Mac veterans have been singing Alfred's praises for years, but some of Apple's newer users might not have heard about the mighty app launcher. Free to all but the most serious professionals.
Ten years after the first release of Sketch, a lot has changed. The design tools space has grown. Our amazing community has, too. Even macOS itself has evolved. But one thing has remained the same: our love for developing a truly native Mac app.
Xamarin.Mac allows for the development of fully native Mac apps in C# and.NET using the same macOS APIs that are used when developing in Objective-C or Swift. Because Xamarin.Mac integrates directly with Xcode, the developer can use Xcode's Interface Builder to create an app's user interfaces (or optionally create them directly in C# code). Though some credit native Mac apps as key to the platform's security, they actually perform a more important function. The future of Apple in the enterprise: 3 factors to watch Watch Now. In researching the best free apps for the Mac, I started by using Apple's category list. This makes it easier to cover the wide variety of content available. If an app is on the Mac App Store, it is in one of the 21 categories that Apple has listed. Xamarin.Mac exposes the complete macOS SDK for.NET developers to build native Mac applications using C#.
Native apps bring so many benefits — from personalization and performance to familiarity and flexibility. And while we're always working hard to make Cloud an amazing space to collaborate, we still believe the Mac is the perfect place to let your ideas and imagination flourish.
In this post, we thought we'd highlight just a few of the benefits that come with native macOS apps.
It's the things you see…
When you use a truly native app, you get all the benefits that come as standard with the platform — and for macOS, there are plenty! You can work across multiple windows, or in multiple tabs. You can manage your own local files in Finder, and browse back through previous versions saved on your Mac's built-in storage. Then there's Time Machine, which helps you keep a full history of your local files in case you want to revert to a much older layout, grab an important Symbol you accidentally deleted months ago, or just keep a full backup of all your work from v1.0 to your finished file.
Then there are the built-in customization options. Want to tweak a shortcut for a tool you use regularly, or add a new shortcut entirely? Take advantage of macOS' custom keyboard shortcuts and create your own from System Preferences — putting your favorite Sketch features at your fingertips. Plus, it's easy to completely customize your toolbar with a Ctrl-click, just like you would in Finder or Mail. Learn the method once and it's easy to put the tools you need the most easily within reach. When it comes to personalizing your app to suit your workflow and preferences, native apps have the controls you need.
We think the best way to design is in a truly native application, built beautifully — and made for macOS.
Best of all, native Mac apps like ours are designed to fit with the rest of the operating system. It's hard to quantify, but if you use Apple's built-in apps you immediately get a ‘feel' for how things should work in native apps. When an app ‘fits in' with the rest of the OS, it doesn't just look and feel more at home on your Mac — it lowers the learning curve when you first open it. That's why we (and plenty of other great macOS developers) work hard to follow the conventions set out in Apple's Human Interface Guidelines, so that our Mac app has that same, familiar feel. And you can start using it instantly, from the first click.
This is something we pride ourselves on — over the years we've taken design cues from Apple, working hard to make your experience feel consistent and natural whenever you switch from our Mac app to apps like Pages or Keynote. We support UI changes, such as Dark Mode, as they launch. And right now we're putting the finishing touches to a major UI update so that our Mac app will still look perfectly at home when macOS Big Sur releases later this Fall.
Mac Native Apps For Android
…and the ones you don't.
Of course, for all the obvious features that you can see and use every day, there are dozens more that help make native Mac apps better to use. You may not always know about them, but these behind-the-scenes benefits are one of the biggest reason we continue to champion a truly native app.
It starts with native macOS technologies. Building our app with the likes of Metal and Swift makes a big difference to things like rendering, performance and our memory footprint, too. And we're continuing to improve things in both of these areas — the updates we made with version 67 are one example.
Native Mac apps can offer a better user experience by building on top of Apple's tried and tested frameworks, improving everything from battery life to accessibility.
As a native app, we can easily support OpenType font features and P3 color profiles (because Apple does), so your designs look their best. Plus, our Mac app works with OS extensions and actions, like the ability to look up words or search with Google with a Ctrl-click — without needing any workarounds.
