Chapter 1. Installing and Setting Up Xamarin Studio

Software developers are very selective with the tools they work with. We take the time to evaluate our goals and examine our available options. Then, we compare these options to our goals to determine the best tool for the task at hand. Xamarin Studio is one tool we can choose for cross-platform development using .NET. It is not a one-size-fits-all solution for all of your development needs. Instead, it's a specialized tool that allows .NET developers to efficiently create applications that can run on multiple platforms while using the technologies they are already familiar and experienced with.

The purpose of this chapter is to help you install and set up Xamarin Studio, as well as the ancillary tools you will need to effectively develop in a cross-platform environment.

In this chapter, we will cover the following topics:

• Xamarin Studio pricing plans
• Xamarin Studio platform options
• Installing Xcode and the iOS SDK
• Installing Xamarin Studio
• Apple Developer Program
• Google Play Developer Program
• Installing simulators and emulators
• Improving AVD performance
• Setting up test devices
• Setting up source control
• Additional resources for cross-platform developers