Netflix-like App in MAUI: Comprehensive Development Guide

This guide will walk you through creating a Netflix-like streaming application using .NET MAUI, including backend development, advanced features, and deployment.

Prerequisites

Development Environment

Visual Studio 2022 (17.4 or later) with .NET MAUI workload
.NET 7 or later SDK
Android/iOS emulators or physical devices
Azure account (for cloud backend) or Docker (for local backend)

Skills Required

C# and .NET Core
XAML for UI
REST API concepts
Basic video streaming knowledge

Backend Development

1. Set Up Backend Project

dotnet new webapi -n Streamflix.Backend
cd Streamflix.Backend

2. Database Design

Use Entity Framework Core with PostgreSQL or Cosmos DB:

// Models/Content.cs
public class Content
{
    public string Id { get; set; }
    public string Title { get; set; }
    public string Description { get; set; }
    public ContentType Type { get; set; } // Movie, TVShow, Documentary
    public List<string> Genres { get; set; }
    public string ThumbnailUrl { get; set; }
    public string VideoUrl { get; set; }
    public List<ContentRating> Ratings { get; set; }
    public DateTime ReleaseDate { get; set; }
    public List<string> Cast { get; set; }
    public List<Episode> Episodes { get; set; } // For TV shows
    public bool IsFeatured { get; set; }
}

// Models/UserProfile.cs
public class UserProfile
{
    public string Id { get; set; }
    public string UserId { get; set; }
    public string Name { get; set; }
    public string AvatarUrl { get; set; }
    public List<string> WatchHistory { get; set; }
    public List<string> Watchlist { get; set; }
    public List<string> FavoriteGenres { get; set; }
}

3. Recommendation Engine

Implement a hybrid recommendation system:

// Services/RecommendationService.cs
public class RecommendationService
{
    private readonly IContentRepository _contentRepo;
    private readonly IUserProfileRepository _userProfileRepo;
    
    public async Task<List<Content>> GetRecommendations(string userId)
    {
        // Collaborative filtering based on similar users
        var similarUsersContent = await GetContentFromSimilarUsers(userId);
        
        // Content-based filtering
        var userProfile = await _userProfileRepo.GetByUserId(userId);
        var contentBased = await _contentRepo.GetByGenres(userProfile.FavoriteGenres);
        
        // Popular content
        var popular = await _contentRepo.GetPopularContent();
        
        // Combine and rank results
        var recommendations = similarUsersContent
            .Concat(contentBased)
            .Concat(popular)
            .GroupBy(c => c.Id)
            .OrderByDescending(g => g.Count())
            .Select(g => g.First())
            .Take(20)
            .ToList();
            
        return recommendations;
    }
}

4. Video Streaming API

Use Azure Media Services or custom streaming solution:

// Controllers/StreamController.cs
[ApiController]
[Route("api/[controller]")]
public class StreamController : ControllerBase
{
    private readonly IStreamingService _streamingService;
    
    [HttpGet("{contentId}")]
    public async Task<IActionResult> GetStream(string contentId)
    {
        var streamInfo = await _streamingService.GetStreamInfo(contentId);
        
        if (streamInfo == null)
            return NotFound();
            
        return new FileStreamResult(streamInfo.Stream, streamInfo.ContentType)
        {
            EnableRangeProcessing = true // For adaptive streaming
        };
    }
}

MAUI App Development

1. Create MAUI Project

dotnet new maui -n Streamflix.App

2. Project Structure

Streamflix.App/
├── Views/           # All pages
├── ViewModels/      # ViewModels for MVVM
├── Models/          # Data models
├── Services/        # API clients, repositories
├── Controls/        # Custom controls
├── Converters/      # Value converters
└── Resources/       # Styles, images, etc.

