The Future of WPF: A Transformative Journey Ahead

The launch of Avalonia XPF in 2023 marked the beginning of a new era for WPF developers, enabling seamless deployment of applications to macOS and Linux. The response from the developer community has been remarkable, validating our vision of accessible cross-platform development.

A new license for Indie developers

In line with our commitment to making Avalonia XPF more accessible, we're announcing Indie XPF. This decision reflects our philosophy that cost barriers shouldn't constrain innovation in software development. The new licensing tier opens doors for independent developers and smaller teams to compete effectively in both Windows and macOS markets.

Indie XPF is available today from our website for €1,000 per application. This competitive pricing delivers exceptional value, providing the same level of compatibility available in our business and enterprise-tier XPF offerings. The per-application licensing model ensures that developers only pay for what they need, making cross-platform development accessible without compromising capabilities.

Looking to the future: Community Edition

Today's most significant announcement is our commitment to make XPF even more accessible. We're committing to releasing a Community Edition of Avalonia XPF, providing free access to our modern flavour of WPF for Windows-targeted applications.

The introduction of a community version would see the completion of our XPF offering. 

WPF Native AOT

At the heart of the Community Edition lies native AOT (Ahead-of-Time) compilation capability, bringing substantial technical advantages to Windows applications:

• Superior Startup Performance: Applications launch with unprecedented speed, eliminating the traditional JIT compilation delay
• Optimised Runtime Execution: Native code execution from the first instruction delivers consistent, high-performance operation
• Enhanced Memory Efficiency: Reduced runtime overhead translates to significantly lower memory consumption
• Fortified Security Profile: Elimination of runtime code generation substantially reduces potential attack vectors
• Optimised Deployment: Streamlined distribution packages without JIT infrastructure

Strategic Implications for WPF Development

These developments represent a strategic inflexion point in the WPF ecosystem. We're working to create a clear progression path for developers:

1. Begin with the Community Edition to modernise and optimise your Windows applications
2. Transition to Indie XPF to capture the macOS market
3. Scale to Enterprise for Linux, iOS, Android and even the Web as your needs expand

Looking Forward

The evolution of XPF continues to accelerate, and we're committed to increasing its broader adoption. Whether maintaining mission-critical legacy systems or developing next-generation applications, developers now have access to tools that match their ambitions.

The Community Edition release date will be announced early next year. This release, combined with our latest Indie XPF tier, marks the beginning of a new chapter in WPF development, where technical excellence and accessibility converge to create unprecedented opportunities for developers and organisations alike.

Stay connected for additional announcements as we continue to expand the possibilities of modern desktop development!