What Platforms Are Supported by .NET MAUI? (Interview Question Short and Long Answer)

Short Answer: .NET MAUI supports Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS. It enables developers to write code once and deploy across multiple platforms, reducing complexity.

1. Introduction to .NET MAUI’s Cross-Platform Capabilities

.NET MAUI is a unified framework that enables building apps that run seamlessly on different platforms. Unlike Xamarin.Forms, which had separate projects, MAUI provides a single project structure for all platforms.

2. Platforms Supported by .NET MAUI

Platform	Supported?	Notes
Android	✅ Yes	Supports Android 5.0 (API 21) and later.
iOS	✅ Yes	Supports iOS 11+. Uses Xamarin.iOS backend.
Windows	✅ Yes	Uses WinUI 3 for Windows 10/11 apps.
macOS	✅ Yes	Uses Mac Catalyst for native macOS apps.
Linux	❌ No	Not officially supported; experimental only.
Web (via Blazor Hybrid)	⚡ Partial	Embeds Blazor components, not fully web-native.

3. Platform-Specific Implementation Details

Android Support

• Uses native Android APIs via .NET for Android.
• Supports DI, gestures, layouts.
• Customizable via #if ANDROID directives.

iOS Support

• Built on Xamarin.iOS, leverages UIKit.
• Supports App Store deployment and native interop.

Windows Support

• Uses WinUI 3 and Windows App SDK.
• Deep Windows API integration.
• Native desktop elements like dialogs, menus.

macOS Support

• Uses Mac Catalyst to bridge iOS code to macOS.
• Provides native macOS look with minimal changes.

Blazor Hybrid

• Allows embedding Blazor components in MAUI apps.
• Not a full web-based solution, but great for UI reuse.

4. Benefits of .NET MAUI’s Multi-Platform Support

• Write Once, Run Anywhere: Single codebase for multiple platforms.
• Native Performance: High-efficiency apps.
• Maintenance Simplified: No multi-project juggling.
• Flexible Customization: Use platform-specific code when needed.

5. Limitations and Future Possibilities

• No official Linux support (experimental only).
• Web support is limited to Blazor Hybrid.
• Some features still need custom platform-specific code.

6. Interview Tips and Final Thoughts

• Know supported platforms: Android, iOS, Windows, macOS.
• Understand how MAUI differs from Xamarin.Forms.
• Be familiar with Blazor Hybrid for shared UI components.
• Understand conditional compilation: #if ANDROID, #if IOS.
• Keep learning as .NET MAUI evolves.

📚 Further Reading

• Boost Your .NET MAUI Knowledge with 100+ Short Q&A for Interviews
• .NET MAUI Interview Guide for Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced Questions