Generated banner for Mvvm Toolkit
Generated logo for Mvvm Toolkit

Mvvm Toolkit

GitHubOfficialFirst committed by alvinashcraftDistributed by GitHub

  • Skill
  • Tool integration
  • Software development
  • MIT
  • No issues found

From the author

CommunityToolkit.Mvvm (the MVVM Toolkit) core: source generators ([ObservableProperty], [RelayCommand], [NotifyPropertyChangedFor], [NotifyCanExecuteChangedFor], [NotifyDataErrorInfo]), base classes (ObservableObject / ObservableValidator / ObservableRecipient), commands (RelayCommand / AsyncRelayCommand), and validation. Companion skills: mvvm-toolkit-messenger for pub/sub, mvvm-toolkit-di for Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection wiring. Works across WPF, WinUI 3, MAUI, Uno, and Avalonia.
— the description by alvinashcraft

AutoGineer summary

Written by AutoGineer from the skill’s own files, not by the author

The CommunityToolkit.Mvvm provides a set of core components for building applications using the Model-View-ViewModel (MVVM) pattern. It includes source generators to reduce boilerplate code for properties and commands, along with base classes for managing observable objects, validation, and messaging. The toolkit is designed to work across various .NET UI frameworks including WPF, WinUI 3, MAUI, Uno, and Avalonia.

What it does

  • Generates boilerplate code for observable properties and commands via attributes.
  • Provides base classes like ObservableObject, ObservableValidator, and ObservableRecipient.
  • Supports input validation through DataAnnotations and INotifyDataErrorInfo.
  • Facilitates command execution with RelayCommand and AsyncRelayCommand.
  • Enables property change notifications and dependency tracking between properties.
  • Integrates with .NET dependency injection and messaging patterns.

When to use it

  • When developing applications using the MVVM pattern in .NET.
  • When you need to reduce manual implementation of INotifyPropertyChanged.
  • When building forms that require input validation.
  • When you need to manage command execution states in your ViewModels.
  • When working with cross-platform UI frameworks like MAUI, Avalonia, or WinUI 3.

Advantages

  • Reduces boilerplate code through source generation.
  • Provides consistent base classes for ViewModel architecture.
  • Supports asynchronous command execution with built-in cancellation and status tracking.
  • Integrates seamlessly with standard .NET patterns and dependency injection.
  • Works across multiple .NET UI frameworks.

Usage examples

“How do I create an observable property in my ViewModel?”
Use the [ObservableProperty] attribute on a private field within a partial class to automatically generate a public property with change notification.
“How can I create a command that runs asynchronously?”
Apply the [RelayCommand] attribute to an async method returning a Task to generate an IAsyncRelayCommand.
“How do I validate properties in my ViewModel?”
Inherit from ObservableValidator and use DataAnnotation attributes like [Required] or [EmailAddress] alongside the [NotifyDataErrorInfo] attribute.
“How do I update a command's enabled state when a property changes?”
Use the [NotifyCanExecuteChangedFor(nameof(CommandName))] attribute on the observable field that should trigger the re-evaluation.

Install

  1. Download the skill as a ZIP:

    https://autogineer.com/agent-skills/github/mvvm-toolkit/download
  2. Unzip it into the cross-client skills folder of your project:

    mkdir -p .agents/skills && unzip mvvm-toolkit.zip -d .agents/skills

Documentation by alvinashcraft

CommunityToolkit.Mvvm (core)

Use this skill when authoring or reviewing ViewModels, properties, commands, or validation in apps that use CommunityToolkit.Mvvm 8.x.

Companion skills. Load mvvm-toolkit-messenger for IMessenger pub/sub patterns. Load mvvm-toolkit-di for Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection integration.

Quick recap. [ObservableProperty] on private fields in partial classes; [RelayCommand] on instance methods; inherit from ObservableObject (or ObservableValidator for input forms, ObservableRecipient when using IMessenger).


Package & setup

<ItemGroup>
  <PackageReference Include="CommunityToolkit.Mvvm" Version="8.*" />
</ItemGroup>

Targets: netstandard2.0, netstandard2.1, net6.0+. Works on .NET, .NET Framework, Mono. Source generators ship in the same NuGet — no extra analyzer reference required.

