What Is XAML?

Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML) is a declarative language. You can create visible user interface (UI) elements in the declarative XAML markup. You can then use a separate code-behind file to respond to events and manipulate the objects you declared in XAML. An XML-based declarative language is very intuitive for creating interfaces from prototype to production, especially for people with a background in Web design and technologies.

XAML files are XML files that generally have the .xaml file name extension. The following example shows the contents of a very basic Silverlight XAML file.

XAML

<<UserControl x:Class="MySilverlight.Page"
 xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/client/2007"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
>
<Grid Background="OldLace">
 </Grid>
</UserControl>