3. Main Shell Navigation

<!-- AppShell.xaml -->
<Shell xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/dotnet/2021/maui"
       xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2009/xaml"
       xmlns:views="clr-namespace:Streamflix.App.Views"
       x:Class="Streamflix.App.AppShell">
       
    <ShellContent Title="Home" ContentTemplate="{DataTemplate views:HomePage}" Route="Home" />
    <ShellContent Title="Search" ContentTemplate="{DataTemplate views:SearchPage}" Route="Search" />
    <ShellContent Title="My List" ContentTemplate="{DataTemplate views:MyListPage}" Route="MyList" />
    <ShellContent Title="Profiles" ContentTemplate="{DataTemplate views:ProfilesPage}" Route="Profiles" />
</Shell>

4. Home Page with Carousel

<!-- Views/HomePage.xaml -->
<ContentPage xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/dotnet/2021/maui"
             xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2009/xaml"
             x:Class="Streamflix.App.Views.HomePage">
             
    <RefreshView Command="{Binding RefreshCommand}" IsRefreshing="{Binding IsRefreshing}">
        <CollectionView ItemsSource="{Binding ContentSections}">
            <CollectionView.ItemTemplate>
                <DataTemplate>
                    <VerticalStackLayout>
                        <Label Text="{Binding Title}" Style="{StaticResource SectionHeaderStyle}"/>
                        <CarouselView ItemsSource="{Binding Items}">
                            <CarouselView.ItemTemplate>
                                <DataTemplate>
                                    <Frame Style="{StaticResource ContentItemStyle}">
                                        <Image Source="{Binding ThumbnailUrl}" 
                                               Aspect="AspectFill"
                                               HeightRequest="200"
                                               WidthRequest="120">
                                            <Image.GestureRecognizers>
                                                <TapGestureRecognizer Command="{Binding Source={RelativeSource AncestorType={x:Type viewmodels:HomeViewModel}}, Path=ContentSelectedCommand}" 
                                                                      CommandParameter="{Binding .}"/>
                                            </Image.GestureRecognizers>
                                        </Image>
                                    </Frame>
                                </DataTemplate>
                            </CarouselView.ItemTemplate>
                        </CarouselView>
                    </VerticalStackLayout>
                </DataTemplate>
            </CollectionView.ItemTemplate>
        </CollectionView>
    </RefreshView>
</ContentPage>

5. Video Player Implementation

Use custom renderers or existing libraries:

// Services/IVideoPlayerService.cs
public interface IVideoPlayerService
{
    Task PlayStream(string streamUrl, string contentId);
    Task Pause();
    Task Stop();
    Task<bool> DownloadForOffline(string contentId, string streamUrl);
    Task<IEnumerable<DownloadedContent>> GetOfflineContent();
}

// Android implementation
[assembly: Dependency(typeof(AndroidVideoPlayerService))]
namespace Streamflix.App.Platforms.Android.Services
{
    public class AndroidVideoPlayerService : IVideoPlayerService
    {
        public async Task PlayStream(string streamUrl, string contentId)
        {
            var context = Android.App.Application.Context;
            var intent = new Intent(context, typeof(VideoPlayerActivity));
            intent.PutExtra("streamUrl", streamUrl);
            intent.PutExtra("contentId", contentId);
            intent.AddFlags(ActivityFlags.NewTask);
            context.StartActivity(intent);
        }
    }
}

Authentication Implementation

1. Set Up Auth0 or Azure AD B2C

// Services/IAuthService.cs
public interface IAuthService
{
    Task<bool> LoginAsync(string email, string password);
    Task<bool> LoginWithSocialAsync(string provider);
    Task<bool> RegisterAsync(string email, string password);
    Task<bool> LogoutAsync();
    Task<string> GetAccessTokenAsync();
    Task<UserProfile> GetUserProfileAsync();
    bool IsAuthenticated { get; }
}

2. Implement JWT Authentication

// Handlers/AuthHeaderHandler.cs
public class AuthHeaderHandler : DelegatingHandler
{
    private readonly IAuthService _authService;
    
    public AuthHeaderHandler(IAuthService authService)
    {
        _authService = authService;
    }
    
    protected override async Task<HttpResponseMessage> SendAsync(HttpRequestMessage request, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
    {
        if (await _authService.IsAuthenticatedAsync())
        {
            var token = await _authService.GetAccessTokenAsync();
            request.Headers.Authorization = new AuthenticationHeaderValue("Bearer", token);
        }
        
        return await base.SendAsync(request, cancellationToken);
    }
}

Payment Integration

1. Set Up Stripe or PayPal

// Services/IPaymentService.cs
public interface IPaymentService
{
    Task<bool> Subscribe(string planId, PaymentMethod paymentMethod);
    Task<bool> CancelSubscription();
    Task<IEnumerable<SubscriptionPlan>> GetAvailablePlans();
    Task<SubscriptionStatus> GetSubscriptionStatus();
}