Namespaces:

using CommunityToolkit.Mvvm.ComponentModel;   // ObservableObject, [ObservableProperty]
using CommunityToolkit.Mvvm.Input;             // [RelayCommand], RelayCommand, AsyncRelayCommand

Universal rule. Every type that uses [ObservableProperty] or [RelayCommand] — and every enclosing type, if nested — must be declared partial. Without it, the generators emit MVVMTK0008 / MVVMTK0042.


Source generators cheat sheet

AttributeApplied toGenerates
[ObservableProperty]private fieldPublic INotifyPropertyChanged property + OnXxxChanging/OnXxxChanged partial-method hooks
[NotifyPropertyChangedFor(nameof(Other))]observable fieldAlso raises PropertyChanged for the listed property
[NotifyCanExecuteChangedFor(nameof(MyCommand))]observable fieldCalls MyCommand.NotifyCanExecuteChanged() on change
[NotifyDataErrorInfo]observable field on ObservableValidatorCalls ValidateProperty(value) from the setter
[NotifyPropertyChangedRecipients]observable field on ObservableRecipientBroadcast(old, new) after the change
[RelayCommand]instance methodLazy RelayCommand / AsyncRelayCommand exposed as IRelayCommand / IAsyncRelayCommand
[RelayCommand(CanExecute = nameof(CanX))]instance methodWires CanExecute to a method or property
[RelayCommand(IncludeCancelCommand = true)]async method with CancellationTokenAlso generates XxxCancelCommand
[RelayCommand(AllowConcurrentExecutions = true)]async methodAllows queued/parallel invocations (default disables while running)
[RelayCommand(FlowExceptionsToTaskScheduler = true)]async methodSurfaces exceptions via ExecutionTask instead of awaiting and rethrowing
[property: SomeAttr]observable field or [RelayCommand] methodForwards SomeAttr onto the generated property (e.g., [JsonIgnore])

Naming. Field name / _name / m_name → Name. Method LoadAsync → LoadCommand (the Async suffix is stripped; a leading On is also stripped).

See references/source-generators.md for the full attribute reference with generated-code samples.


ViewModel patterns

Simple observable property
public partial class ContactViewModel : ObservableObject
{
    [ObservableProperty]
    private string? name;
}
Hooks: OnXxxChanging / OnXxxChanged
[ObservableProperty]
private string? name;

partial void OnNameChanged(string? value) =>
    Logger.LogInformation("Name changed to {Name}", value);

Both single-arg (value) and two-arg (oldValue, newValue) overloads are available. Implement only the ones you need; unimplemented hooks are elided by the compiler (zero runtime cost).

Dependent properties + dependent commands
[ObservableProperty]
[NotifyPropertyChangedFor(nameof(FullName))]
[NotifyCanExecuteChangedFor(nameof(SaveCommand))]
private string? firstName;

[ObservableProperty]
[NotifyPropertyChangedFor(nameof(FullName))]
[NotifyCanExecuteChangedFor(nameof(SaveCommand))]
private string? lastName;

public string FullName => $"{FirstName} {LastName}".Trim();
Wrapping a non-observable model
public sealed class ObservableUser(User user) : ObservableObject
{
    public string Name
    {
        get => user.Name;
        set => SetProperty(user.Name, value, user, (u, n) => u.Name = n);
    }
}

Pass a static lambda (no captured state) to keep the call allocation-free.


Commands

[RelayCommand]
private void Refresh() => Items.Reset();

[RelayCommand]
private async Task LoadAsync()
{
    foreach (var item in await service.GetItemsAsync())
        Items.Add(item);
}

[RelayCommand(IncludeCancelCommand = true)]
private async Task DownloadAsync(CancellationToken token)
{
    await using var stream = await http.GetStreamAsync(url, token);
    // ...
}

[RelayCommand(CanExecute = nameof(CanSave))]
private Task SaveAsync() => repo.SaveAsync(Name!);

private bool CanSave() => !string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(Name);

Reach for manual RelayCommand / AsyncRelayCommand constructors only when you must own the command's lifetime explicitly or compose it from non-trivial sources. The attribute style covers ~95% of cases.

See references/relaycommand-cookbook.md for sync / async / cancellable / concurrency / error-surfacing recipes.


Base class selection

Base classUse when
ObservableObjectDefault. INotifyPropertyChanged + INotifyPropertyChanging + SetProperty overloads + SetPropertyAndNotifyOnCompletion for Task properties
ObservableValidatorThe VM needs INotifyDataErrorInfo (forms, settings input)
ObservableRecipientThe VM sends or receives IMessenger messages — see the mvvm-toolkit-messenger skill

C# is single-inheritance: ObservableValidator and ObservableRecipient both extend ObservableObject, so combining them requires composition (e.g., inject IMessenger into an ObservableValidator).