Plus, one of the biggest benefits is the option to use your native apps anywhere — even when you don't have an internet connection. We'll still need you to go online to confirm your license, but once that check is complete you can jump onto a long-haul flight, hike up a mountain or just switch off Wi-Fi on your Mac and keep designing in Sketch until long after the sun goes down.
This isn't just about us, though. Every native Mac app can offer a better user experience by building on top of Apple's tried and tested frameworks, giving you everything from better performance and improved battery life to world-class accessibility.
It all comes down to choice.
For us, the ultimate benefit of being a native macOS app is that it puts the choice in your hands. Like we said above, we're always working hard to make Cloud a great place to collaborate, but if you need to work locally in a native application on your own Mac, you always have the option. And if you prefer to store your design files on your Mac's hard drive, a shared file server or an enterprise Box setup, you can.
The same goes for backups. Of course we'll keep your files safe and secure if you store them in Cloud, but you can always keep a local version too, if you want. Want to stay in control of which version of Sketch you're working with? We get it, sometimes you don't want to update your tools close to a deadline — we do the same with Xcode ;-). Just stick with your current version until you're ready to update. The moment you're ready, you'll get all the performance improvements and latest features (like Color Variables and real-time collaboration — which is coming soon) that each new release brings.
We want to give you the best of all worlds. The latest features delivered directly to a native Mac app, with all the functional benefits that brings. The ability to choose how and where you work. The option to share your work and handoff to others in Cloud. And soon, the ability to collaborate in real-time.
Ultimately, the choice is in your hands. We want to give you the best of all worlds. The latest features in a native Mac app, with all the functional benefits that brings. The ability to choose how and where you work. The option to share your work and handoff to others in Cloud. And soon, the ability to collaborate in real-time.
We simply couldn't do this without being a native Mac app. macOS is an amazing platform to work on, and we're grateful to the community of designers like you that use Macs every day to create amazing work. Thank you for supporting us, and all the other native apps that help make the Mac the platform it is today. And thank you, Apple, for giving us a place to call home.
Back in .NET Conf 2017 The Xamarin team already shared what's going to be new with Xamarin Forms 3.0 and it actually surprised me. I was expecting some performance improvements, bug fixing and a big upgrade on XAML. But, what they announced focuses on enabling the usage of Xamarin.Forms in more ways and on more platforms. I was really hoping for XAML improvements, maybe add some cascading styling like how CSS works. Maybe sometime in the future, we'll get it. For now, I'll just use the XAMLCss by warapa. Anyway if you want to watch all sessions from .NET Conf 2017, you can check it out on Channel9. Going back, I really didn't expect these new features, but definitely, I love it and really excited to try it out!
That's why right now, I'm going to show to you one of the exciting features added to the Xamarin.Forms 3.0 that I think you'll also love. I'm talking about Xamarin.Form's macOS support.
One of the Xamarin team's plan is to reach more platforms. That means UWP, iOS and Android are not only platform the Xamarin.Forms will be able to target from now on, they are also bringing macOS, GTK#, Linux and WPF!
You might think that it will be hard and will take a lot of time to integrate your Xamarin.Forms solution into the macOS project, but it's not. Not at all. You'll be able to create a native macOS application using your Xamarin.Forms solution using Visual Studio for Mac or Xamarin Studio in just 3 quick steps! Mac plink lipstick swatch.
Ten years after the first release of Sketch, a lot has changed. The design tools space has grown. Our amazing community has, too. Even macOS itself has evolved. But one thing has remained the same: our love for developing a truly native Mac app.
Xamarin.Mac allows for the development of fully native Mac apps in C# and.NET using the same macOS APIs that are used when developing in Objective-C or Swift. Because Xamarin.Mac integrates directly with Xcode, the developer can use Xcode's Interface Builder to create an app's user interfaces (or optionally create them directly in C# code). Though some credit native Mac apps as key to the platform's security, they actually perform a more important function. The future of Apple in the enterprise: 3 factors to watch Watch Now. In researching the best free apps for the Mac, I started by using Apple's category list. This makes it easier to cover the wide variety of content available. If an app is on the Mac App Store, it is in one of the 21 categories that Apple has listed. Xamarin.Mac exposes the complete macOS SDK for.NET developers to build native Mac applications using C#.