2. Implement Platform-Specific Payment

// Android implementation
[assembly: Dependency(typeof(AndroidPaymentService))]
namespace Streamflix.App.Platforms.Android.Services
{
    public class AndroidPaymentService : IPaymentService
    {
        public async Task<bool> Subscribe(string planId, PaymentMethod paymentMethod)
        {
            // Implement Android in-app billing
        }
    }
}

Advanced Features

1. Adaptive Bitrate Streaming

// Services/StreamQualityService.cs
public class StreamQualityService
{
    private readonly INetworkService _networkService;
    
    public async Task<string> GetOptimalStreamUrl(string contentId)
    {
        var bandwidth = await _networkService.GetEstimatedBandwidth();
        
        return bandwidth switch {
            > 10_000_000 => $"{contentId}_1080p.m3u8",
            > 5_000_000 => $"{contentId}_720p.m3u8",
            > 2_000_000 => $"{contentId}_480p.m3u8",
            _ => $"{contentId}_360p.m3u8"
        };
    }
}

2. Offline Viewing

// Services/OfflineContentService.cs
public class OfflineContentService : IOfflineContentService
{
    public async Task DownloadContent(string contentId, string streamUrl)
    {
        // Check DRM rights
        // Download encrypted content
        // Store with expiration date
    }
    
    public async Task<IEnumerable<DownloadedContent>> GetDownloadedContent()
    {
        // Return list of available offline content
    }
    
    public async Task PlayOfflineContent(string contentId)
    {
        // Decrypt and play locally stored content
    }
}

Testing and Deployment

1. Unit Testing

// RecommendationServiceTests.cs
[TestClass]
public class RecommendationServiceTests
{
    [TestMethod]
    public async Task GetRecommendations_ReturnsMixedContent()
    {
        // Arrange
        var mockContentRepo = new Mock<IContentRepository>();
        mockContentRepo.Setup(repo => repo.GetByGenres(It.IsAny<List<string>>()))
            .ReturnsAsync(TestData.GetGenreBasedContent());
            
        var service = new RecommendationService(mockContentRepo.Object, /* other dependencies */);
        
        // Act
        var result = await service.GetRecommendations("user1");
        
        // Assert
        Assert.IsTrue(result.Count > 0);
        Assert.IsTrue(result.Any(c => c.IsFeatured));
    }
}

2. UI Testing with Appium

[TestFixture]
public class HomePageUITests
{
    [Test]
    public void HomePage_DisplaysContentSections()
    {
        // Launch app
        // Navigate to home page
        // Verify content sections are displayed
    }
}

3. Deployment

Backend:

# Azure Container Apps
az containerapp create \
  --name streamflix-backend \
  --resource-group streamflix-rg \
  --image yourregistry.azurecr.io/streamflix-backend:latest \
  --environment streamflix-env \
  --cpu 1 \
  --memory 2Gi

MAUI App:

Android: Publish to Google Play Store
iOS: Publish to App Store
Windows: Publish to Microsoft Store

Monitoring and Analytics

1. Application Insights Integration

// MauiProgram.cs
builder.Services.AddApplicationInsightsTelemetry(apiKey: "YOUR_INSTRUMENTATION_KEY");

// Track events
TelemetryClient.TrackEvent("ContentPlayed", new Dictionary<string, string>
{
    {"ContentId", contentId},
    {"Duration", duration.ToString()}
});

2. Performance Monitoring

// Track page load times
var stopwatch = System.Diagnostics.Stopwatch.StartNew();
// Load page content
stopwatch.Stop();
TelemetryClient.TrackMetric("PageLoadTime", stopwatch.ElapsedMilliseconds);

Final Notes

Content Delivery Network (CDN): Use Azure CDN or CloudFront for global content distribution
DRM Implementation: Integrate Widevine (Android), FairPlay (iOS), and PlayReady (Windows)
Localization: Support multiple languages and regional content
Accessibility: Ensure app meets WCAG guidelines
Continuous Integration: Set up CI/CD pipelines for automated testing and deployment

This comprehensive guide provides the foundation for building a Netflix-like application with MAUI. The implementation can be extended with additional features like parental controls, content rating systems, and social sharing capabilities based on your specific requirements.

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Wednesday, 13 August 2025