Difference between ".NET MAUI Multi-project App" and ".NET MAUI App"

Question

Is there somebody able to explain me what is the difference between :

• .NET MAUI Application
• .NET MAUI Multi-project App

The official MAUI Windows page doesn't mention the second project's model : https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/maui/get-started/first-app?pivots=devices-windows&view=net-maui-8.0&tabs=vswin.

When I worked with Xamarin solution last year there was a project for each platform in my xamarin Solution. Then, when I started on MAUI this january, I followed a guide which explains that the new MAUI solution has only one project with folder for different platform (first point). So I worked with this kind of project.

And now, because I needed to create a "test project" (for tutorial goal), I'm discovering the ".NET MAUI Multi-project App project" model, which contains a project by platform...

Is someone able to explain me what's going on ? What are the fundamentals differences between these 2 MAUI projects model ?

I'm expecting to understand what is the good choice to do in order to adapt my Xamarin (for android) app to an MAUI (for android) App

Answer 1

.NET MAUI App is single project application but .NET MAUI Multi-project app have multiple projects for common code , android, windows, IOS, MAC. so it's easy to configure different platform differently. sometimes it reduces complexity of application sometimes it makes your application complex.

Answer 2

Basically it gives you a head project for each platform, instead of using the "single project" approach with several target frameworks that .NET MAUI knows how to handle. on Single project you have something similar if you look at the Platforms folder, there you see some of the code you see in the several platform head projects.

Answer 3

What are the fundamentals differences between these 2 MAUI projects model ?

I'm expecting to understand what is the good choice to do in order to adapt my Xamarin (for android) app to an MAUI (for android) App

Actually, there is no essential difference. Previously, VS only had the .NET MAUI App project template. Recently, .NET MAUI Multi-project App project template was added.

The biggest difference between the two is the project file structure, which should be familiar to you if you have developed Xamarin Forms before. So, .NET MAUI Multi-project App will be a good choice for you.

Answer 4

It is suitable to upgrade from Xamarin to MAUI side-by-side

To get a all MAUI features, use NET MAUI App

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Manually upgrade a Xamarin.Forms app to a multi-project .NET MAUI app

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