Hello Xamarin developers,

This week we have added a new module to the Customize and add advanced features to Xamarin.Forms apps learning path on Microsoft Learn to help developers build apps for Surface Duo.

Learn how to build apps for Surface Duo

The new module is called Build dual-screen Xamarin.Forms apps by using TwoPaneView. Reading through the material, following the exercises, and answering the quiz questions can take about an hour to complete.

The module covers:

• Adding dual-screen support to a Xamarin.Forms app via NuGet.
• Using the TwoPaneView control to customize an app’s user interface for one or two screens.
• Using the DualScreenInfo helper class to update layouts when the app’s size or orientation changes.
• Adapting to larger screen sizes like tablets or desktops.
• Detecting hinge-angle changes.

The module includes source code as a starting point (and also to help if you get stuck). The resulting application is a simple list-detail navigation, so the patterns you learn will apply to common app scenarios. If you already build Xamarin.Forms apps with C# and Visual Studio, you only need to download the Surface Duo emulator (also free) and you are ready to learn!

About Microsoft Learn

The new module – like all of Microsoft Learn – is available for free. You can sign-up (also free) to track your progress, add bookmarks, and create collections of learning materials. To learn more, visit the Microsoft Learn help page to get answers to frequently asked questions.

Some other modules you might find useful include:

• Write your first C# code – if you’re new to programming C#, you can learn the basics entirely in your web browser.
• Build mobile apps with Xamarin.Forms – almost 10 hours of learning material that introduces Xamarin and how to build mobile apps using C# and Visual Studio.

Go to docs.microsoft.com/learn to explore the wide variety of learning material available.

Figure 2: Microsoft Learn home page

Resources & feedback

I hope this new Microsoft Learn module helps get you started with dual-screen development. Visit the dual-screen Xamarin documentation for more information on building apps for the Surface Duo using Xamarin.Forms. Let us know what other training modules you would like to see in future!

You can also leave us feedback using our feedback forum, or message me on Twitter or GitHub.