail"
uen:Navigation.Data="{Binding SelectedProduct}" />
```text
**Key concepts:** Region-based navigation attaches navigation behavior to visual regions (Frame, NavigationView, TabBar). Route maps define the navigation graph. Deep linking maps URLs to routes for WASM.
### Dependency Injection
**Package:** `Uno.Extensions.Hosting`
Uses Microsoft.Extensions.Hosting under the hood. Host builder pattern with service registration, keyed services, and scoped lifetimes.
```csharp
.ConfigureServices((context, services) =>
{
// Standard DI registration
services.AddSingleton<IAuthService, AuthService>();
services.AddTransient<IOrderService, OrderService>();
// Keyed services (.NET 8+)
services.AddKeyedSingleton<ICache>("memory", new MemoryCache());
services.AddKeyedSingleton<ICache>("distributed", new RedisCache());
})
```text
### Configuration
**Package:** `Uno.Extensions.Configuration`
Loads configuration from `appsettings.json` (embedded resource), environment-specific overrides, and runtime writeable options.
```json
// appsettings.json
{
"AppConfig": {
"ApiBaseUrl": "https://api.example.com",
"MaxRetries": 3
}
}
```text
```csharp
// Binding to strongly-typed options
.UseConfiguration(configure: configBuilder =>
configBuilder
.EmbeddedSource<App>()
.Section<AppConfig>())
// AppConfig.cs
public record AppConfig
{
public string ApiBaseUrl { get; init; } = "";
public int MaxRetries { get; init; } = 3;
}
```text
### Serialization
**Package:** `Uno.Extensions.Serialization`
Integrates System.Text.Json with source generators for AOT compatibility. Configures JSON serialization across the Extensions ecosystem.
```csharp
.UseSerialization(configure: serializerBuilder =>
serializerBuilder
.AddJsonTypeInfo(AppJsonContext.Default.ProductDto)
.AddJsonTypeInfo(AppJsonContext.Default.OrderDto))
```json
For general serialization patterns and AOT source-gen depth, see [skill:dotnet-serialization].
### Localization
**Package:** `Uno.Extensions.Localization`
Resource-based localization using `.resw` files with runtime culture switching.
```csharp
.UseLocalization()
```csharp
```xml
<!-- Strings/en/Resources.resw -->
<!-- name: MainPage_Title.Text, value: Welcome -->
<!-- name: MainPage_LoginButton.Content, value: Log In -->
<!-- XAML: use x:Uid for automatic resource binding -->
<TextBlock x:Uid="MainPage_Title" />
<Button x:Uid="MainPage_LoginButton" />
```text
Culture switching at runtime:
```csharp
// Switch culture programmatically
var localizationService = serviceProvider.GetRequiredService<ILocalizationService>();
await localizationService.SetCurrentCultureAsync(new CultureInfo("fr-FR"));
```csharp
### Logging
**Package:** `Uno.Extensions.Logging`
Integrates with Microsoft.Extensions.Logging. Serilog integration for platform-specific sinks.
```csharp
.UseSerilog(loggerConfiguration: config =>
config
.MinimumLevel.Information()
.WriteTo.Debug()
.WriteTo.Console())
```text
Platform-specific sinks: Debug output for desktop, browser console for WASM, platform logcat for Android, NSLog for iOS.
### HTTP
**Package:** `Uno.Extensions.Http`
HTTP client integration with endpoint configuration. Supports Refit for typed API clients and Kiota for OpenAPI-generated clients.
```csharp
.UseHttp(configure: (context, services) =>
services
.AddRefitClient<IProductApi>(context,
configure: builder => builder
.ConfigureHttpClient(client =>
client.BaseAddress = new Uri("https://api.example.com"))))
```text
```csharp
// Refit interface
public interface IProductApi
{
[Get("/products")]
Task<List<ProductDto>> GetProductsAsync(CancellationToken ct = default);
[Get("/products/{id}")]
Task<ProductDto> GetProductByIdAsync(int id, CancellationToken ct = default);
}
```text
### Authentication
**Package:** `Uno.Extensions.Authentication`
OIDC, custom auth providers, and token management. Integrates with navigation for login/logout flows.
