MvvmCross significantly improves code re-use in cross-platform apps by leveraging the Model-View-ViewModel (MVVM) architectural pattern. Here's how it achieves this:
1. Separation of Concerns: MvvmCross promotes a clear separation of concerns by dividing the application into two main parts: the Core and the UI. The Core project, typically a Portable Class Library (PCL) or .NET Standard library, contains all the ViewModels, Models, and business logic. This allows for maximum code re-use across different platforms, as the business logic is decoupled from platform-specific code[1][2][7].
2. ViewModels in Core Project: By placing ViewModels in the Core project, MvvmCross enables developers to share these components across multiple platforms. This means that the logic for handling user interactions, data manipulation, and navigation can be reused without modification on different platforms like iOS, Android, and Windows[1][3][9].
3. Data Binding: MvvmCross supports data binding, which automatically updates the UI when changes occur in the ViewModel. This feature is crucial for maintaining consistency across platforms and reduces the need for manual UI updates, further enhancing code re-use[4][5].
4. Dependency Injection and Plugins: MvvmCross includes a plug-in architecture and dependency injection (DI) capabilities. These features allow developers to implement platform-specific functionalities in a way that they can be easily accessed and reused from the Core project. This means that while the UI layer must be platform-specific, many underlying functionalities can still be shared[3][9].
5. Navigation and View Presenters: MvvmCross provides a powerful ViewModel-first navigation system, which allows for the orchestration of application navigation from the Core project. This means that the flow of user interactions and screen transitions can be managed centrally, reducing the need for platform-specific navigation code[7].
6. Efficient Project Structure: MvvmCross encourages a structured approach to project organization, with a clear separation between platform-agnostic code in the Core and platform-specific code in the UI projects. This structure facilitates easier maintenance and extension of cross-platform applications[2][9].
Overall, MvvmCross enhances code re-use by centralizing business logic, leveraging data binding, and providing tools for managing platform-specific functionalities in a unified manner. This approach significantly reduces the amount of duplicated code and speeds up cross-platform app development.
Citations:[1] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/archive/msdn-magazine/2014/august/windows-phone-build-mvvm-apps-with-xamarin-and-mvvmcross
[2] https://www.toptal.com/xamarin/cross-platform-apps-with-xamarin
[3] https://www.suneco.nl/blogs/boost-your-xamarin-native-projects-with-mvvmcross/
[4] https://tiefenauer.github.io/blog/mobile-app-development-with-xamarin-and-mvvmcross-part-1-introduction/
[5] https://www.mvvmcross.com/documentation/fundamentals/data-binding
[6] https://diglib.tugraz.at/download.php?id=576a78335451d&location=browse
[7] https://www.mvvmcross.com/documentation/getting-started/mvvmcross-overview
[8] https://www.reddit.com/r/swift/comments/yrqlhu/is_crossplatform_the_future_of_mobile_development/
[9] https://leaware.com/creating-cross-platform-xamarin-applications-using-the-mvvmcross-framework/
[10] https://stackoverflow.com/questions/22409697/maximizing-ui-code-reuse-with-xamarin-mvvmcross