The .NET MAUI Shell reduces the complexity of app development by providing the fundamental features that most apps require, including:
- A single place to describe the visual hierarchy of an app.
- A common navigation user experience.
- A URI-based navigation scheme that permits navigation to any page in the app.
- An integrated search handler.
In the sample code provided, the application is started with a root object in App.xaml that initializes the application and hands off controls to AppShell.xaml where the Shell is defined:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<Shell xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/dotnet/2021/maui"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2009/xaml"
x:Class="MyNewsReader.AppShell"
FlyoutBehavior="Disabled">
<Shell.Resources>
<ResourceDictionary>
<Style x:Key="BaseStyle" TargetType="Element">
<Setter Property="Shell.BackgroundColor" Value="{StaticResource Primary}" />
<Setter Property="Shell.ForegroundColor" Value="{OnPlatform WinUI={StaticResource Primary}, Default=White}" />
<Setter Property="Shell.TitleColor" Value="White" />
</Style>
<Style BasedOn="{StaticResource BaseStyle}" TargetType="ShellItem" ApplyToDerivedTypes="True" />
</ResourceDictionary>
</Shell.Resources>
<ShellContent
Title="Home"
ContentTemplate="{DataTemplate local:MainPage}"
Route="MainPage" />
</Shell> The shell defines the resources to be used in the application and the behavior of the navigation in the application. The Shell.Resources markup defines the styles to be applied to the contents of the Shell.
The ShellContent element abstractly references the MainPage of our application using the ContentTemplate attribute and declaring that this content should be presented. A Route is assigned as well, so that we can navigate around the application.
Check out the Shell.NavBarIsVisible attribute declaring that the navigation elements and title should be visible when the MainPage is displayed.