Fluent databinding in MvvmCross improves the performance of applications primarily through its type-safe and compile-time checked nature, although the performance benefits are more related to development efficiency and less about runtime performance improvements. Here's how it contributes to better overall application performance and maintainability:
1. Type Safety and Compile-Time Checks: Fluent databinding allows developers to create bindings using C# code, which means that the bindings are checked at compile-time rather than runtime. This reduces the likelihood of runtime errors due to incorrect binding paths or typos, which can otherwise lead to performance issues or crashes. By catching these errors early, developers can ensure that their applications are more stable and performant from the outset[2][4].
2. Improved Development Efficiency: The fluent syntax is often easier to read and maintain than other binding formats like JSON or XML-based bindings. This ease of use can lead to faster development cycles and fewer bugs, indirectly improving the overall performance of the application by reducing the time spent debugging and optimizing[1][4].
3. Platform Flexibility: Fluent bindings are particularly useful on platforms like iOS and Android, where XML layout files are not as easily editable as XAML files used in Windows or .NET MAUI applications. This flexibility allows developers to maintain consistent coding practices across different platforms, which can simplify the debugging and optimization process[1][4].
4. Reduced Runtime Overhead: While fluent bindings themselves do not inherently reduce runtime overhead compared to other binding methods, they do ensure that bindings are correctly set up and maintained. Incorrectly configured bindings can lead to unnecessary updates or notifications, which might impact performance. By ensuring that bindings are correctly established, developers can avoid these potential performance pitfalls[2].
5. Integration with MvvmCross Features: MvvmCross provides a range of features, including navigation and dependency injection, which can be used in conjunction with fluent bindings to create efficient and scalable applications. By leveraging these features effectively, developers can build applications that perform well across different platforms[5][7].
In summary, while fluent databinding in MvvmCross does not directly improve runtime performance in the same way that compiled bindings in .NET MAUI do, it enhances development efficiency, reduces errors, and ensures that applications are more maintainable and less prone to performance issues due to incorrect bindings[3].
Citations:[1] https://www.mvvmcross.com/documentation/fundamentals/data-binding
[2] https://blog.ostebaronen.dk/2018/01/mvvmcross-binding-target.html
[3] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/maui/fundamentals/data-binding/compiled-bindings?view=net-maui-9.0
[4] https://crosscuttingconcerns.com/MvvmCross-Fluent-Databinding
[5] http://wojosoftware.com/software/mvvmcross/
[6] https://diglib.tugraz.at/download.php?id=576a78335451d&location=browse
[7] https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/archive/msdn-magazine/2014/august/windows-phone-build-mvvm-apps-with-xamarin-and-mvvmcross
[8] https://www.mvvmcross.com/documentation/getting-started/getting-started
[9] https://www.reddit.com/r/dotnet/comments/68ste4/wpf_databinding_performance_issue/