Native apps bring so many benefits — from personalization and performance to familiarity and flexibility. And while we're always working hard to make Cloud an amazing space to collaborate, we still believe the Mac is the perfect place to let your ideas and imagination flourish.
In this post, we thought we'd highlight just a few of the benefits that come with native macOS apps.
It's the things you see…
When you use a truly native app, you get all the benefits that come as standard with the platform — and for macOS, there are plenty! You can work across multiple windows, or in multiple tabs. You can manage your own local files in Finder, and browse back through previous versions saved on your Mac's built-in storage. Then there's Time Machine, which helps you keep a full history of your local files in case you want to revert to a much older layout, grab an important Symbol you accidentally deleted months ago, or just keep a full backup of all your work from v1.0 to your finished file.
Then there are the built-in customization options. Want to tweak a shortcut for a tool you use regularly, or add a new shortcut entirely? Take advantage of macOS' custom keyboard shortcuts and create your own from System Preferences — putting your favorite Sketch features at your fingertips. Plus, it's easy to completely customize your toolbar with a Ctrl-click, just like you would in Finder or Mail. Learn the method once and it's easy to put the tools you need the most easily within reach. When it comes to personalizing your app to suit your workflow and preferences, native apps have the controls you need.
We think the best way to design is in a truly native application, built beautifully — and made for macOS.
Best of all, native Mac apps like ours are designed to fit with the rest of the operating system. It's hard to quantify, but if you use Apple's built-in apps you immediately get a ‘feel' for how things should work in native apps. When an app ‘fits in' with the rest of the OS, it doesn't just look and feel more at home on your Mac — it lowers the learning curve when you first open it. That's why we (and plenty of other great macOS developers) work hard to follow the conventions set out in Apple's Human Interface Guidelines, so that our Mac app has that same, familiar feel. And you can start using it instantly, from the first click.
This is something we pride ourselves on — over the years we've taken design cues from Apple, working hard to make your experience feel consistent and natural whenever you switch from our Mac app to apps like Pages or Keynote. We support UI changes, such as Dark Mode, as they launch. And right now we're putting the finishing touches to a major UI update so that our Mac app will still look perfectly at home when macOS Big Sur releases later this Fall.
Mac Native Apps For Android
…and the ones you don't.
Of course, for all the obvious features that you can see and use every day, there are dozens more that help make native Mac apps better to use. You may not always know about them, but these behind-the-scenes benefits are one of the biggest reason we continue to champion a truly native app.
It starts with native macOS technologies. Building our app with the likes of Metal and Swift makes a big difference to things like rendering, performance and our memory footprint, too. And we're continuing to improve things in both of these areas — the updates we made with version 67 are one example.
Native Mac apps can offer a better user experience by building on top of Apple's tried and tested frameworks, improving everything from battery life to accessibility.
As a native app, we can easily support OpenType font features and P3 color profiles (because Apple does), so your designs look their best. Plus, our Mac app works with OS extensions and actions, like the ability to look up words or search with Google with a Ctrl-click — without needing any workarounds.
Plus, one of the biggest benefits is the option to use your native apps anywhere — even when you don't have an internet connection. We'll still need you to go online to confirm your license, but once that check is complete you can jump onto a long-haul flight, hike up a mountain or just switch off Wi-Fi on your Mac and keep designing in Sketch until long after the sun goes down.
This isn't just about us, though. Every native Mac app can offer a better user experience by building on top of Apple's tried and tested frameworks, giving you everything from better performance and improved battery life to world-class accessibility.
It all comes down to choice.
For us, the ultimate benefit of being a native macOS app is that it puts the choice in your hands. Like we said above, we're always working hard to make Cloud a great place to collaborate, but if you need to work locally in a native application on your own Mac, you always have the option. And if you prefer to store your design files on your Mac's hard drive, a shared file server or an enterprise Box setup, you can.
The same goes for backups. Of course we'll keep your files safe and secure if you store them in Cloud, but you can always keep a local version too, if you want. Want to stay in control of which version of Sketch you're working with? We get it, sometimes you don't want to update your tools close to a deadline — we do the same with Xcode ;-). Just stick with your current version until you're ready to update. The moment you're ready, you'll get all the performance improvements and latest features (like Color Variables and real-time collaboration — which is coming soon) that each new release brings.
