The document is a detailed overview of developing cross-platform native mobile applications using Xamarin, emphasizing its advantages, such as shared code and native performance. It discusses various mobile app types, the challenges of multi-platform development, and highlights Xamarin's architectural benefits, including access to native APIs and compatibility across iOS, Android, and Windows. Additionally, it mentions practical applications, client case studies, and services offered by Dan Hermes and his firm, Lexicon Systems.

1. Developing Cross-Platform
Native Apps with
Xamarin
for Boston Tech Workshops
by Dan Hermes
Xamarin MVP, Software Consultant
Lexicon Systems
dan@lexiconsystemsinc.com
www.mobilecsharpcafe.com
@danhermes

2. About Me
Dan Hermes
President of Lexicon Systems
Mobile and .NET software consultant
Author, speaker

3. My Xamarin Book
Now Available on Amazon
“This weighty book gives clear guidance that will help you
build quality apps, starting with architectural considerations,
and then jumping into practical code strategies.”
- Bryan Costanich, Vice President, Xamarin
“Dan Hermes’ extraordinary book is the most intelligent work
on cross-platform mobile development I’ve seen.”
– Jesse Liberty, Director of New Technology Development, Falafel Software,
Xamarin Certified Developer / Xamarin MVP

4. Why are we building
mobile apps for business?

5. Explosive Mobile v. PC Growth
Quarterly unit shipments (m)
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
PCs iOS & Android
March-95 March-97 March-99 March-01 March-03 March-05 March-07 March-09 March-11 March-13
Source: “Mobile is Eating the World” (Benedict Evans)

6. How do we build
mobile apps for business?

7. Mobile App Types
• Mobile Web /Responsive
• Browser-based
• Native
• iOS, Android, OR Windows
• Hybrid
• Web app wrapped in a native app
• Cross-platform
• iOS, Android, AND Windows

8. Native vs. Hybrid
Native User Interface and Native User Experience vs. Hybrid

9. People Expect Great Experiences

10. Which platforms
do we build for?

11. Smartphone OS Market Share
• Android – 66%
• iOS – 28%
• Windows Phone – 3%
What does this mean?
Single platform apps are risky

12. Cross-platform Apps
• Develop using a single technology (ex. C#, HTML5)
• Can run on all platforms
• iOS
• Android
• Windows Phone

13. What Are the Benefits
of Cross-platform Apps?
• Shared Code
• Code reuse
• One technology stack
• Instead of several
• Native app quality
• Native app performance
• Native phone functionality (location, camera, etc.)

14. Biggest Challenges
of Multi-platform Development
 Code Divergence
 Development Complexity
 Team Divergence
 Process Complexity
 Schedule
 Cost=

15. Cross-Platform Solutions
 Xamarin
 Code in C# then compile to respective native platforms
 Titanium, NativeScript & React Native
 Native shell around a JavaScript core app with some UI compiled to native
 Cordova
 Device-resident web app that can be wrapped in a native shell

16. Xamarin’s Approach
Native UI
C# +
XAML
Fully native apps written
entirely in C#
Shared App Logic in C#
 Xamarin delivers fully native user
interfaces and app functionality
 Complete access to 100% of the
native APIs for iOS, Android and
Windows in C#
 Share app logic and UI code across
device platforms

17. Xamarin Studio
 Optimized for cross-platform
mobile development
 Explore native APIs with
code completion
 World class Android and
iOS designers
 Powerful debugging on
simulator or device

18. Xamarin Plug-in for Visual Studio

20. Native Performance
Xamarin.iOS does full Ahead Of Time
(AOT) compilation to produce an ARM
binary for Apple’s App Store.
Xamarin.Android takes advantage of
Just In Time (JIT) compilation on the
Android device.

21. Mobile Visionary in Gartner Magic Quadrant
“Xamarin's architectural approach provides
completely native UIs with better performance than
other cross-platform techniques… Xamarin uses
multifaceted technology built by a cohesive team with a
solid long-term track record.”
Mobile Visionary in Magic Quadrant

22. Xamarin’s Enterprise Partnerships
The experiences your users expect.
The security and connections your organization requires.