Validation

using System.ComponentModel.DataAnnotations;

public sealed partial class RegistrationViewModel : ObservableValidator
{
    [ObservableProperty]
    [NotifyDataErrorInfo]
    [Required, MinLength(2), MaxLength(100)]
    private string? name;

    [ObservableProperty]
    [NotifyDataErrorInfo]
    [Required, EmailAddress]
    private string? email;

    [RelayCommand]
    private void Submit()
    {
        ValidateAllProperties();
        if (HasErrors) return;
        // submit...
    }
}

Other entry points: TrySetProperty, ValidateProperty(value, name), ClearAllErrors(), GetErrors(propertyName). Custom rules support [CustomValidation] methods and custom ValidationAttribute subclasses.

See references/validation.md for the full validator surface area.


Top pitfalls

  1. Forgetting partial. Class (and every enclosing type) must be partial. Compile error MVVMTK0008 / MVVMTK0042.

  2. PascalCase field name. [ObservableProperty] private string Name; collides with the generated property. Use name, _name, or m_name.

  3. async void on [RelayCommand]. The generator only wraps Task-returning methods as IAsyncRelayCommand. async void becomes a sync RelayCommand and exceptions are unobserved. Always return Task.

  4. Forgetting [NotifyCanExecuteChangedFor]. The Save button stays disabled even though CanSave() would now return true.

  5. Mutating the same reference held by an [ObservableProperty] field. EqualityComparer<T>.Default returns true, no notification fires. Replace the instance instead of mutating it.

For the full diagnostic table (MVVMTK0xxx) and more pitfalls, see references/troubleshooting.md.


End-to-end mini walkthrough

A two-pane Notes app demonstrating generators + commands + [NotifyCanExecuteChangedFor]:

public sealed partial class NoteViewModel(INotesService notes,
    IMessenger messenger) : ObservableRecipient(messenger)
{
    [ObservableProperty]
    [NotifyCanExecuteChangedFor(nameof(SaveCommand))]
    [NotifyCanExecuteChangedFor(nameof(DeleteCommand))]
    private string? filename;

    [ObservableProperty]
    [NotifyCanExecuteChangedFor(nameof(SaveCommand))]
    private string? text;

    [RelayCommand(CanExecute = nameof(CanSave))]
    private Task SaveAsync()
    {
        Messenger.Send(new NoteSavedMessage(Filename!));
        return notes.SaveAsync(Filename!, Text!);
    }

    [RelayCommand(CanExecute = nameof(CanDelete))]
    private Task DeleteAsync() => notes.DeleteAsync(Filename!);

    private bool CanSave() =>
        !string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(Filename) && !string.IsNullOrEmpty(Text);
    private bool CanDelete() => !string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(Filename);
}

For the full sample (DI wiring, View code-behind, XAML, unit tests), see references/end-to-end-walkthrough.md.


References & companion skills

TopicWhere
Source generator attribute referencereferences/source-generators.md
RelayCommand recipesreferences/relaycommand-cookbook.md
Validation deep divereferences/validation.md
Full Notes-app walkthroughreferences/end-to-end-walkthrough.md
MVVMTK0xxx diagnostics & pitfallsreferences/troubleshooting.md
Messenger pub/subCompanion skill: mvvm-toolkit-messenger
Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection wiringCompanion skill: mvvm-toolkit-di

External sources:

Files

references/end-to-end-walkthrough.md

End-to-end walkthrough: WinUI 3 Notes app

A minimal Notes app demonstrating the full MVVM Toolkit story: ObservableObject/ObservableRecipient, [ObservableProperty], [RelayCommand], [NotifyCanExecuteChangedFor], WeakReferenceMessenger, and Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection.

This walkthrough mirrors the official tutorial at https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/tutorials/winui-mvvm-toolkit/intro.

The same pattern works on WPF, MAUI, Uno, and Avalonia — only the XAML, navigation, and App bootstrap differ.


