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name: avalonia-layout-zafiro description: "Guidelines for modern Avalonia UI layout using Zafiro.Avalonia, emphasizing shared styles, generic components, and avoiding XAML redundancy." risk: critical source: community date_added: "2026-02-27"

Avalonia Layout with Zafiro.Avalonia

Master modern, clean, and maintainable Avalonia UI layouts. Focus on semantic containers, shared styles, and minimal XAML.

🎯 Selective Reading Rule

Read ONLY files relevant to the layout challenge!

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📑 Content Map

| File | Description | When to Read | |------|-------------|--------------| | themes.md | Theme organization and shared styles | Setting up or refining app themes | | containers.md | Semantic containers (HeaderedContainer, EdgePanel, Card) | Structuring views and layouts | | icons.md | Icon usage with IconExtension and IconOptions | Adding and customizing icons | | behaviors.md | Xaml.Interaction.Behaviors and avoiding Converters | Implementing complex interactions | | components.md | Generic components and avoiding nesting | Creating reusable UI elements |

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🔗 Related Project (Exemplary Implementation)

For a real-world example, refer to the Angor project: /mnt/fast/Repos/angor/src/Angor/Avalonia/Angor.Avalonia.sln

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✅ Checklist for Clean Layouts

• [ ] Used semantic containers? (e.g., HeaderedContainer instead of Border with manual header)
• [ ] Avoided redundant properties? Use shared styles in axaml files.
• [ ] Minimized nesting? Flatten layouts using EdgePanel or generic components.
• [ ] Icons via extension? Use {Icon fa-name} and IconOptions for styling.
• [ ] Behaviors over code-behind? Use Interaction.Behaviors for UI-logic.
• [ ] Avoided Converters? Prefer ViewModel properties or Behaviors unless necessary.

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❌ Anti-Patterns

DON'T:

• Use hardcoded colors or sizes (literals) in views.
• Create deep nesting of Grid and StackPanel.
• Repeat visual properties across multiple elements (use Styles).
• Use IValueConverter for simple logic that belongs in the ViewModel.

DO:

• Use DynamicResource for colors and brushes.
• Extract repeated layouts into generic components.
• Leverage Zafiro.Avalonia specific panels like EdgePanel for common UI patterns.

When to Use

This skill is applicable to execute the workflow or actions described in the overview.

Limitations

• Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
• Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
• Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.