Convert Existing Windows 10 UWP Application in Android

Question

I've found a few examples, as I in a Xamarin.Native use a Windows UWP. But that would mean that I a Xamarin.Nativ in a Windows UWP Convert. I would like convert a finished Windows UWP application to the target Android or iOS. Is that generally supported or needs my UWP application rebuild again with Xamarin?

Links:

Adding a Universal Windows Platform (UWP) App

Getting Started with Xamarin.Forms 2.0’s Windows 10 Preview

Answer 1

Unfortunately asfar as I know there is no converter that allows to convert UWP app to Android app straight forward.

There are few ways to make the whole process a lot much more easier (so you can create your Android app faster). If you wrote your UWP application and separated common code that can be used in the other applications you can also use it in Xamarin.Android app - the best way is to have PCL with the common code. It is also important which type of Xamarin app you would like to create:

1) Xamarin Forms - common UI for each app: Windows, Android and iOS. There is one shared code that can be used by them. Remember that Xamarin Forms apps are generally speaking the best for displaying the data and they are limited with reference to platform specific functionality.

Please see below to read more:

https://docs.xamarin.com/guides/cross-platform/application_fundamentals/building_cross_platform_applications/sharing_code_options/

2) Xamarin.Platfrom (so Xamarin.Android and Xamarin.iOS):

Here you can create native UI foreach of the project (Windows, Android and iOS) and access specific platform functionality. With reference to the code - you can put common code in one PCL and have access to it from each project.

Please see this site - here you can find different Xamarin options to create cross-platfrom apps:

https://developer.xamarin.com/

Answer 2

Firstly, if you want a shared code, using Portable class library, you can use the same code for all the platforms including WPF, Android and iOS. First of all what you can do is convert the codes that is used again and again in the PCL (Portable Class Lirary). Once you get used to PCL, you can easily work on any platform you want.

As the Android, iOS are different from windows, a lot of .net framework functionality is not supported in PCL. Although, once you create the basics in PCL, you can integrate the class library in android as well as iOS.