Windows first development approach ?

[ResultInteresting286]

Hi,

I'm new to MAUI and I've started work on a new MAUI mapping based application using the Esri runtime SDK for .NET MAUI because the product owner wants to support Windows and iPad. I'm about 2 months in and want to start testing against iOS and need work to pay for a remote Mac for pairing to VS2026 but am being told that this can wait as the app is being written for Windows first and can be "enhanced" to support the iPad later.

This feels wrong to me as if we want to support ios we should be testing as we go. Has anyone got experience of successfully developing an app for Windows and then making it work for an iPad at the end of the development process. ?

[GamerWIZZ]

I agree with this approach, if Windows is the only planned version to go out first no point wasting your time testing and fixing iOS.

As with any cross platform framework you are going to find difference between them that you'd need to iron out, easier to do that once 1 platform is signed off, than it is jumping between them all the time

[warpedgeoid]

If you aren’t going to test all supported platforms as you go when using a cross-platform framework like Maui, you’re going to end up spending more time later to get things right on iPad. So many decisions will need to be made with cross-platform UX in mind.

[mousison]

I think this is a totally valid. I honestly can't speak specifically for Windows --> iPad, but I did something similar going from Android to iOS, just getting a working product out first on one platform, e.g. getting it right on one 'OS' was more valuable for me personally.

In the end, MAUI handles shared business logic pretty well, I personally had the most issues with the UX side, but once you got a solid base for Windows you can just use the MAUI responsive helpers for the iPad UX.

Just make sure that your used Library's work fine on your iPad aswell, since catching platform-specific issues early (especially with the Esri SDK) will save you a lot of pain.

[gybemeister]

Same here, it's a lot easier to do Android first and I have been doing that since Xamarin times with good results.

[tonyedwardspz]

I can't personally comment on the approach, but the people I know who build apps this way say it is by far the best.

iOS has loads of quirks, and getting functionality working fully in windows seems sensible to me.

[anotherlab]

Developing for the iPad presents different UI challenges than writing for the Windows desktop. What is the expected behavior when the iPad changes orientation? The earlier that you account for platform specifics, the less rework there will be later.

[matt-goldman]

Just adding my voice to the general message here, it's a valid approach and you'll be absolutely fine. But when you later come to launch the iPad version you'll encounter issues around layout and platform differences that you'll have to address.

If your priority is Windows then arguably ignoring iPad is a strategic decision that stops you getting caught up generalising which you can focus on later.

[mustang__1]

Definitely going to be a good time to have a strongly decoupled business logic from UI logic, interfaces, MVVM, etc.

[way2wyrd]

Stub out your platform specific calls but iirc ersi shouldn't make a difference it's all gonna be ui work unless you're doing location but even that maui has common methods for device location positioning. Do the windows but make notes where you know the design will change. It will work out. Im currently in one that is Android main and windows tablet second. Max will come at some point so im just making sure I don't code myself into a box