Microsoft has released .NET 11 Preview 7, a significant update to the .NET MAUI framework, bringing a host of new features and improvements. This release focuses on enhancing the user experience, security, and development workflows across various platforms. Here's a breakdown of the key additions and changes, along with my personal insights and commentary.
Passkeys: A Secure Authentication Solution
One of the most notable features is the introduction of Passkeys in MAUI Essentials. This API enables native passkey support on Android 14 or later, iOS and Mac Catalyst 16 or later, and supported Windows 10 versions. Passkeys provide a more secure alternative to traditional passwords, and their integration into MAUI is a significant step forward in cross-platform authentication.
What makes this particularly fascinating is the way Passkeys handle platform-side WebAuthn. By delegating server responsibilities to the application, it strikes a balance between security and developer convenience. However, this also means that developers need to ensure proper trust configurations, such as Associated Domains on Apple platforms or Digital Asset Links on Android.
XAML Incremental Hot Reload: Faster Development
Preview 7 introduces XAML Incremental Hot Reload, a preview feature that significantly speeds up the development process. Instead of rebuilding entire pages, this implementation combines a source generator with MetadataUpdateHandler to modify existing pages. It can handle property changes, adding or removing children, structural reordering, and more.
In my opinion, this feature is a game-changer for developers, especially those working on complex UI designs. The ability to see changes in real-time without a full rebuild can drastically reduce development time and improve productivity.
Shell Route Templates: Flexible Navigation
Shell navigation in MAUI now supports route templates, modeled after ASP.NET Core and Blazor routing concepts. This allows for more flexible and dynamic routing, including required, optional, default, constrained, catch-all, and mixed segments. Parameter values can flow through QueryProperty and IQueryAttributable mechanisms.
What many people don't realize is that while this feature provides more control over navigation, it currently only supports absolute navigation. Relative navigation is not yet supported, which could be a limitation for certain use cases.
AOT-Safe RelativeSource Bindings
The XAML source generator has expanded its AOT work, allowing {RelativeSource AncestorType=...} bindings to compile to trim-safe TypedBinding instances. This avoids reflection-based string paths that can cause issues during trimming. While some binding forms still use runtime paths, this improvement ensures more stable and efficient code.
Third-Party Platform Backends
Preview 7 introduces new extension points for third-party platform backends. OnPlatform now recognizes GTK, macOS, and WPF, while infrastructure like alert, gesture, Resizetizer, SingleProject, and BlazorWebView exposes contracts that can be implemented through NuGet packages.
This change opens up opportunities for developers to extend MAUI's capabilities without maintaining patches against the framework. It's an exciting development that could lead to a more diverse and robust ecosystem.
Renderer-to-Handler Migration on Apple Platforms
The migration from legacy renderers to handlers continues on Apple platforms. NavigationPage and TabbedPage now use handlers by default on iOS and Mac Catalyst, replacing their older renderer implementations. While this change is significant, compatibility renderers remain available for manual fallbacks.
If you take a step back and think about it, this migration is a necessary step towards a more unified and efficient MAUI architecture. It will likely lead to better performance and a more consistent user experience across Apple devices.
Platform-Specific Updates
Preview 7 includes several platform-specific updates. These include Window.StatusBarTheme, the ability to save captured media directly to the system gallery, and single-instance activation support on Windows. Android development benefits from the new FastDeploy2 strategy, and dotnet watch can now Hot Reload applications on physical iOS and tvOS devices.
Conclusion
.NET 11 Preview 7 is a substantial update that showcases Microsoft's commitment to improving the .NET MAUI framework. From secure authentication to faster development workflows and platform-specific enhancements, this release addresses critical areas. As a developer, I'm excited to see the impact these changes will have on the MAUI ecosystem and the overall user experience.
One thing that immediately stands out is the emphasis on security and developer productivity. These improvements will likely lead to more robust and efficient applications, benefiting both developers and end-users alike.
