No,Category,Guideline,Description,Do,Don't,Code Good,Code Bad,Severity,Docs URL
1,XAML,Use XAML for declarative UI,Define layout and visuals in XAML not code-behind,XAML for structure and styling,Build UI trees in C# code-behind,"<Button Content=""Save"" Click=""OnSave""/>",var btn = new Button(); btn.Content = "Save";,Low,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/xaml/
2,XAML,Set x:Class on root element,Connects XAML to its code-behind partial class,x:Class on Window UserControl and Page,"Missing x:Class or mismatched namespace","<Window x:Class=""MyApp.MainWindow"">","<Window> without x:Class",High,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/xaml/
3,XAML,Use x:Name sparingly,Only name elements accessed from code-behind,x:Name when code-behind reference is needed,Naming every element,"<TextBox x:Name=""SearchBox""/>","x:Name on every control",Low,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/xaml/
4,XAML,Prefer attached properties for layout,Grid.Row Grid.Column DockPanel.Dock etc,Attached properties for panel positioning,Margin hacks for alignment,"<Button Grid.Row=""1"" Grid.Column=""2""/>","<Button Margin=""200,100,0,0""/>",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/properties/attached-properties-overview
5,XAML,Use routed events for tree-wide handling,Events bubble up or tunnel down the element tree letting parents handle child events with one handler,Handler at parent using TypeName.EventName syntax with e.Handled=true when consumed,Wiring identical handlers on every child when one parent handler suffices,"<StackPanel Button.Click=""OnAnyButtonClick"">","Click=""OnClick"" repeated on every Button under a common parent",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/events/routed-events-overview
6,Data Binding,Implement INotifyPropertyChanged,Enable UI updates when properties change,INotifyPropertyChanged on ViewModels,Public properties without notification,"public string Name { get => _name; set { if (_name != value) { _name = value; OnPropertyChanged(); } } }","public string Name { get; set; } without notification",High,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/data/how-to-implement-property-change-notification
7,Data Binding,Use ObservableCollection for lists,Notifies UI of add remove and reset,ObservableCollection<T> for bound collections,List<T> or Array for bound ItemsSources,"ObservableCollection<Item> Items { get; } = new();","List<Item> Items { get; set; } = new();",High,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/system.collections.objectmodel.observablecollection-1
8,Data Binding,Set DataContext at the right level,Enables binding for the visual subtree,DataContext on Window or root container,DataContext on every child control,"<Window DataContext=""{Binding Source={StaticResource VM}}"">","Setting DataContext on each TextBlock individually",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/data/
9,Data Binding,Prefer Binding over code-behind assignments,Declarative binding keeps UI and logic separate,"{Binding Path=Name} in XAML","textBlock.Text = viewModel.Name in code-behind","<TextBlock Text=""{Binding Name}""/>","Loaded event handler that sets every property",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/data/data-binding-overview
10,Data Binding,Use UpdateSourceTrigger appropriately,Controls when source updates,PropertyChanged for instant feedback,Default LostFocus when search-as-you-type is needed,"Text=""{Binding Query, UpdateSourceTrigger=PropertyChanged}""","Text=""{Binding Query}"" when search-as-you-type needed",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/data/how-to-control-when-the-textbox-text-updates-the-source
11,Data Binding,Use IValueConverter for display transforms,Convert data for presentation without changing the model,IValueConverter for bool-to-visibility etc,Visibility properties on ViewModel,"<TextBlock Visibility=""{Binding IsActive, Converter={StaticResource BoolToVis}}""/>","public Visibility IsActiveVisibility => IsActive ? Visibility.Visible : Visibility.Collapsed;",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/data/how-to-convert-bound-data
12,Data Binding,Use INotifyDataErrorInfo for validation,Surface validation errors to the binding system instead of ad-hoc error UI,ObservableValidator with DataAnnotations attributes,Throwing in setters or maintaining separate error properties,"public partial class FormVm : ObservableValidator { [ObservableProperty][NotifyDataErrorInfo][Required] private string _email; }","if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(Email)) ErrorMessage = ""Required"";",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/communitytoolkit/mvvm/observablevalidator
