WPF cheat sheet

A scannable WPF reference: 18 short snippets across 10 topics, each linking back to the lesson it came from.

At a glance

Quick snippets

Data binding

Converters and formatting

<Window.Resources>
    <local:BoolToVisibilityConverter x:Key="BoolToVis" />
    <local:MoneyConverter x:Key="Money" />
    <BooleanToVisibilityConverter x:Key="BuiltInBoolToVis" />
</Window.Resources>

<TextBlock Text="{Binding Total, Converter={StaticResource Money}}" />
<Border Visibility="{Binding HasError, Converter={StaticResource BoolToVis}}" />

Full lesson: Data binding →

MVVM basics and commands

ICommand and RelayCommand

<Button Content="Save"
        Command="{Binding SaveCommand}" />

<Button Content="Delete"
        Command="{Binding DeleteCommand}"
        CommandParameter="{Binding SelectedItem, ElementName=OrderGrid}" />

<ListBox x:Name="OrderGrid" ItemsSource="{Binding Orders}" />

Full lesson: MVVM basics and commands →

Resources, styles, templates and themes

Resource lookup order

<Window.Resources>
  <SolidColorBrush x:Key="Accent">#2F6FED</SolidColorBrush>
  <sys:Double x:Key="Gap" xmlns:sys="clr-namespace:System;assembly=System.Runtime">12</sys:Double>
</Window.Resources>

<StackPanel>
  <TextBlock Text="Total" Foreground="{StaticResource Accent}" />
  <Border Background="{DynamicResource PanelBackground}" />
</StackPanel>

ControlTemplate and DataTemplate

<!-- theme dictionaries loaded at startup -->
<ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
  <ResourceDictionary Source="pack://application:,,,/Themes/Colors.Light.xaml" />
  <ResourceDictionary Source="pack://application:,,,/Themes/Controls.xaml" />
</ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>

Full lesson: Resources, styles, templates and themes →

Items controls, collections and virtualization

Grouping, sorting and filtering

var view = CollectionViewSource.GetDefaultView(Orders);
view.SortDescriptions.Add(new SortDescription(nameof(Order.Date), ListSortDirection.Descending));
view.GroupDescriptions.Add(new PropertyGroupDescription(nameof(Order.Region)));

view.Filter = o => ((Order)o).Total >= _minTotal;

// a filter change must be announced or the view looks frozen
view.Refresh();

// and the collection itself must notify for the view to follow
public ObservableCollection<Order> Orders { get; } = new();

Grouping, sorting and filtering

<ListBox ItemsSource="{Binding Orders}">
  <ListBox.GroupStyle>
    <GroupStyle>
      <GroupStyle.HeaderTemplate>
        <DataTemplate>
          <TextBlock FontWeight="Bold" Margin="0,8,0,2"
                     Text="{Binding Name}" />
        </DataTemplate>
      </GroupStyle.HeaderTemplate>
    </GroupStyle>
  </ListBox.GroupStyle>
</ListBox>

Staying smooth

// batch changes so the UI updates once instead of once per item
using (Orders.DeferRefresh())
{
    foreach (var order in loaded)
        Orders.Add(order);
}

// when the list is rebuilt often, hand over a finished collection instead
OnPropertyChanged(nameof(Orders));

Full lesson: Items controls, collections and virtualization →

Validation, converters and input handling

Three validation mechanisms

<TextBox Text="{Binding Customer, UpdateSourceTrigger=PropertyChanged, ValidatesOnNotifyDataErrors=True}" />
<Button Content="Save"
        IsEnabled="{Binding HasErrors, Converter={StaticResource InverseBool}}" />

Converters and formatting

<!-- StringFormat, not a converter, for simple display formatting -->
<TextBlock Text="{Binding Total, StringFormat={}{0:N2}}" />

<!-- the built-in converter for booleans -->
<Button IsEnabled="{Binding IsEditable}" Visibility="{Binding IsEditable, Converter={StaticResource BoolToVisibility}}" />

