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ProjectGeneratorTool

Generate complete AvaloniaUI projects with professional structure and best practices.

Overview

The ProjectGeneratorTool creates production-ready AvaloniaUI projects with various templates and configurations. It supports MVVM architecture, cross-platform development, and includes all necessary project files.

Features

  • Multiple Templates: MVVM, Basic, Cross-platform
  • Platform Support: Desktop, Mobile, Universal
  • Best Practices: Industry-standard project structure
  • Performance Optimized: Async file generation
  • Validation: Comprehensive input checking

Usage

Basic Project Creation

"Create a new AvaloniaUI project called MyApp"

This creates a basic project with:

  • Standard project structure
  • Modern .NET 9.0 targeting
  • Essential AvaloniaUI packages
  • Basic window and app setup

MVVM Project

"Create an MVVM AvaloniaUI project called MyMvvmApp"

Generates:

  • ViewModels with ReactiveUI
  • Proper MVVM structure
  • Data binding examples
  • Command patterns

Cross-Platform Project

"Create a cross-platform AvaloniaUI project called MyCrossPlatformApp for desktop and mobile"

Creates:

  • Shared UI components
  • Platform-specific projects
  • Conditional compilation
  • Mobile optimizations

Parameters

Required

  • projectName: Name of the project (validates against naming conventions)

Optional

  • template: Project template type

    • "mvvm" (default) - Full MVVM with ReactiveUI
    • "basic" - Simple application structure
    • "crossplatform" - Multi-platform setup

  • platforms: Target platforms

    • "desktop" (default) - Windows, macOS, Linux
    • "mobile" - Android, iOS
    • "all" - Desktop and mobile

  • outputDirectory: Where to create the project (defaults to current directory)

Generated Structure

MVVM Template

MyApp/
├── MyApp.csproj
├── App.axaml
├── App.axaml.cs
├── MainWindow.axaml
├── MainWindow.axaml.cs
├── Program.cs
└── ViewModels/
    ├── MainWindowViewModel.cs
    └── ViewModelBase.cs

Cross-Platform Template

MyApp/
├── MyApp.Desktop.csproj
├── MyApp.Mobile.csproj (if mobile enabled)
├── App.axaml
├── App.axaml.cs
├── MainWindow.axaml
├── MainWindow.axaml.cs
├── Program.Desktop.cs
└── ViewModels/
    ├── MainWindowViewModel.cs
    └── ViewModelBase.cs

Package References

Desktop Projects

  • Avalonia 11.3.2
  • Avalonia.Desktop 11.3.2
  • Avalonia.Fonts.Inter 11.3.2

MVVM Projects (Additional)

  • Avalonia.ReactiveUI 11.3.2

Mobile Projects (Additional)

  • Avalonia.Android 11.3.2
  • Avalonia.iOS 11.3.2

Code Examples

Generated MainWindow (MVVM)

<Window xmlns="https://github.com/avaloniaui"
        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
        xmlns:vm="using:MyApp.ViewModels"
        x:Class="MyApp.MainWindow"
        x:DataType="vm:MainWindowViewModel"
        Title="MyApp"
        Width="800"
        Height="600">

    <Design.DataContext>
        <vm:MainWindowViewModel/>
    </Design.DataContext>

    <StackPanel Margin="20" Spacing="10">
        <TextBlock Text="Welcome to AvaloniaUI!" FontSize="24" FontWeight="Bold"/>
        <TextBlock Text="{Binding Greeting}" FontSize="16"/>

        <StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal" Spacing="10">
            <TextBox Text="{Binding Name}" Watermark="Enter your name" Width="200"/>
            <Button Command="{Binding GreetCommand}" Content="Greet"/>
        </StackPanel>

        <TextBlock Text="{Binding GreetingMessage}" FontWeight="Bold" Foreground="Blue"/>
    </StackPanel>
</Window>

Generated ViewModel

using System.Reactive;
using ReactiveUI;

namespace MyApp.ViewModels;

public class MainWindowViewModel : ViewModelBase
{
    private string _name = string.Empty;
    private string _greetingMessage = string.Empty;

    public string Greeting => "Welcome to Avalonia!";

    public string Name
    {
        get => _name;
        set => this.RaiseAndSetIfChanged(ref _name, value);
    }

    public string GreetingMessage
    {
        get => _greetingMessage;
        set => this.RaiseAndSetIfChanged(ref _greetingMessage, value);
    }

    public ReactiveCommand<Unit, Unit> GreetCommand { get; }

    public MainWindowViewModel()
    {
        GreetCommand = ReactiveCommand.Create(ExecuteGreet);
    }

    private void ExecuteGreet()
    {
        GreetingMessage = string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(Name)
            ? "Please enter your name!"
            : $"Hello, {Name}! Welcome to AvaloniaUI!";
    }
}

Building and Running

After project generation:

cd MyApp
dotnet run

For cross-platform projects:

# Run desktop version
dotnet run --project MyApp.Desktop.csproj

# Build for mobile (requires additional setup)
dotnet build MyApp.Mobile.csproj

Validation

The tool validates:

  • Project names - Valid C# identifiers, no reserved words
  • Directory paths - Valid and accessible locations
  • Template types - Supported template options
  • Platform combinations - Valid platform specifications

Error Handling

Common errors and solutions:

Invalid Project Name

Error: Project name 'class' is a reserved keyword
Solution: Use a different name like 'MyClass' or 'ClassManager'

Directory Already Exists

Error: Directory 'MyApp' already exists
Solution: Choose a different name or remove the existing directory

Invalid Platform

Error: Invalid platforms 'web'. Valid platforms are: desktop, mobile, all
Solution: Use one of the supported platform options

Performance

  • File Generation: Parallel async operations for faster creation
  • Validation: Early validation prevents unnecessary work
  • Caching: Template caching for repeated operations
  • Memory: Efficient string handling for large projects

Best Practices

Project Naming

  • Use PascalCase (e.g., "MyAwesomeApp")
  • Avoid spaces and special characters
  • Keep names descriptive but concise
  • Consider namespace implications

Template Selection

  • Basic: Simple apps, prototypes, learning
  • MVVM: Production apps, complex UIs, testability
  • Cross-platform: Multi-device deployment

Platform Considerations

  • Desktop only: Traditional desktop applications
  • Mobile included: Touch-optimized interfaces
  • All platforms: Maximum reach, consider responsive design

Integration

Works seamlessly with other tools:

  • Use XamlValidationTool to validate generated XAML
  • Apply SecurityPatternTool for authentication
  • Add ThemingTool for custom styling
  • Use DiagnosticTool for monitoring