What is the purpose of XAML Compiler (XAMLC)?

The XAML Compiler (XAMLC) is a tool used in .NET MAUI and Xamarin.Forms to compile XAML files directly into intermediate language (IL). The primary purpose of XAMLC is to improve the performance and reliability of applications by performing compile-time checks and optimizations. Here are the key benefits and purposes of using XAMLC:

1. Compile-Time Checking: XAMLC performs compile-time validation of XAML, which helps in identifying and reporting errors early in the development process. This reduces the likelihood of runtime errors related to XAML, making the development process more efficient and reliable[1][2][10].

2. Performance Improvement: By compiling XAML into IL, XAMLC reduces the load and instantiation time for XAML elements. This leads to faster application startup times and better overall performance[1][2][10].

3. Reduced File Size: XAMLC helps in reducing the size of the final assembly by excluding the .xaml files from the package. Instead, the XAML is embedded as IL, which contributes to a smaller application footprint[1][2][10].

4. Enhanced Data Binding Performance: When compiled bindings are enabled, XAMLC can significantly improve data binding performance. Compiled bindings resolve binding expressions at compile time, which is much faster than the runtime resolution used in classic bindings[1][2][7].

5. Customization and Flexibility: Developers can control the behavior of XAML compilation using the XamlCompilationAttribute class. This allows enabling or disabling XAML compilation at both the assembly and type levels, providing flexibility based on the spec...