OpenSilver adds F# language support

Userware has released OpenSilver 2.1, an update to its open-source successor to Microsoft’s discontinued Silverlight framework for building rich web applications. OpenSilver 2.1 adds support for Microsoft’s F# language.

Introduced February 6, OpenSilver 2.1 can be downloaded from the project website.

Userware describes OpenSilver 2.1 as “F# meets XAML for advanced web app development.” Initially unveiled in 2020, OpenSilver allows developers to create rich web applications using .NET, C#, XAML, and now, F#, Microsoft’s .NET language supporting functional, imperative, and object-oriented programming.

OpenSilver 2.1 combines the strength of functional programming with the power of XAML to enhance the development of rich, complex web applications, Userware said. The integration of F# in OpenSilver 2.1 bridges the gap between functional programming and building rich interactive web UIs. OpenSilver developers now can enjoy the benefits of “both worlds,” Userware said, referring to the expressive and concise syntax of F# and the powerful declarative nature of XAML for UI design.

Userware has migrated Microsoft’s original Silverlight Toolkit Samples app to OpenSilver with almost no changes. These can be experienced in a browser, with no plug-in required. OpenSilver 2.1 also supports theming, offering a dozen themes, and boasts a revamped animation system, new controls, and enhanced performance.

An enhanced OpenSilver Gallery page features more than 100 F# samples. Also featured are previews of 3D and VR/AR web apps, using OpenSilver, .NET, and XAML, and a sample CRM app, which serves as a starting point for building line-of-business apps.

Support for Silverlight was ended by Microsoft in October 2021. OpenSilver reimplements Silverlight using standardized technologies such as HTLM5, CSS3, and WebAssembly, allowing it to run on all current browsers, including Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari, without requiring a plugin.