Silverlight™ 2 Bible

Chapter 3. Using XAML to Build Declarative Silverlight Applications

XAML (eXtensible Application Markup Language) is a declarative language used to define the graphical design of applications. Silverlight ] contains a subset of the full XAML language implemented in Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF). Silverlight applications use XAML code to create and lay out the UI elements.

Silverlight 1.0 had only a small subset of the WPF controls. Silverlight 2 expands that subset substantially by adding several new Silverlight controls. This chapter is designed to quickly bring you up to speed on the basics of XAML in Silverlight.

The following sections discuss various aspects of Silverlight's implementation of XAML. They also discuss the various controls and how to use them to lay out applications and implement functionality such as forms and animations.

Understanding the Silverlight/XAML Relationship

Silverlight applications are built from two code bases — XAML and managed code. The managed code can be written in C#, Visual Basic, JavaScript, or any of the Dynamic Language Runtime (DLR) languages. The common code in all Silverlight applications is XAML.

You use XAML code in Silverlight to create the visual elements that make up the UI. XAML provides a robust set of controls that allow you to create rich, professional-looking UI very rapidly.

Note

Chapter 6, Chapter 7, and Chapter 8 provide more detailed information about the relationship between code-behind pages and XAML.

Understanding XML ...