```csharp
.UseAuthentication(auth =>
auth.AddOidc(oidc =>
{
oidc.Authority = "https://login.example.com";
oidc.ClientId = "my-app";
oidc.Scope = "openid profile email";
}))
```text
Token management is automatic: tokens are stored securely per platform (Keychain on iOS/macOS, KeyStore on Android, Credential Manager on Windows, browser storage on WASM) and refreshed transparently.
---
## MVUX (Model-View-Update-eXtended)
MVUX is Uno's recommended reactive pattern, distinct from MVVM. It uses immutable records, Feeds, and States to model data flow declaratively. Source generators produce bindable proxies from plain model classes.
### Core Concepts
| Concept | Purpose | MVVM Equivalent |
|---------|---------|-----------------|
| **Model** | Immutable record defining UI state | ViewModel |
| **Feed** | Async data source (loading/data/error states) | ObservableCollection + loading flag |
| **State** | Mutable reactive state with change tracking | INotifyPropertyChanged property |
| **ListFeed** | Feed specialized for collections | ObservableCollection |
| **Command** | Auto-generated from public async methods | ICommand |
### Model Example
```csharp
// ProductModel.cs -- MVUX model (source generators produce the bindable proxy)
public partial record ProductModel(IProductService ProductService)
{
// Feed: async data source with loading/error/data states
public IFeed<IImmutableList<ProductDto>> Products => Feed
.Async(async ct => await ProductService.GetProductsAsync(ct));
// State: mutable reactive value
public IState<string> SearchTerm => State<string>.Value(this, () => "");
// ListFeed with selection support
public IListFeed<ProductDto> FilteredProducts => SearchTerm
.SelectAsync(async (term, ct) =>
await ProductService.SearchProductsAsync(term, ct))
.AsListFeed();
// Command: auto-generated from async method signature
public async ValueTask AddProduct(CancellationToken ct)
{
var term = await SearchTerm;
await ProductService.AddProductAsync(term, ct);
}
}
```text
```xml
<!-- ProductPage.xaml -- binds to generated proxy -->
<Page x:Class="MyApp.Views.ProductPage"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml">
<StackPanel>
<TextBox Text="{Binding SearchTerm, Mode=TwoWay}" />
<FeedView Source="{Binding FilteredProducts}">
<FeedView.ValueTemplate>
<DataTemplate>
<ListView ItemsSource="{Binding Data}">
<ListView.ItemTemplate>
<DataTemplate>
<TextBlock Text="{Binding Name}" />
</DataTemplate>
</ListView.ItemTemplate>
</ListView>
</DataTemplate>
</FeedView.ValueTemplate>
<FeedView.ProgressTemplate>
<DataTemplate>
<ProgressRing IsActive="True" />
</DataTemplate>
</FeedView.ProgressTemplate>
<FeedView.ErrorTemplate>
<DataTemplate>
<TextBlock Text="Error loading products" Foreground="Red" />
</DataTemplate>
</FeedView.ErrorTemplate>
</FeedView>
<Button Content="Add Product" Command="{Binding AddProduct}" />
</StackPanel>
</Page>
```bash
### MVUX vs MVVM
| Concern | MVUX | MVVM |
|---------|------|------|
| Model definition | Immutable `record` types | Mutable classes with `INotifyPropertyChanged` |
| Data loading | `IFeed<T>` with built-in loading/error states | Manual loading flags and try/catch |
| Collections | `IListFeed<T>` with immutable snapshots | `ObservableCollection<T>` with mutation |
| Commands | Auto-generated from `async` methods | `ICommand` implementations (RelayCommand) |
| State changes | `IState<T>` with explicit update semantics | Property setters firing `PropertyChanged` |
| Boilerplate | Minimal (source generators) | Significant (base classes, attributes) |
**When to use MVUX:** New Uno Platform projects, especially those with async data sources and complex loading states. MVUX eliminates most boilerplate and handles loading/error states declaratively.
