Silverlight MVVM framework with navigation

Question

We're just starting up a new (our first) Silverlight project where we want to make a back office silverlight application using MVVM. Our application will need navigation through some kind of menu UI.

I've been poking around the web finding various frameworks (Galasoft MVVM Light Toolkit / Silverlight.FX / Prism) to help with building a MVVM application but i find it hard to single out which one suits our needs the best.

Does anyone have any experience/tips on which one to pick for a larger application with many Views and navigation between them.

Also, is a navigation Application the best way to get a "framed" application (with navigation inside the frame) or is there a better way?

Answer 1

I'll throw in a vote for Prism/Composite Application Guidance...mainly because I've used it in a number of "for work" projects.

The modularity stuff is great - you basically code up individual projects as if they were miniature applications in their own right, and you rely on the region management paradigm to composite your multiple "modules" into one cohesive app.

It does get a bit annoying as the module count gets high, although you don't have to make each module its own project...

Answer 2

Take a look at this article (http://csharperimage.jeremylikness.com/2009/11/dynamic-module-loading-with-silverlight.html) written by Jeremy Likness. He is using Prism and Navigation framework and its a good article to get you going with. Its also not hard to take the sample he provides and apply some MVVM pricipals to it. I hope this helps.

Answer 3

We've just released our brand-new Silverlight tools that enables you rapidly create large Silverlight navigation application. We also covered numerous features not available in any frameworks, from page-level security, multi-level navigation with browser's journal support, WPF-style routed command, and more. I think it might help your situation, check out http://tinyurl.com/34248lz