24. Benefits of Cross-Platform Development
• Combine code and development teams
• Shared codebase
• Same programming skillset
• Run on multiple platforms
• iOS
• Android
• Windows Phone

25. Xamarin’s Default App Architecture
Native UI
C# +
XAML
Shared app logic,
platform-specific UI,
all in C#
Shared App Logic in C#
iOS C# UI Android C# UI Windows C# UI
Shared App Logic
 Platform-specific UI code in C#
 Shared app logic code in C#
 Fine-grain control over the app user
interface
 Good for apps with sophisticated UX
requirements (complicated gestures,
animations, design)

26. Xamarin.Forms
• Cross-platform user interface for Xamarin
• Announced in May of 2014
• Growing set of cross-platform controls
• Each control will be mapped to its native equivalent at runtime

28. Xamarin.Forms UI
 Xamarin.Forms features first developed for C# (code-first)
 XAML implementation then provided, so…
Anything you can do in C#, I can do in XAML
 What is XAML?
C# or XAML for UI Development

29. The Xamarin.Forms App Architecture
Shared App Logic
Xamarin.Forms
Increase Code Sharing Up to 100% and Deliver a Fully Native App
 Shared UI code in C#
 Shared app logic code in C#
 Mix-and-Match the use of Xamarin.Forms
with platform-specific code.
 Good for forms-based, apps with a lot of
data entry screens
 Easy to learn API makes you productive
immediately, without platform-specific
knowledge

30. Xamarin App Architectures
iOS C# UI Android C# UI Windows C# UI
Shared App Logic Shared App Logic
Xamarin.Forms
Platform-specific Xamarin.Forms

31. Page, Layout, View

32. Pages

33. Layouts

34. When to Use Xamarin.Forms?
• Learning Xamarin
• Cross-platform scaffolding
• Basic business apps
• Basic design
• Simple cross-platform screens
• Device-unique controls are not needed
• Complex graphics processing is not needed

35. Microsoft acquired Xamarin

36. Miguel de Icaza,
Xamarin CTO

37. Automatically test your app on hundreds of real
devices in the cloud

38. Xamarin Test Cloud – Testing Made Easy

39. What do I do all day?

40. • Develop web and mobile apps
• Xamarin experts
• Founded in 1999
• Microsoft technology stack
We advise on and build apps for business.

41. What We Do
a continuum of services from advisement to hands-on

42. Our Clients Include
and many small and medium-sized companies.

43. Our Proficiencies
•Web applications
• Microsoft Technologies
• C#, .NET, ASP.NET, MVC, HTML5,
Javascript
•Mobile apps
• iOS, Android, Windows Phone
• Built using Xamarin

44. MOBILE APPS
IN THE WILD
(Case Studies)

45.
Certification training and professional platform for orthopedic surgeons
•50,000 orthopedic surgeon user base
•Surgical topics, case studies, images
•Sample tests and test questions
•Surgeons can vote, comment, and cite journal entries

47. Cross-platform
iOS Android

48. Feature-rich and Intuitive UI

50.
Biotech market leader
•DNA and breast cancer research
•Engage lab techs more deeply through their ThermoFisher
equipment
•Bring real-time data directly from DNA-processing
laboratory equipment into the hands of scientists
Xammy
Finalist

51. Thermo Cycler or
PCR Device (polymerase chain reaction)
for DNA Duplication

52. PCR Essentials

53. Internet of Things (IoT)
Real-time Integration with Lab Devices

55. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
• Recreational drone use presents
risks and threats
• FAA announcing new regulations
• Help drone flyers fly safely

56. B4UFLY
• Plan your trips
• Airport locations
• Controlled Airspace
• Special Airspace
• Flight Warnings
• No-fly Zones

57. Xamarin gives us cross-platform reach
with native power and performance

58. Web and Mobile Work Together
• Modern biz apps combine web and mobile technology
• They share data sources, look and feel, and support one another
• A Unified technology foundation simplifies this
• Mobile and web apps all built with C# provides this foundation
• Xamarin
• .NET
• ASP.NET MVC
• Angular and other JavaScript options

59. Need Something Xamarin-flavored?
• I do Xamarin consultations
• I do Xamarin coaching and training
• My firm does Xamarin development
• We help make Xamarin projects work

60. Developing Cross-Platform
Native Apps with
Xamarin
Dan Hermes
developer, author, consultant,
founder of Lexicon Systems
dan@lexiconsystemsinc.com
Available on Amazon
My blog: www.mobilecsharpcafe.com
Twitter: @danhermes