WPF with MVVM pattern in C#

A common programming language for creating Windows apps is C#. Windows desktop applications may be created using the WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation) framework. A design pattern called MVVM (Model-View-ViewModel) separates the display logic from the business logic. In this blog, we'll look at how to use the MVVM pattern and C# programming in WPF.

01. Understanding WPF

WPF is a Windows framework for building desktop applications. It provides a modern technique for creating user interfaces and is a component of the.NET framework. WPF uses C# to create the logic and XAML (Extensible Application Markup Language) to design the user interface. To design rich user interfaces, WPF offers a wide variety of controls, data binding, styles, templates and animations.

02. Understanding MVVM

A design pattern called MVVM separates the display logic and the business logic. It has three sections: Model, View, and a Viewmodel. The ViewModel serves as the link between the Model and View, representing the UI, while the Model represents data and business logic. Through data binding, the ViewModel makes the data and instructions available to the View.

03. Creating a WPF Application

Open Visual Studio and start a new project if you want to create a WPF application. Name your project, then choose the WPF App (.NET Framework) template. MainWindow.xaml and App.xaml are two default files that Visual Studio will provide when creating a project.

The primary window of your program is MainWindow.xaml. It includes your application's user interface components. The application-level resource dictionary is called App.xaml. It includes the templates, styles, and other materials used throughout your program.

You may change App.xaml to use a different window as the startup window.

04. Implementing MVVM Pattern

To implement MVVM pattern in your WPF application, you need to create three folders in your project: Model, View, and ViewModel. Create a class for your Model, View, and ViewModel in their respective folders.

The Model represents the data and business logic of your application. It can be a simple class that holds the data or a more complex class that interacts with a database or a web service.

The View represents the UI of your application. It can be a simple XAML file or a more complex UserControl that contains multiple UI elements.

The ViewModel acts as a mediator between the Model and View. It exposes the data and commands to the View through data binding. It also contains the logic that updates the Model when the data changes.

05. Data Binding

The most important element of WPF and the MVVM architecture is data binding. It enables you to connect the UI components in your View to the data in your ViewModel. You have to link the DataContext attribute of your View to an instance of your ViewModel if you want to bind the data. The data can then be bound to the UI components using the Binding markup extension.

06. Commands

Another key aspect of the MVVM architecture is commands. They allow you to encapsulate the user actions in your View into a reusable command in your ViewModel. The ICommand interface must be implemented in your ViewModel if you want to create a command. The Command and CommandParameter properties may then be used to connect the command to a UI element in your View.

07. Conclusion

In conclusion, developing desktop apps for Windows using C# programming in WPF and the MVVM pattern offers an improved technique. To design rich user experiences, WPF offers a wide variety of controls, data binding, styles, templates, and animations. By separating the presentation logic from the business logic, the MVVM pattern makes your code more manageable and adaptable.  Data binding and commands are key features of MVVM pattern that enable you to bind the data and encapsulate user actions in your ViewModel.