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iOS NavigationHandler
Unified iOS NavigationHandler
Target: .NET 10
Goal
Create a NavigationHandler for iOS in Core that both Shell and NavigationPage use. This aligns iOS with WinUI (already unified) and Android (planned for .NET 11).
Background
- WinUI already has a shared NavigationHandler used by both Shell and NavigationPage
- Android Shell Handler spec targets .NET 11 with the same unification goal
- iOS currently has separate implementations: NavigationRenderer for NavigationPage, Shell-specific renderers for Shell navigation
- We can learn from both existing iOS implementations to build the right unified handler
Rollout Strategy
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Build the unified NavigationHandler for .NET 10
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Gate behind AppContext switch - Wire both Shell and NavigationPage to use the new handler when the switch is enabled
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Switch disabled by default initially - Allows testing and validation without affecting existing apps
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Enable for Shell and NavigationPage - Once validated, flip the switch to make it the default path
This approach lets us ship the work in .NET 10 while controlling the rollout and having a fallback if issues arise.
Guidelines
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Create NavigationHandler in Core - Single handler for iOS navigation stack management
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Learn from both implementations - Take the best patterns from NavigationRenderer and Shell iOS navigation
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Shell and NavigationPage both use it - Same handler, different consumers
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Keep handler internal initially - Flexibility to iterate without public API commitment
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Align with WinUI patterns - Use WinUI's unified approach as the reference model
Success Criteria
- NavigationPage uses the new handler (when switch enabled)
- Shell uses the same handler (when switch enabled)
- All existing tests pass with switch enabled
- Consistent navigation behavior between Shell and NavigationPage
