Xamarin, a popular framework for building cross-platform mobile apps, has an official support policy that governs its lifecycle. Understanding this policy is crucial for developers who rely on Xamarin for their app development needs.

The lifecycle of Xamarin begins when the framework is released and ends when it's no longer supported. This means that knowing key dates in the lifecycle helps you make informed decisions about when to upgrade or make other changes to your software. The Microsoft Modern Lifecycle governs Xamarin, ensuring a consistent approach to support and maintenance.

What Happens When Support Ends?

As of May 1, 2024, Xamarin's support has ended for all Xamarin SDKs, including Xamarin.Forms. This means that if you're building with these project types today, they should be upgraded to .NET SDK-style projects for continued support. Xamarin.Forms has evolved into .NET Multi-platform App UI (MAUI), and existing Xamarin.Forms projects should be migrated to .NET MAUI.

Release Types: Current and End of Support

Xamarin produces a Current release, which includes new features that may undergo future change based on feedback. This release type is ideal for applications in active development, giving you access to the latest features, improvements, and critical updates to work with the underlying external dependencies (such as Xcode or Android SDK Tool).

The End of Support refers to the date when Microsoft no longer provides fixes, updates, or online technical assistance. As this date nears, make sure you have the latest available update installed. Without Microsoft support, you'll no longer receive security updates that can help protect your machine from harmful viruses, spyware, and other malicious software.

Xamarin Releases: Support Levels and End of Support Dates

Here is a table describing the support type, supported patch version, and end-of-support date for Xamarin releases:

| Version | Release Date | Support Level | Supported Patch Version | End of Support |

|---|---|---|---|---|

| Xamarin.Android 13 (can target SDK version 34) | October 10, 2023 | End of Support | 13.2.2.0 | May 1, 2024 |

| Xamarin.Android 12 | November 8, 2021 | End of Support | 12.2.0.4 | End of Support |

| Xamarin.Forms 5.0 | August 10, 2023 | End of Support | 5.0.0.2612 | May 1, 2024 |

| Xamarin.Forms 4.8 | August 6, 2020 | End of Support | 4.8.0.1821 | End of Support |

| Xamarin.Forms 4.7 | June 17, 2020 | End of Support | 4.7.0.1351 | End of Support |

| Xamarin.iOS 16 (compatible with Xcode 15) | October 10, 2023 | End of Support | 16.0.523 | May 1, 2024 |

| Xamarin.iOS 15 | June 21, 2022 | End of Support | 15.10.0.5 | End of Support |

By understanding Xamarin's official support policy and release types, you can make informed decisions about your app development projects and ensure a smooth transition to the latest technologies and frameworks.