We want to give you the best of all worlds. The latest features delivered directly to a native Mac app, with all the functional benefits that brings. The ability to choose how and where you work. The option to share your work and handoff to others in Cloud. And soon, the ability to collaborate in real-time.
Ultimately, the choice is in your hands. We want to give you the best of all worlds. The latest features in a native Mac app, with all the functional benefits that brings. The ability to choose how and where you work. The option to share your work and handoff to others in Cloud. And soon, the ability to collaborate in real-time.
We simply couldn't do this without being a native Mac app. macOS is an amazing platform to work on, and we're grateful to the community of designers like you that use Macs every day to create amazing work. Thank you for supporting us, and all the other native apps that help make the Mac the platform it is today. And thank you, Apple, for giving us a place to call home.
Back in .NET Conf 2017 The Xamarin team already shared what's going to be new with Xamarin Forms 3.0 and it actually surprised me. I was expecting some performance improvements, bug fixing and a big upgrade on XAML. But, what they announced focuses on enabling the usage of Xamarin.Forms in more ways and on more platforms. I was really hoping for XAML improvements, maybe add some cascading styling like how CSS works. Maybe sometime in the future, we'll get it. For now, I'll just use the XAMLCss by warapa. Anyway if you want to watch all sessions from .NET Conf 2017, you can check it out on Channel9. Going back, I really didn't expect these new features, but definitely, I love it and really excited to try it out!
That's why right now, I'm going to show to you one of the exciting features added to the Xamarin.Forms 3.0 that I think you'll also love. I'm talking about Xamarin.Form's macOS support.
One of the Xamarin team's plan is to reach more platforms. That means UWP, iOS and Android are not only platform the Xamarin.Forms will be able to target from now on, they are also bringing macOS, GTK#, Linux and WPF!
You might think that it will be hard and will take a lot of time to integrate your Xamarin.Forms solution into the macOS project, but it's not. Not at all. You'll be able to create a native macOS application using your Xamarin.Forms solution using Visual Studio for Mac or Xamarin Studio in just 3 quick steps! Mac plink lipstick swatch.
First step: Add a Cocoa App project
Right now, Xamarin.Forms template doesn't have a Cocoa App initially. So, what you would do is to start Visual Studio for Mac or Xamarin Studio and open your existing Xamarin.Forms solution. Then, add a project into the solution by right-clicking the solution and selecting Add > Add New Existing Project.
You can then select Mac > App > Cocoa App and name it whatever you want, but ideally, the name has a suffix of .macOs.
Second Step: Add the Xamarin.Forms NuGet Package
You will have to add the Xamarin.Forms' latest pre-release nuget package or specifically 2.4.0.282. To do this, right click the Cocoa App project that you just created and select Add > Add Nuget Packages.
Then, search for ‘Xamarin.Forms' and make sure that the ‘Show pre-release packages' is ticked. Click ‘Add' to add Xamarin.Forms nuget package.
You will also need to update the Xamarin.Forms on your shared project and the version should be the same with what the Cocoa app have.
Third Step: Configure the Cocoa App Project
The first thing that you should do with your Cocoa app project is to add the shared project into your Cocoa app as a reference.
Then, open the Info.plist and remove the ‘Main storyboard file base name' entry (Opened with XCode)
Or just open the Info.plist inside Visual Studio or Xamarin Studio by clicking it and leave the Main Interface blank.
Mac Native Apps Free
The next one is to update your Main.cs' Main method to initialize the AppDelegate:
Lastly, update the AppDelegate by changing the NSApplicationDelegate to FormsApplicationDelegate:
Initialize the Cocoa app window within the constructor:
Then inside the DidFinishLaunching method, initialize Xamarin.Forms and load the application:
You can now set your project as the startup project and run your macOS!
Again, in just 3 quick steps, it's done!
This is just a basic walkthrough since this is still on preview. Expect that there are still bugs and not ready for production. Not all nuget packages are compatible and surely, there are lots of UI features still not implemented, but this is a good start. For now, you can send your issues and problems that you encounter in this forum discussion: https://forums.xamarin.com/discussion/93585/preview-xamarin-forms-for-macos/p1