13,Layout,Use Grid for complex layouts,Rows and columns with proportional or fixed sizing,Grid with RowDefinitions and ColumnDefinitions,Canvas with absolute positions for forms,"<Grid><Grid.RowDefinitions><RowDefinition Height=""Auto""/><RowDefinition Height=""*""/></Grid.RowDefinitions></Grid>","<Canvas><TextBox Canvas.Left=""50"" Canvas.Top=""80""/></Canvas>",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/controls/grid
14,Layout,Use StackPanel for linear content,Simple vertical or horizontal stacking,StackPanel for toolbars and simple lists,Grid with single column for linear content,"<StackPanel Orientation=""Horizontal""><Button/><Button/></StackPanel>","<Grid><Grid.RowDefinitions>..12 Auto rows..</Grid.RowDefinitions></Grid>",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/controls/stackpanel
15,Layout,Use DockPanel for docked regions,Dock children to edges with last child filling,DockPanel for shell layouts (menu top sidebar left),Nested StackPanels to simulate docking,"<DockPanel><Menu DockPanel.Dock=""Top""/><TreeView DockPanel.Dock=""Left""/><Frame/></DockPanel>","Nested StackPanels with fixed widths for shell",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/controls/dockpanel
16,Layout,Avoid hardcoded sizes,Use Auto Star and MinWidth/MaxWidth,Proportional sizing with * and Auto,Fixed pixel widths on resizable content,"<ColumnDefinition Width=""2*""/>","<ColumnDefinition Width=""350""/> on main content",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/controls/grid
17,Layout,Use ScrollViewer for overflow,Wrap content that may exceed available space,ScrollViewer around long forms or lists,Clipping content without scroll,"<ScrollViewer><StackPanel>...long content...</StackPanel></ScrollViewer>","<StackPanel> that clips off-screen items",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/controls/scrollviewer
18,Styling,Use Resource Dictionaries,Centralize colors brushes and styles,ResourceDictionary in App.xaml for theme values,Inline colors and font sizes on every element,"<SolidColorBrush x:Key=""PrimaryBrush"" Color=""#0078D4""/>","<Button Background=""#0078D4""/> repeated everywhere",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/systems/xaml-resources-overview
19,Styling,Use pack URIs for embedded resources,Reference embedded images fonts and resource dictionaries via the pack scheme,"pack://application:,,, syntax for cross-assembly assets",File-system paths for resources compiled into the assembly,"<Image Source=""pack://application:,,,/MyApp;component/Resources/icon.png""/>","<Image Source=""C:\Resources\icon.png""/>",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/app-development/pack-uris-in-wpf
20,Styling,Use implicit styles,Apply a Style to all instances of a TargetType,Style with TargetType and no x:Key for defaults,Manually styling every Button instance,"<Style TargetType=""Button""><Setter Property=""Padding"" Value=""12,6""/></Style>","Padding=""12,6"" on every Button",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/controls/styles-templates-overview
21,Styling,Use explicit styles with x:Key and BasedOn,Named variant styles that inherit from a base via BasedOn,x:Key styles that BasedOn an implicit or named style,Duplicating setters across variants,"<Style x:Key=""PrimaryButton"" TargetType=""Button"" BasedOn=""{StaticResource {x:Type Button}}"">","Copy-pasting 10 Setters into a second Style",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/controls/styles-templates-overview
22,Styling,Prefer StaticResource over DynamicResource,StaticResource is resolved once and faster,StaticResource for values that do not change at runtime,DynamicResource for static theme values,"Background=""{StaticResource PrimaryBrush}""","Background=""{DynamicResource PrimaryBrush}"" when theme never changes",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/systems/xaml-resources-overview
23,Styling,Use ControlTemplate for full control,Override default rendering of a control,ControlTemplate when built-in styles are insufficient,Nesting extra panels to hide the default template,"<ControlTemplate TargetType=""Button""><Border><ContentPresenter/></Border></ControlTemplate>","Wrapping Button in Border to fake a custom look",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/controls/how-to-create-apply-template
