XAML Unleashed

Binary XAML

As mentioned in Chapter 1, “What Is XAML?” XAML gets compiled into a binary form. In WPF, it is compiled into a format known as Binary Application Markup Language (BAML). In Windows Store and universal apps, it is compiled into a format known simply as XAML Binary Format (XBF). These are both compressed declarative formats that are faster to load and parse—and smaller in size, of course—than plain XAML. These formats are implementation details of the XAML compilation process. Nevertheless, it’s interesting to be aware of their existence. In fact, WPF includes a public BAML reader class, which is discussed in Chapter 21, “Fun with XAML Readers and Writers.”

There Once Was a CAML...

Prerelease versions of WPF had the ability to compile ...