🌺 MauiScript

A modern, terse DSL for .NET MAUI that compiles to C#.

// MauiScript
Stack.vertical
    Text "Welcome back"
        .style($Title)
    Entry
        .text(@Email)
        .placeholder("Email")
    Button "Sign In"
        .command(@LoginCommand)
        .style($PrimaryButton)

<!-- The XAML equivalent -->
<VerticalStackLayout>
    <Label Text="Welcome back" 
           Style="{StaticResource Title}" />
    <Entry Text="{Binding Email}" 
           Placeholder="Email" />
    <Button Text="Sign In" 
            Command="{Binding LoginCommand}"
            Style="{StaticResource PrimaryButton}" />
</VerticalStackLayout>

Metric	XAML	MauiScript
Lines	14	11
Characters	~450	~210
Noise	High (< > "" {})	Low

MauiScript is an opinionated, pragmatic DSL that:

• Zero XML — no closing tags, no namespaces, no angle-bracket noise
• Universal syntax — @Property for bindings, $Resource for resources, .modifier() chains
• Type-safe transpilation — compiles to C# Fluent Markup; if it compiles, it runs
• Built-in "hard stuff" — @Value | converter pipes, .loading(@IsBusy) shorthand, .iOS { } platform blocks
• Tailwind-style shorthands — .p(16), .m(8), .center

If we were designing a UI language for .NET MAUI today—for 2025/2026 developers across iOS, Android, and web—what would it look like?

MauiScript is the answer we're building.

---

At a Glance

	XAML	MauiScript
Binding	{Binding Email}	@Email
Two-way	{Binding Email, Mode=TwoWay}	@Email (inferred)
Resource	{StaticResource Primary}	$Primary
Command	Command="{Binding Login}"	.command(@Login)
Modifier	Margin="16" Padding="8"	.margin(16).padding(8)
Conditional	IsVisible="{Binding HasError}"	when @HasError block

---

Real-World Example

MauiScript handles production complexity—styled text, conditional visibility, platform-specific blocks:

page LoginPage
  @viewmodel: LoginViewModel

  SafeArea > Scroll
    Stack.vertical.spacing(24).p(24)

      Image "logo.png"
        .size(100)
        .center

      Card.p(20).corner(12)
        Stack.vertical.spacing(16)

          Entry
            .placeholder("Email address")
            .text(@Email)
            .keyboard(email)

          Entry
            .placeholder("Password")
            .secure(@!ShowPassword)    // inverted binding
            .text(@Password)

          when @HasError
            Text @ErrorMessage
              .color($ErrorColor)
              .animate(fade)

          Button "Sign In"
            .style($PrimaryButton)
            .command(@LoginCommand)
            .loading(@IsLoading)       // auto-spinner

See the full specification for the complete login page with social auth, legal text, and platform blocks.

---

Documentation

Language Specification — start here

_{docs/spec/MauiScript-Specification.md}

The canonical reference. Covers syntax, semantics, design rationale, and a complete login page example demonstrating bindings, resources, styled text, and loading states. If you want to understand what MauiScript is, this is the document.

Development Plan

_{docs/DEVELOPMENT-PLAN.md}

Phased roadmap from "Todo App MVP" to full ecosystem. Covers repo structure, .NET 10 alignment, tooling (source generator, CLI, VS Code extension), and risk mitigation.

Roadmap Checklist

_{docs/ROADMAP-CHECKLIST.md}

Task-level tracker with complexity indicators. For contributors who want to know what to work on next.

---

Status

MauiScript is currently in the design and specification phase. The language spec is largely complete; implementation has not yet begun.

We're looking for feedback on:

• Syntax and ergonomics — does this feel right?
• Transpilation strategy — Roslyn source generators vs. alternatives
• Tooling expectations — what would make you actually use this?

If you've shipped UI in SwiftUI, Compose, React, or XAML and have opinions, the spec was written with you in mind. Start there, then open an issue.