What are XAML Controls?

The XAML User Interface framework offers an extensive library of controls that supports UI development for Windows. Some of them have a visual representation such Button, Textbox, TextBlock, etc.; while other controls are used as containers for other controls or content, for example, images. All the XAML controls are inherited from System.Windows.Controls.Control.

The complete inheritance hierarchy of controls is as follows −

Views for presentation

BoxView Displays a rectangle of a particular color.	<BoxView Color="Accent" WidthRequest="150" HeightRequest="150" HorizontalOptions="Center">
Image Displays a bitmap.	<Image Source="https://aka.ms/campus.jpg" Aspect="AspectFit" HorizontalOptions="Center" />
Label Displays one or more lines of text.	<Label Text="Hello, Xamarin.Forms!" FontSize="Large" FontAttributes="Italic" HorizontalTextAlignment="Center" />
Map Displays a map.	<maps:Map ItemsSource="{Binding Locations}" />
WebView Displays Web pages or HTML content.	<WebView Source="https://docs.microsoft.com/xamarin/" VerticalOptions="FillAndExpand" />

Views that initiate commands

Button Displays text in a rectangular object.	<Button Text="Click Me!" Font="Large" BorderWidth="1" HorizontalOptions="Center" VerticalOptions="CenterAndExpand" Clicked="OnButtonClicked" />
ImageButton Displays an image in a rectangular object.	<ImageButton Source="XamarinLogo.png" HorizontalOptions="Center" VerticalOptions="CenterAndExpand" Clicked="OnImageButtonClicked" />
SearchBar Displays a search bar, for performing a search.	<SearchBar Placeholder="Xamarin.Forms Property" SearchButtonPressed="OnSearchBarButtonPressed" />

Views for setting values

CheckBox Allows the selection of a boolean value.	<CheckBox IsChecked="true" HorizontalOptions="Center" VerticalOptions="CenterAndExpand" />
Slider Allows the selection of a double value from a continuous range.	<Slider Minimum="0" Maximum="100" VerticalOptions="CenterAndExpand" />
Stepper Allows the selection of a double value from an incremental range.	<Stepper Minimum="0" Maximum="10" Increment="0.1" HorizontalOptions="Center" VerticalOptions="CenterAndExpand" />
Switch Allows the selection of a boolean value.	<Switch IsToggled="false" HorizontalOptions="Center" VerticalOptions="CenterAndExpand" />
DatePicker Allows the selection of a date.	<DatePicker Format="D" VerticalOptions="CenterAndExpand" />
TimePicker Allows the selection of a time.	<TimePicker Format="T" VerticalOptions="CenterAndExpand" />

Views for editing text

Entry Allows a single line of text to be entered and edited.	<Entry Keyboard="Email" Placeholder="Enter email address" VerticalOptions="CenterAndExpand" />
Editor Allows multiple lines of text to be entered and edited.	<Editor VerticalOptions="FillAndExpand" />

Views to indicate activity

ActivityIndicator Displays an animation to show that the application is engaged in a lengthy activity, without giving any indication of progress.	<ActivityIndicator IsRunning="True" VerticalOptions="CenterAndExpand" />
ProgressBar Displays an animation to show that the application is progressing through a lengthy activity.	<ProgressBar Progress=".5" VerticalOptions="CenterAndExpand" />

Views that display collections

CollectionView Displays a scrollable list of selectable data items, using different layout specifications.	<CollectionView ItemsSource="{Binding Monkeys}"> ItemTemplate="{StaticResource MonkeyTemplate}" <CollectionView.ItemsLayout> <GridItemsLayout Orientation="Vertical" Span="2" /> </CollectionView.ItemsLayout> </CollectionView/>
ListView Displays a scrollable list of selectable data items.	<ListView ItemsSource="{Binding Monkeys}"> ItemTemplate="{StaticResource MonkeyTemplate}" />
Picker Displays a select item from a list of text strings.	<Picker Title="Select a monkey" TitleColor="Red"> <Picker.ItemsSource< <x:Array Type="{x:Type x:String}"> <x:String>Baboon</x:String> <x:String>Capuchin Monkey</x:String> <x:String>Blue Monkey</x:String> <x:String>Squirrel Monkey</x:String> <x:String>Golden Lion Tamarin</x:String> <x:String>Howler Monkey</x:String> <x:String>Japanese Macaque</x:String> </x:Array> </Picker.ItemsSource> </Picker>
TableView Displays a list of interactive rows.	<TableView Intent="Settings"> <TableRoot> <TableSection Title="Ring"> <SwitchCell Text="New Voice Mail" /> <SwitchCell Text="New Mail" On="true" /> </TableSection> </TableRoot> </TableView>

Here is the list of controls which we will discuss one by one in this chapter.

Sr.No.	Controls & Description
1	Button A control that responds to user input.
2	Calendar Represents a control that enables a user to select a date by using a visual calendar display.
3	CheckBox A control that a user can select or clear.
4	ComboBox A drop-down list of items a user can select from.
5	ContextMenu Gets or sets the context menu element that should appear whenever the context menu is requested through a user interface (UI) from within this element.
6	DataGrid Represents a control that displays data in a customizable grid.
7	DatePicker A control that lets a user select a date.
8	Dialogs An application may also display additional windows to the user to gather or display important information.
9	GridView A control that presents a collection of items in rows and columns that can scroll horizontally.
10	Image A control that presents an image.
11	ListBox A control that presents an inline list of items that the user can select from.
12	Menus Represents a Windows menu control that enables you to hierarchically organize elements associated with commands and event handlers.
13	PasswordBox A control for entering passwords.
14	Popup Displays content on top of existing content, within the bounds of the application window.
15	ProgressBar A control that indicates progress by displaying a bar.
16	ProgressRing A control that indicates indeterminate progress by displaying a ring.
17	RadioButton A control that allows a user to select a single option from a group of options.
18	RichEditBox A control that lets a user edit rich text documents with content like formatted text, hyperlinks, and images.
19	ScrollViewer A container control that lets the user pan and zoom its content.
20	SearchBox A control that lets a user enter search queries.
21	Slider A control that lets the user select from a range of values by moving a Thumb control along a track.
22	TextBlock A control that displays text.
23	TimePicker A control that lets a user set a time value.
24	ToggleButton A button that can be toggled between 2 states.
25	ToolTip A pop-up window that displays information for an element.
26	Window The root window which provides minimize/maximize option, Title bar, border and close button.