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Avalonia vs the competition: a technical look at your options
This article is part of the articles that will make up the book “Avalonia 101”. These will be available on Medium before their publication. Thank you for your support and feedback on this project
When evaluating frameworks for cross-platform development, it’s easy to get lost in the sheer number of available options. But here’s what’s interesting: each of these frameworks is built on fundamentally different principles, and understanding these differences is key to appreciating why Avalonia stands out. Let’s unpack how one works and why Avalonia might change your perspective on cross-platform development.
The foundation: the secret is in the rendering
Avalonia is built on a simple but powerful premise: controlling every pixel drawn on screen. It uses Skia Graphics, the same technology that powers Chrome and Android, to render directly onto a drawing surface. This means when you create a button in Avalonia, you’re not using Windows’, macOS’, or Linux’ native button. You’re drawing your own button that looks and behaves the same on all platforms.
This architectural decision is what separates Avalonia from many of its competitors and is fundamental to understanding its advantages.
