Leveraging Existing Web Content to Build Hybrid Apps with .NET MAUI
Tags: dotnet, blazor, aspnetcore, dotnetmaui
Published: 2023-08-04 16:20:55

Are you a web developer intrigued by the idea of building native mobile & desktop applications? If you've been developing with Angular, React, or even just HTML and JavaScript, there's good news for you! In this post, we'll explore how you can leverage your existing web content to build native iOS, Android, Mac, and Windows apps using .NET MAUI and the experimental [HybridWebView](https://github.com/Eilon/MauiHybridWebView).

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## Why Reuse Web Content?

Imagine being able to reuse all the goodness you've created with your chosen web frameworks in your native mobile apps. By leveraging your existing web development skills, you can save time and effort by not starting from scratch with native mobile development. Plus, you can bring the power of your web components, designs, and functionality to the native world.

Additionally, building native apps with .NET MAUI enables you to access native APIs and controls, giving you the best of both worlds. You can mix and match UI components, create a seamless user experience, and even access platform-specific features. The possibilities are practically endless.

## Introducing .NET MAUI

.NET MAUI is a powerful framework that builds on top of .NET for iOS, Android, Mac, and Windows (WinUI3), allowing you to create native apps with a unified API. I provides a single robust framework to make cross-platform app development easier than ever before.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/1185nqzbsoj7vv37tng9.png)

Out of the box, .NET MAUI enables you to use C# and XAML to build native UIs from shared code and access the underlying native APIs from C#. You have the flexibility to create apps that run on multiple platforms without sacrificing the performance and user experience provided by native controls and APIs.

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## Building Hybrid Apps with Blazor Hybrid

If you're a Blazor developer, you're in luck! Blazor developers can easily reuse their Blazor components between their web applications and .NET MAUI applications. This powerful capability is included "in the box" which allows you to blend native and web UI components seamlessly.

You can mix Blazor and native controls to create a unified and consistent user interface. This means you can build your UIs once and use them across different platforms, reducing development effort and ensuring a consistent user experience. The hybrid web view experiment offers great potential for Blazor developers looking to extend their apps to the native mobile world.

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## Building Hybrid Apps with HTML, JavaScript, Angular, or React

.NET MAUI doesn't limit you to just Blazor. You can also leverage your skills in HTML, JavaScript, Angular, or React to build hybrid apps with .NET Maui. This is made possible by the introduction of the experimental [HybridWebView](https://github.com/Eilon/MauiHybridWebView), which enables you to incorporate web content into your native apps seamlessly.

To get started, you'll need to add the `Ejl.MauiHybridWebView` NuGet package to your MAUI app. This package provides all the necessary functionality for integrating web content. Once added, you can create your HTML, JavaScript, and CSS files to define the web user interface.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/2lf5j4fhpt47yjocq11k.png)

The hybrid web view works by embedding a native web view control into your app, allowing it to display your web content using the platform's native rendering capabilities. This ensures a consistent look and feel across different platforms, while still giving you the freedom to use your preferred web technologies.

## Take It Further - Full React Application

If you want to take it a step further, you can even embed an entire React application within your .NET MAUI app. This is made possible by the flexibility and power of the HybridWebView to incorporate complex web applications into native apps seamlessly and communicate between JavaScript and C#.

By embedding a React application, you can bring the full power of React's component-centric approach to your native app development. This allows you to create highly interactive and dynamic user interfaces, leveraging the extensive React ecosystem of libraries and components. All while access native APIs and business logic written in C#.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/nkvotuqrzu25n8aftrlb.png)

With the capability to integrate web technology like React into your .NET MAUI apps, the possibilities for creating rich, engaging, and performant mobile experiences are virtually limitless.

## Conclusion

Building native apps doesn't have to mean starting from scratch. With .NET MAUI, you can leverage your existing web development skills and components to create powerful and feature-rich native apps. Whether you're using Blazor, Angular, React, or just HTML and JavaScript, .NET MAUI provides a unified platform to build cross-platform apps that deliver native performance and access to native features.

So, why not explore the possibilities of reusing your existing web content with .NET MAUI? Start building your native mobile apps today and discover the countless opportunities to create amazing experiences for your users.

## References
- [.NET MAUI official documentation](https://docs.microsoft.com/dotnet/maui/)
- [Ejl.Maui.HybridWebView NuGet package](https://www.nuget.org/packages/Ejl.MauiHybridWebView)
- [HybridWebView](https://github.com/Eilon/MauiHybridWebView)

> This article was partially created with the help of AI. James reviewed and revised the content as needed.