Microsoft has announced that it is open-sourcing XAML Studio, a tool designed to help WinUI developers quickly prototype user interfaces using XAML. The tool aims to make it easier for developers to experiment with UI ideas before fully integrating them into their apps within Visual Studio. This move makes XAML Studio more accessible and encourages community contributions to improve its features.

Features of XAML Studio

XAML Studio provides a variety of tools and helpers tailored for UWP-based XAML app development. Developers can use features like live editing, which allows real-time updates to the UI, and Interaction, a binding debugger that helps troubleshoot data bindings. There’s also a data context editor to manage data sources easily, along with IntelliSense support for faster coding and a documentation toolbox that offers quick access to helpful references.

These features are available in XAML Studio 1.1, which can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store. The app is designed to streamline the prototyping process, making it faster to test and refine UI designs without writing a lot of code upfront. It’s especially useful for designers and developers working on UWP projects who want a rapid way to visualize ideas.

Upcoming XAML Studio 2 and New Features

The next version, XAML Studio 2, is still in development but can be built from source code available on GitHub. This upcoming version will include several new features, such as a fresh Fluent UI design that aligns with modern Microsoft aesthetic standards. It will also support folder management, allowing users to load images and design data more efficiently.

Other new tools in XAML Studio 2 include a live property panel, which helps users edit and inspect UI properties on the fly. Quick access options like preview refresh, alignment grids, clipping tools, and theme toggling will make it easier to experiment with different styles and layouts. The goal is to further simplify UI prototyping and improve the overall user experience.

To use XAML Studio, developers need to have Visual Studio 2022 or later installed, along with Windows 10 or newer. Microsoft has committed to open-source principles for this project, adopting the Microsoft Open Source Code of Conduct to ensure a collaborative and respectful community environment.

Inspired by

• https://www.infoworld.com/article/4114641/microsoft-open-sources-xaml-studio.html

Sources

• microsoft.com
• github.com
• microsoft.com