MvvmCross is designed to handle platform-specific code efficiently by separating the application logic into two main parts: a Core project and Platform-specific projects. The Core project, typically a .NET Standard library, contains the business logic, view models, models, and interfaces for platform-specific services. This allows for maximum code sharing across different platforms like Android, iOS, and Windows.
Platform-Specific Projects
Each platform-specific project (e.g., Xamarin.Android, Xamarin.iOS) contains the user interface and implementation of platform-specific services. These projects are responsible for initializing the MvvmCross framework and registering platform-specific services using the Setup class. The Setup class acts as a bootstrapper for MvvmCross, allowing developers to customize the framework's behavior for each platform.
Inversion of Control (IoC) and Dependency Injection
MvvmCross uses an Inversion of Control (IoC) container to manage dependencies across the application. This allows platform-specific services to be registered and injected into the Core project's logic. For example, if an application needs to access GPS location services, the GPS service can be registered in the platform-specific Setup class and then injected into the view models or other parts of the Core project.
Customizing Platform Behavior
Developers can customize platform-specific behavior by overriding methods in the Setup class. For instance, on Android, you might override methods in `MvxAndroidSetup` to register Android-specific services or handle Android-specific lifecycle events. Similarly, on iOS, you would use `MvxIosSetup` to handle iOS-specific initialization and service registration.
View Presenters
MvvmCross also provides View Presenters, which are responsible for deciding how views are presented on each platform. This allows for customization of the UI presentation logic, such as showing views modally or as part of a navigation stack, depending on the platform's conventions.
Plugins and Extensions
MvvmCross offers a plugin framework that allows developers to easily integrate third-party plugins for common functionalities like localization, sensors, and more. These plugins can be used across multiple platforms, further reducing the need for platform-specific code.
In summary, MvvmCross handles platform-specific code by providing a structured approach to separating shared logic from platform-specific implementations. It uses IoC and Dependency Injection to manage platform services, allows customization through the Setup class, and supports plugins for extending functionality across platforms.
Citations:[1] https://github.com/MvvmCross/MvvmCross
[2] https://dev.to/christian1006/creating-cross-platform-xamarin-applications-using-the-mvvmcross-framework-2920
[3] https://canbilgin.wordpress.com/tag/mvvmcross/
[4] https://www.mvvmcross.com/documentation/getting-started/mvvmcross-overview
[5] https://stackoverflow.com/questions/14337063/platform-specific-ioc-in-mvvmcross
[6] https://stackoverflow.com/questions/61641185/platform-specific-service-causes-an-exception-mvvmcross-xamarin-ios
[7] https://leaware.com/creating-cross-platform-xamarin-applications-using-the-mvvmcross-framework/
[8] https://www.mvvmcross.com/documentation/getting-started/mvvmcross-packages
[9] https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/863695/Introduction-to-Mvvmcross-Platform
[10] https://www.mvvmcross.com/documentation/getting-started/getting-started
[11] https://www.mvvmcross.com/documentation/advanced/customizing-using-App-and-Setup