Extensible Application Markup Language

In WPF and UWP, XAML is a user interface markup language to define UI elements, data binding, and events.

At run-time, the framework engine extracts the BAML file from assembly resources, parses it, and creates a corresponding WPF visual tree or workflow.

In WF contexts, XAML describes potentially long-running declarative logic, such as those created by process modeling tools and rules systems.

[7] XAML uses a specific way to define look and feel called Templates; differing from Cascading Style Sheet syntax, it is closer to XBL.

A crucial part of utilizing XAML to its full potential is making appropriate usage of binding, as well as being comfortable with creating your own custom user elements as required, for your specific needs.

[13][14] In 2007, European Committee for Interoperable Systems (ECIS) – a coalition of mostly American software companies – accused Microsoft of attempting to hijack HTML and replace it with XAML, thus creating a vendor lock-in.