**When to use MVVM:** Projects migrating from existing WPF/UWP/WinUI codebases, teams familiar with MVVM patterns, or projects using CommunityToolkit.Mvvm.
---
## Uno Toolkit Controls
The Uno Toolkit provides cross-platform controls and helpers beyond stock WinUI controls. Enabled via `UnoFeatures` with `Toolkit`.
### Key Controls
| Control | Purpose |
|---------|---------|
| `AutoLayout` | Flexbox-like layout with spacing, padding, and alignment |
| `Card` / `CardContentControl` | Material-style card surfaces with elevation |
| `Chip` / `ChipGroup` | Filter chips, action chips, selection chips |
| `Divider` | Horizontal/vertical separator lines |
| `DrawerControl` | Side drawer (hamburger menu) |
| `LoadingView` | Loading state wrapper with skeleton/shimmer |
| `NavigationBar` | Cross-platform navigation bar |
| `ResponsiveView` | Adaptive layout based on screen width breakpoints |
| `SafeArea` | Insets for notches, status bars, navigation bars |
| `ShadowContainer` | Cross-platform drop shadows via `ThemeShadow` |
| `TabBar` | Bottom or top tab navigation |
| `ZoomContentControl` | Pinch-to-zoom container |
### Toolkit Helpers
| Helper | Purpose |
|--------|---------|
| `CommandExtensions` | Attach commands to any control (not just Button) |
| `ItemsRepeaterExtensions` | Selection and command support for ItemsRepeater |
| `InputExtensions` | Auto-focus, return key command, input scope |
| `ResponsiveMarkupExtensions` | Responsive values in XAML markup (e.g., `Responsive.Narrow`) |
| `StatusBarExtensions` | Control status bar appearance per-platform |
| `AncestorBinding` | Bind to ancestor DataContext in templates |
### AutoLayout Example
```xml
<!-- Vertical stack with spacing, padding, and alignment -->
<utu:AutoLayout Spacing="16" Padding="24"
PrimaryAxisAlignment="Start"
CounterAxisAlignment="Stretch">
<TextBlock Text="Product List"
Style="{StaticResource HeadlineMedium}" />
<utu:AutoLayout Spacing="8" Orientation="Horizontal">
<TextBox PlaceholderText="Search..."
utu:AutoLayout.PrimaryLength="*" />
<Button Content="Search"
utu:AutoLayout.CounterAlignment="Center" />
</utu:AutoLayout>
<ListView ItemsSource="{Binding Products}"
utu:AutoLayout.PrimaryLength="*" />
</utu:AutoLayout>
```text
---
## Theme Resources
Uno supports Material, Cupertino, and Fluent design systems as theme packages. Themes provide consistent colors, typography, elevation, and control styles across all platforms.
### Theme Configuration
```xml
<!-- UnoFeatures in .csproj -->
<UnoFeatures>Material</UnoFeatures> <!-- or Cupertino, or both -->
```csharp
```xml
<!-- App.xaml -- theme resource dictionaries -->
<Application.Resources>
<ResourceDictionary>
<ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
<!-- Material theme resources -->
<MaterialTheme />
<!-- Optional: color palette override -->
<ResourceDictionary Source="ms-appx:///Themes/ColorPaletteOverride.xaml" />
</ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
</ResourceDictionary>
</Application.Resources>
```text
### Color Customization
Override Material theme colors through `ColorPaletteOverride.xaml`:
```xml
<!-- Themes/ColorPaletteOverride.xaml -->
<ResourceDictionary xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml">
<Color x:Key="PrimaryColor">#6750A4</Color>
<Color x:Key="SecondaryColor">#625B71</Color>
<Color x:Key="TertiaryColor">#7D5260</Color>
<Color x:Key="ErrorColor">#B3261E</Color>
</ResourceDictionary>
```text
### Typography
Use existing TextBlock styles from the theme system. Never set explicit font sizes -- use the Material type scale:
```xml
<TextBlock Text="Headline" Style="{StaticResource HeadlineMedium}" />
<TextBlock Text="Body text" Style="{StaticResource BodyLarge}" />
<TextBlock Text="Caption" Style="{StaticResource LabelSmall}" />
```xml
| Style | Typical Use |
|-------|------------|
| `DisplayLarge/Medium/Small` | Hero text, splash screens |
| `HeadlineLarge/Medium/Small` | Page titles, section headers |
| `TitleLarge/Medium/Small` | Card titles, dialog titles |
| `BodyLarge/Medium/Small` | Paragraph text, descriptions |
| `LabelLarge/Medium/Small` | Button labels, captions, metadata |
### ThemeService
Switch between light and dark themes programmatically:
```csharp
var themeService = serviceProvider.GetRequiredService<IThemeService>();
await themeService.SetThemeAsync(AppTheme.Dark);
var currentTheme = themeService.Theme;
```csharp
---
## Hot Reload
Uno Platform provides Hot Reload across all targets via its custom implementation. Changes to XAML and C# code-behind are reflected without restarting the app.