Full lesson: Validation, converters and input handling →

Navigation, windows and dialogs

Windows and modal dialogs

// the dialog stays in front, and we read the result afterwards
var dialog = new CustomerEditWindow { Owner = this, DataContext = new CustomerEditViewModel(id) };

if (dialog.ShowDialog() == true)
    await _orders.ReloadAsync();

// and inside the dialog
private void OnSave(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
    if (!_viewModel.Validate()) return;
    DialogResult = true;         // also closes the window
}

Full lesson: Navigation, windows and dialogs →

Asynchronous work and UI responsiveness

CPU work, progress and cancellation

// update a chart at most ~30 times a second instead of on every data point
private readonly DispatcherTimer _render = new() { Interval = TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(33) };

public App()
{
    _render.Tick += (s, e) => { Render(_pending); };
}

Dispatcher priorities and frozen windows

// let the current layout finish before scrolling or focusing
Dispatcher.BeginInvoke(DispatcherPriority.Loaded, new Action(() =>
{
    Results.ScrollIntoView(Results.SelectedItem);
}));

// keep a background read off the critical path
await Dispatcher.InvokeAsync(() =>
{
    Status = "Ready";
}, DispatcherPriority.Background);

Full lesson: Asynchronous work and UI responsiveness →

Animation and visual states

VisualStateManager

// a control drives its own states from code
protected override void OnIsEnabledChanged(DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e)
{
    base.OnIsEnabledChanged(e);
    VisualStateManager.GoToState(this, IsEnabled ? "Normal" : "Disabled", useTransitions: true);
}

Reduced motion and perceived speed

// read the OS preference once at startup and keep the whole app consistent
private static bool ReducedMotion =>
    SystemParameters.ClientAreaAnimation == false ||
    SystemParameters.MenuAnimation == false;

if (!ReducedMotion)
    Storyboard.Begin(this);

Full lesson: Animation and visual states →

2D graphics, shapes and transforms

Shapes and geometry

<Canvas Width="200" Height="120">
  <Rectangle Canvas.Left="10" Canvas.Top="10" Width="80" Height="50"
             Fill="#2F6FED" RadiusX="6" RadiusY="6" />
  <Ellipse Canvas.Left="110" Canvas.Top="10" Width="60" Height="60" Stroke="Gray" StrokeThickness="2" />

  <!-- Polyline: an open figure. Polygon: closed and filled. -->
  <Polyline Points="10,90 40,70 70,100 100,60" Stroke="SeaGreen" StrokeThickness="2" />

  <!-- Path with a geometry mini-language: M move, L line, C curve, Z close -->
  <Path Data="M 120 90 C 140 60, 170 120, 190 80 Z"
        Fill="#EED46A" Stroke="#B08300" StrokeThickness="1.5" />
</Canvas>

Shapes and geometry

<!-- frozen and reused is far cheaper than recreated per item -->
<Path Data="{StaticResource WarningIcon}"
      Fill="{StaticResource AccentBrush}"
      Stretch="Uniform" Width="16" Height="16" />

Full lesson: 2D graphics, shapes and transforms →

WPF performance and testing MVVM applications

Testing view models

// anything that touches the dispatcher needs it while testing
[Fact]
public void Save_command_raises_property_changed()
{
    var raised = new List<string>();
    var vm = new EditorViewModel();
    vm.PropertyChanged += (s, e) => raised.Add(e.PropertyName);

    vm.SaveCommand.Execute(null);

    Assert.Contains(nameof(EditorViewModel.IsDirty), raised);
}

When to add UI automation

<Button Content="Save"
        AutomationProperties.AutomationId="SaveButton"
        AutomationProperties.Name="Save the order"
        Command="{Binding SaveCommand}" />

Full lesson: WPF performance and testing MVVM applications →

FAQ

Related cheat sheets

.NET ASP.NET Core LINQ WinForms

Last refreshed 2026-09-27.