Introduction

With .NET 9 bringing further refinements to .NET MAUI, the cross-platform space is more competitive than ever. Choosing between MAUI, Flutter, and React Native can be tough—each has unique strengths. Let’s take a deep look, with practical examples, and see where they shine.

🧱 What is .NET MAUI?

.NET MAUI (Multi-platform App UI) is Microsoft’s answer to write-once-run-anywhere UI development. Built into .NET 9, it’s the evolution of Xamarin.Forms with support for:

• Windows (WinUI)
• Android
• iOS
• macOS

✅ Key Features in .NET 9

• Single project targeting multiple platforms
• Native UI performance
• C# and XAML for UI
• Hot Reload and tooling improvements
• AOT (ahead-of-time) compilation for performance

✨ Simple UI Example in .NET MAUI (C# + XAML)

XAML UI:

<ContentPage xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/dotnet/2021/maui"
             x:Class="HelloMaui.MainPage">
    <VerticalStackLayout Padding="30">
        <Label Text="Welcome to MAUI!" FontSize="32" />
        <Button Text="Click Me" Clicked="OnClick"/>
    </VerticalStackLayout>
</ContentPage>

C# Code-behind:

void OnClick(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    Console.WriteLine("Button clicked!");
}

Shared Logic (C# Class Library):

public class Calculator
{
    public int Add(int a, int b) => a + b;
}

🐦 What is Flutter?

Flutter, developed by Google, uses Dart to build performant apps across Android, iOS, web, desktop (Windows/macOS/Linux).

✅ Key Features

• Rich custom UI (Skia engine)
• Hot reload with sub-second refresh
• Strong community
• Web & desktop support

📱 Flutter UI Example

import 'package:flutter/material.dart';

void main() => runApp(MyApp());

class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return MaterialApp(
      home: Scaffold(
        body: Center(child: Text('Welcome to Flutter!')),
        floatingActionButton: FloatingActionButton(
          onPressed: () => print("Button clicked!"),
          child: Icon(Icons.add),
        ),
      ),
    );
  }
}

import 'package:flutter/material.dart';

void main() => runApp(MyApp());

class MyApp extends StatelessWidget {
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return MaterialApp(
      home: Scaffold(
        body: Center(child: Text('Welcome to Flutter!')),
        floatingActionButton: FloatingActionButton(
          onPressed: () => print("Button clicked!"),
          child: Icon(Icons.add),
        ),
      ),
    );
  }
}

Shared Logic (Dart):

class Calculator {
  int add(int a, int b) => a + b;
}

class Calculator {
  int add(int a, int b) => a + b;
}

⚛️ What is React Native?

React Native is Facebook’s JavaScript-based framework that renders native controls using a declarative React model.

✅ Key Features

• JavaScript/TypeScript codebase
• Native module integration (e.g., camera, sensors)
• Rich ecosystem (React)
• React hooks and functional components

⚛️ React Native UI Example

import React from 'react';
import { Button, Text, View } from 'react-native';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <View style={{ padding: 30 }}>
      <Text>Welcome to React Native!</Text>
      <Button title="Click Me" onPress={() => console.log("Button clicked!")} />
    </View>
  );
}

import React from 'react';
import { Button, Text, View } from 'react-native';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <View style={{ padding: 30 }}>
      <Text>Welcome to React Native!</Text>
      <Button title="Click Me" onPress={() => console.log("Button clicked!")} />
    </View>
  );
}

Shared Logic (JavaScript):

function add(a, b) {
  return a + b;
}

function add(a, b) {
  return a + b;
}

🧪 Developer Experience Compared

📊 Pros and Cons

🧠 Summary: Which Should You Choose?

📝 Final Thoughts

Each framework has matured significantly in recent years:

• .NET MAUI is ideal for .NET developers who want native performance, especially on Windows or enterprise-grade systems.
• Flutter is best when you need a consistent custom UI across all platforms—including the web.
• React Native excels for teams already in the React ecosystem or building quickly on a familiar stack.

Ultimately, your team skills, product needs, and platform targets will drive the best choice.

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