24,Styling,Use DataTemplate for data presentation,Define how data objects render in ItemsControls,DataTemplate for ListBox ComboBox and ItemsControl items,ToString overrides for display,"<DataTemplate DataType=""{x:Type local:Person}""><TextBlock Text=""{Binding FullName}""/></DataTemplate>","Relying on ToString() in ListBox",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/data/data-templating-overview
25,Styling,Use Fluent theme on .NET 9+,ThemeMode applies the Windows 11 Fluent style; values are Light Dark System and None (default Aero2),ThemeMode on Application or Window,Legacy Aero2 styling for new Windows 11 apps,"<Application ThemeMode=""System"">","<Application> with default Aero2 look",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/whats-new/net90
26,Commands,Use ICommand for user actions,Decouple UI actions from logic,ICommand implementations (RelayCommand DelegateCommand),Click event handlers in code-behind,"<Button Command=""{Binding SaveCommand}""/>","<Button Click=""OnSaveClick""/> with logic in code-behind",High,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/advanced/commanding-overview
27,Commands,Use CanExecute for enable/disable,Automatically disable controls when action unavailable; call NotifyCanExecuteChanged when state changes,CanExecute returning false to disable buttons,IsEnabled binding to a separate bool,"new RelayCommand(Save, () => !IsBusy)","<Button IsEnabled=""{Binding IsNotBusy}""/>",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/advanced/commanding-overview
28,Commands,Use RelayCommand or DelegateCommand,Avoid implementing ICommand from scratch every time,RelayCommand (CommunityToolkit.Mvvm) or DelegateCommand (Prism),New ICommand class per command,"[RelayCommand] private void Save() { }","class SaveCommand : ICommand { ... } for each action",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/communitytoolkit/mvvm/relaycommand
29,Commands,Use AsyncRelayCommand for async operations,Tracks IsRunning and disables the command while it executes preventing re-entry,AsyncRelayCommand or [RelayCommand] on async Task method,async void event handlers in code-behind,[RelayCommand] private async Task SaveAsync() { await _service.SaveAsync(); },"private async void OnSaveClick(object s, RoutedEventArgs e) { await _service.SaveAsync(); }",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/communitytoolkit/mvvm/asyncrelaycommand
30,Commands,Use CommandParameter for context,Pass data from the UI element to the command handler,CommandParameter for item-specific actions,Relying on SelectedItem in every command,"<Button Command=""{Binding DeleteCommand}"" CommandParameter=""{Binding}""/>","Command handler accessing SelectedItem directly",Low,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/advanced/commanding-overview
31,Commands,Use InputBindings for keyboard shortcuts,Bind keyboard gestures to commands without manual key handling,KeyBinding inside Window.InputBindings,Custom key handling in PreviewKeyDown,"<Window.InputBindings><KeyBinding Key=""S"" Modifiers=""Ctrl"" Command=""{Binding SaveCommand}""/></Window.InputBindings>",PreviewKeyDown handler checking for Ctrl+S,Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/advanced/commanding-overview
32,Performance,Use VirtualizingStackPanel for large lists,Only creates UI elements for visible items. ListBox/ListView virtualize by default; TreeView requires opt-in,VirtualizingStackPanel.IsVirtualizing=True (set on TreeView; default for ListBox),Disabling virtualization on long lists,"<TreeView VirtualizingStackPanel.IsVirtualizing=""True"" VirtualizingStackPanel.VirtualizationMode=""Recycling""/>","<ListBox ScrollViewer.CanContentScroll=""False""/>",High,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/advanced/optimizing-performance-controls
33,Performance,Freeze Freezable objects,Frozen brushes and geometries skip change tracking,Freeze brushes and pens that do not change,Mutable brushes used as static resources,"var brush = new SolidColorBrush(Colors.Blue); brush.Freeze();","new SolidColorBrush() without Freeze in resources",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/advanced/freezable-objects-overview
34,Performance,Use DependencyProperty for custom-control binding targets,Binding target properties on custom controls must be DependencyProperties (sources can be plain CLR properties with INPC),Define DependencyProperty for properties bound TO on a custom control,Plain CLR properties as binding targets on custom controls,"public static readonly DependencyProperty NameProperty = ...","public string Name { get; set; } as binding target on custom control",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/properties/dependency-properties-overview
