Xamarin to .NET MAUI Migration — It's Not a Full App Rebuild, Here's Why

When companies hear “we're migrating from Xamarin.Forms to .NET MAUI,” many assume it means a complete rebuild like starting a brand-new app from scratch.

Let’s debunk that.

Migration ≠ Full Development

.NET MAUI is the natural evolution of Xamarin.Forms. It keeps most of the same programming patterns (MVVM, data binding, etc.) but modernizes the framework with new architecture, performance improvements, and native tooling.

✅ What Stays the Same in Migration:

If your Xamarin.Forms app was built with clean architecture:

• ViewModels and business logic remain almost untouched

• APIs and network services are still valid

• Navigation and Shell patterns largely transfer over

• Most XAML layouts continue to work with little to no change

🔄 What Changes in .NET MAUI Migration

Now let’s look at the actual migration tasks:

1. 📁 Project Structure:

• Xamarin.Forms had separate projects for each platform.

• .NET MAUI uses a single-project architecture (Platforms/Android, Platforms/iOS, etc.) for easier maintenance.

2. 🛠 Custom Renderers → Handlers:

• Xamarin used renderers to provide platform-specific implementations.

• .NET MAUI replaces these with Handlers, which are more flexible and performant.

• Migration here requires converting custom renderers into handlers, often reusing the core logic.

3. 🧱 Dependency Injection (DI) Upgrade

• Xamarin.Forms often used manual DI or third-party containers like Autofac or TinyIoC.

• .NET MAUI comes with built-in Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.

✅ You can now register services directly in MauiProgram.cs using builder.Services.

builder.Services.AddSingleton<IMyService, MyService>();

This makes dependency registration cleaner, more maintainable, and better integrated into the MAUI lifecycle.

4. 📦 NuGet Package Compatibility

You’ll need to replace Xamarin-specific packages with their MAUI-supported counterparts.

5. 🎨 UI Component Updates

• Some deprecated or outdated controls need updating.

• MAUI provides improved layouts and styling tools.

6. 🔄 Lifecycle Updates

App lifecycle and startup have changed. You'll adapt to methods like CreateMauiApp() and the new App.xaml.cs patterns.

🧪 What About Testing?

Revalidation is needed — yes.
But it’s not a ground-up QA process most business rules and test cases are still applicable.

🧠 The Takeaway

.NET MAUI migration is a technical upgrade, not a full rebuild. The value lies in modernizing your stack, future-proofing your app, and using the latest .NET ecosystem standards including native DI, handlers, and performance gains.

💡 Treat it like an upgrade, not a brand-new project.