Hello World Application in Xamarin

Introduction

First, you must install Xamarin for Android.

Let's Start

1. Go to File -> New -> Project.

2. Select Android Application -> Give it a Name.

Before starting, have a look at Solution Explorer. An Android Application contains Properties, References, Assets and Resources and so on. Properties contain AssemblyInfo (the same as you saw in the C# project). The References folder contains Assembly Files (DLL files). The Mono.Android DLL assembly contains the C# binding to the Android API.

The resources folder contains a Drawable folder (that contains icons and images for the application), Layout (provides a designer surface for the application). Resource.Designer.cs contains auto-generated code. As we will start from the basics, delete the main.axml layout and the Activity1.cs file from the project.

3. Right-click on Layout then select Add -> New Item.

4. Add an Android Layout (named Main.axml) then click on Add and select it.

5. Drop a Button control from the Toolbox.

Set the Button text as "Click Me!" and id as "@+id/btn_Hello".

Main.axml code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
android:orientation="vertical"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="fill_parent"
android:minWidth="25px"
android:minHeight="25px">
<Button
android:text="Click Me!"
android:layout_width="fill_parent"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:id="@+id/btn_Hello" />
</LinearLayout>

6. Add a new item then select Activity then click on Add.

Activity1.cs Code:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using Android.App;
using Android.Content;
using Android.OS;
using Android.Runtime;
using Android.Views;
using Android.Widget;
namespace Hello_World_Application
{
//Set the Label = "Hello World Application" which is displayed on the Top of the Application(in Title)
//Set MainLauncher = true makes this Activity as a Main Activity and Application starts from this Activity.
//Set Icon using Icon = "@drawable/icon"
[Activity(Label = "Hello World Application", MainLauncher = true, Icon = "@drawable/icon")]
public class Activity1 : Activity
{
//Creating Instance of Button
Button btn_Hello;
protected override void OnCreate(Bundle bundle)
{
base.OnCreate(bundle);
//SetContentView
SetContentView(Resource.Layout.Main);
//Get btn_Hello Button control from the Manin.axml Layout.
btn_Hello = FindViewById<Button>(Resource.Id.btn_Hello);
//Creating Click event of btn_Hello
btn_Hello.Click += btn_Hello_Click;
}
//btn_Hello Click Event
void btn_Hello_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
//Display a Toast Message on Clicking the btn_Hello
Toast.MakeText(this, "Hello World Application by Anoop", ToastLength.Short).Show();
}
}
}

7. Build and run the application. Start an emulator image if not started. Select the Running devices and then click on OK.

Note: the Emulator takes a lot of time to start. Enable USB Debugging on your Android Device and run your application on the Device directly; that is much faster compared to debugging on an emulator.

Final preview:

I hope you like it. Thanks.

8 Comments

Join the conversation! Your thoughts help the community grow.

Asfend Yar10y ago
what about xamarin forms ?? Share some post on xamarin forms ..
Guest User11y ago
good one. you can also explore VS2013/2015 has this capability alongwith Xamarin to create Android/iOS apps
- Anoop Kumar Sharma11y ago
  Thanks Sumit Jolly Sir :-)
Suhit Kalubarme11y ago
I like it.... No need to depends on JAVA :)
- Anoop Kumar Sharma11y ago
  Thanks
- Suhit Kalubarme11y ago
  welcome
Sudheer Kumar11y ago
Nice for beginners
- Anoop Kumar Sharma11y ago
  Thanks