35,Performance,Use async for long operations,Keep UI thread responsive,async/await with Task.Run for CPU work,Synchronous operations that freeze the UI,"await Task.Run(() => HeavyComputation());","HeavyComputation() on UI thread",High,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/csharp/asynchronous-programming/
36,Performance,Profile with PerfView and Visual Studio,Measure before optimizing,Visual Studio diagnostic tools and PerfView,Guessing at performance bottlenecks,Performance Profiler in Visual Studio (Alt+F2),Optimize without profiling,Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/advanced/optimizing-wpf-application-performance
37,Threading,Use Dispatcher for UI updates,UI elements can only be accessed from the UI thread,Dispatcher.Invoke or BeginInvoke from background threads,Accessing UI elements from background threads,"Application.Current.Dispatcher.Invoke(() => Status = ""Done"");","textBlock.Text = ""Done"" from Task.Run",High,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/advanced/threading-model
38,Threading,Prefer async/await over Dispatcher,Modern async code returns to UI context automatically,async/await which resumes on captured SynchronizationContext,Manual Dispatcher.BeginInvoke for every callback,"var data = await LoadDataAsync(); Items = data;","Dispatcher.BeginInvoke(() => Items = result) in callback",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/csharp/asynchronous-programming/
39,Threading,Use Task.Run for CPU-bound work,Offload intensive work from UI thread,Task.Run for compute-bound work,Long-running computations on UI thread,"var result = await Task.Run(() => Compute());","var result = Compute(); on UI thread",High,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/standard/parallel-programming/task-based-asynchronous-programming
40,Threading,Report progress from background tasks,Update UI with progress during long operations,IProgress<T> with Task.Run,Polling a shared variable for progress,"var progress = new Progress<int>(p => ProgressBar.Value = p); await Task.Run(() => Work(progress));","while (!done) { Thread.Sleep(100); check shared int; }",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/system.progress-1
41,Threading,Handle DispatcherUnhandledException,Catch unhandled UI-thread exceptions to log them and prevent the default WPF crash dialog,Subscribe in App.xaml or App.OnStartup and set e.Handled=true after logging,Letting WPF show its default crash dialog and silently shut down,"<Application DispatcherUnhandledException=""App_OnUnhandledException"">",No global handler so any unhandled exception crashes the app,High,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/system.windows.application.dispatcherunhandledexception
42,Accessibility,Set AutomationProperties,Enable screen reader support,AutomationProperties.Name on interactive controls,Controls without automation names,"<Button AutomationProperties.Name=""Save document""/>","<Button><Image Source=""save.png""/></Button> without name",High,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/system.windows.automation.automationproperties
43,Accessibility,Support keyboard navigation,All functionality reachable via keyboard,Tab order and KeyboardNavigation properties,Mouse-only interactions,"<StackPanel KeyboardNavigation.TabNavigation=""Cycle"">","Click handlers with no keyboard equivalent",High,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/advanced/focus-overview
44,Accessibility,Support high contrast themes,Respect Windows high contrast settings,SystemColors and SystemFonts resources,Hardcoded colors that disappear in high contrast,"Foreground=""{DynamicResource {x:Static SystemColors.ControlTextBrushKey}}""","Foreground=""#333333"" everywhere",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/framework/ui-automation/accessibility-best-practices
45,Accessibility,Use appropriate control types,Semantic controls convey role to assistive tech,Button for actions CheckBox for toggles,Styled TextBlock with click handler as fake button,"<Button Content=""Submit""/>","<TextBlock MouseDown=""OnSubmitClick"" Text=""Submit""/>",High,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/framework/ui-automation/accessibility-best-practices