### Supported Changes
| Change Type | Hot Reload Support |
|-------------|-------------------|
| XAML layout/styling | Full reload, instant |
| C# code-behind (method bodies) | Supported via MetadataUpdateHandler |
| New properties/methods | Requires rebuild |
| Resource dictionary changes | Full reload |
| Navigation route changes | Requires rebuild |
### Enabling Hot Reload
```bash
# Set environment variable before dotnet run
export DOTNET_MODIFIABLE_ASSEMBLIES=debug
# Run with Hot Reload
dotnet run -f net8.0-desktop --project MyApp/MyApp.csproj
```csharp
Hot Reload is automatically configured by Visual Studio and VS Code (with Uno extension). For CLI usage, set `DOTNET_MODIFIABLE_ASSEMBLIES=debug` before running.
**Gotcha:** Hot Reload does not support adding new types, changing inheritance hierarchies, or modifying `UnoFeatures`. These require a full rebuild.
---
## Agent Gotchas
1. **Do not confuse MVUX with MVVM.** MVUX uses immutable records, Feeds, and States -- not `INotifyPropertyChanged`. Do not add `ObservableProperty` attributes to MVUX models.
2. **Do not hardcode NuGet package versions for Uno Extensions.** The `UnoFeatures` MSBuild property resolves packages automatically via the Uno SDK. Adding explicit `PackageReference` items for Extensions can cause version conflicts.
3. **Do not use `{Binding StringFormat=...}`** in Uno XAML. It is a WPF-only feature. Use converters or multiple `<Run>` elements for formatted text.
4. **Do not use `x:Static` or `{x:Reference}` in bindings.** These are WPF-only markup extensions not available in WinUI/Uno.
5. **Do not set explicit font sizes or weights.** Use the theme's TextBlock styles (e.g., `HeadlineMedium`, `BodyLarge`) to maintain design system consistency.
6. **Do not use hardcoded hex colors.** Always reference theme resources (`PrimaryColor`, `SecondaryColor`) or semantic brushes to maintain theme compatibility.
7. **Do not use `AppBarButton` outside a `CommandBar`.** Use regular `Button` with icon content for standalone icon buttons.
8. **Do not forget `x:Uid` for localization.** Every user-visible string should use `x:Uid` referencing `.resw` resources, not hardcoded text.
---
## Prerequisites
- .NET 8.0+ (Uno Platform 5.x baseline)
- Uno SDK (`Uno.Sdk` project SDK)
- Platform workloads as needed: `dotnet workload install ios android maccatalyst wasm-tools`
- Visual Studio 2022+ or VS Code with Uno Platform extension
---
## References
- [Uno Platform Documentation](https://platform.uno/docs/)
- [Uno Extensions Overview](https://platform.uno/docs/articles/external/uno.extensions/)
- [MVUX Pattern](https://platform.uno/docs/articles/external/uno.extensions/doc/Overview/Mvux/Overview.html)
- [Uno Toolkit](https://platform.uno/docs/articles/external/uno.toolkit.ui/)
- [Uno Themes](https://platform.uno/docs/articles/external/uno.themes/)
- [Uno SDK Features](https://platform.uno/docs/articles/features/uno-sdk.html)
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