46,Accessibility,Support DPI scaling,Ensure UI is crisp at all display scale factors,Device-independent units and vector graphics,Pixel-based bitmaps that blur at high DPI,"<Path Data=""M 10,10 L 20,20""/> or DrawingImage","<Image Source=""icon_32x32.png""/> at 200% scaling",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/graphics-multimedia/graphics
47,Accessibility,Declare PerMonitorV2 DPI awareness,WPF defaults to System-DPI-aware unless you opt into PerMonitorV2 via app.manifest,app.manifest with dpiAwareness PerMonitorV2,Default System DPI awareness for Windows 10/11 apps,"<dpiAwareness xmlns=""http://schemas.microsoft.com/SMI/2016/WindowsSettings"">PerMonitorV2</dpiAwareness>",No app.manifest leaving app at System DPI,Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/hidpi/high-dpi-desktop-application-development-on-windows
48,Architecture,Use MVVM pattern,Separate View ViewModel and Model concerns,MVVM with data binding and commands,Logic in code-behind,ViewModel with INotifyPropertyChanged and ICommand,MainWindow.xaml.cs with all business logic,High,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/communitytoolkit/mvvm/
49,Architecture,Override App.OnStartup for app initialization,Wire DI build the host resolve MainWindow and parse command-line args in OnStartup,Override OnStartup when DI or argument parsing is needed,Relying on StartupUri when MainWindow needs constructor injection,protected override void OnStartup(StartupEventArgs e) { _host.Start(); _host.Services.GetRequiredService<MainWindow>().Show(); },"<Application StartupUri=""MainWindow.xaml""/> when MainWindow has constructor dependencies",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/app-development/application-management-overview
50,Architecture,Use dependency injection,Wire Microsoft.Extensions.Hosting Generic Host in App.OnStartup and resolve ViewModels from the container,Generic Host with Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection,new Service() in ViewModel constructors,"services.AddTransient<MainViewModel>();","new MainViewModel(new DataService()) in App.xaml.cs",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/core/extensions/dependency-injection/overview
51,Architecture,Use CommunityToolkit.Mvvm,Source generators reduce MVVM boilerplate,[ObservableProperty] and [RelayCommand] attributes,Hand-written INotifyPropertyChanged for every property,"[ObservableProperty] private string _name;","private string _name; public string Name { get ... set ... OnPropertyChanged ... }",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/communitytoolkit/mvvm/
52,Architecture,Keep code-behind minimal,Code-behind should only contain view-specific logic,View logic like focus management and animations in code-behind,Business logic and data access in code-behind,Loaded handler that sets initial focus,Loaded handler that calls database and populates grid,Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/desktop/wpf/xaml/
53,Architecture,Use messaging for loose coupling,Communicate between ViewModels without references,WeakReferenceMessenger from CommunityToolkit.Mvvm,Direct ViewModel-to-ViewModel references,"WeakReferenceMessenger.Default.Send(new ItemSavedMessage(item));","MainViewModel.Instance.RefreshItems() from DetailViewModel",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/communitytoolkit/mvvm/messenger
54,Testing,Unit test ViewModels,Test business logic independent of UI,xUnit or NUnit tests on ViewModel methods and properties,Manual testing through the UI only,"[Fact] public void Save_WhenValid_SetsIsBusy() { vm.Save(); Assert.True(vm.IsBusy); }","Clicking buttons in the running app to verify",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/communitytoolkit/mvvm/
55,Testing,Mock services in tests,Isolate ViewModel from external dependencies,Moq or NSubstitute for service interfaces,Real database calls in unit tests,"var mock = new Mock<IDataService>(); var vm = new MainViewModel(mock.Object);","new MainViewModel(new SqlDataService()) in tests",Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/core/testing/unit-testing-best-practices
56,Testing,Use UI Automation for integration tests,Automated UI testing with Microsoft UI Automation,FlaUI or Appium 2 (appium-windows-driver) for end-to-end tests,Manual regression testing only,"AutomationElement.FindFirst(TreeScope.Children, condition)",Manual click-through testing,Medium,https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/framework/ui-automation/ui-automation-overview