Project layout

MyApp/                  ← WinUI 3 app project
  App.xaml.cs
  Views/
    AllNotesPage.xaml
    NotePage.xaml
MyApp.Shared/           ← .NET class library — ViewModels + services
  ViewModels/
    AllNotesViewModel.cs
    NoteViewModel.cs
  Services/
    INotesService.cs
    FileSystemNotesService.cs
  Messages/
    NoteSavedMessage.cs
    NoteDeletedMessage.cs
MyApp.Tests/            ← xUnit / MSTest project — VM unit tests

Putting ViewModels in a separate library is the recommended pattern: the library has no UI dependencies, so VMs are unit-testable in isolation.


1. The model

Plain POCO — no toolkit dependencies.

public sealed record NoteSummary(string Filename, string Preview, DateTime LastModified);

2. The service

public interface INotesService
{
    Task<IReadOnlyList<NoteSummary>> GetAllAsync();
    Task<string> LoadAsync(string filename);
    Task SaveAsync(string filename, string text);
    Task DeleteAsync(string filename);
}

public sealed class FileSystemNotesService(string rootFolder) : INotesService
{
    public async Task<IReadOnlyList<NoteSummary>> GetAllAsync()
    {
        var files = Directory.GetFiles(rootFolder, "*.txt");
        var summaries = new List<NoteSummary>(files.Length);
        foreach (var f in files)
        {
            var text = await File.ReadAllTextAsync(f);
            summaries.Add(new NoteSummary(
                Path.GetFileName(f),
                text.Length > 60 ? text[..60] : text,
                File.GetLastWriteTime(f)));
        }
        return summaries;
    }

    public Task<string> LoadAsync(string filename) =>
        File.ReadAllTextAsync(Path.Combine(rootFolder, filename));

    public Task SaveAsync(string filename, string text) =>
        File.WriteAllTextAsync(Path.Combine(rootFolder, filename), text);

    public Task DeleteAsync(string filename)
    {
        File.Delete(Path.Combine(rootFolder, filename));
        return Task.CompletedTask;
    }
}

3. The messages

public sealed record NoteSavedMessage(string Filename);
public sealed record NoteDeletedMessage(string Filename);

4. The list view model

using System.Collections.ObjectModel;
using CommunityToolkit.Mvvm.ComponentModel;
using CommunityToolkit.Mvvm.Input;
using CommunityToolkit.Mvvm.Messaging;

public sealed partial class AllNotesViewModel : ObservableRecipient,
    IRecipient<NoteSavedMessage>,
    IRecipient<NoteDeletedMessage>
{
    private readonly INotesService notes;

    public AllNotesViewModel(INotesService notes, IMessenger messenger)
        : base(messenger)
    {
        this.notes = notes;
        IsActive = true;   // start listening for messages
    }

    public ObservableCollection<NoteSummary> Notes { get; } = new();

    [RelayCommand]
    private async Task LoadAsync()
    {
        Notes.Clear();
        foreach (var n in await notes.GetAllAsync())
            Notes.Add(n);
    }

    public void Receive(NoteSavedMessage message) => _ = LoadAsync();
    public void Receive(NoteDeletedMessage message) => _ = LoadAsync();
}

ObservableRecipient's OnActivated (called when IsActive becomes true) wires up the IRecipient<T> handlers automatically.


5. The editor view model

public sealed partial class NoteViewModel : ObservableRecipient
{
    private readonly INotesService notes;

    public NoteViewModel(INotesService notes, IMessenger messenger)
        : base(messenger)
    {
        this.notes = notes;
    }

    [ObservableProperty]
    [NotifyCanExecuteChangedFor(nameof(SaveCommand))]
    [NotifyCanExecuteChangedFor(nameof(DeleteCommand))]
    private string? filename;

    [ObservableProperty]
    [NotifyCanExecuteChangedFor(nameof(SaveCommand))]
    private string? text;

    [RelayCommand]
    private async Task LoadAsync(string filename)
    {
        Filename = filename;
        Text = await notes.LoadAsync(filename);
    }

    [RelayCommand(CanExecute = nameof(CanSave))]
    private async Task SaveAsync()
    {
        await notes.SaveAsync(Filename!, Text!);
        Messenger.Send(new NoteSavedMessage(Filename!));
    }

    [RelayCommand(CanExecute = nameof(CanDelete))]
    private async Task DeleteAsync()
    {
        await notes.DeleteAsync(Filename!);
        Messenger.Send(new NoteDeletedMessage(Filename!));
        Filename = null;
        Text = null;
    }

    private bool CanSave() =>
        !string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(Filename) && !string.IsNullOrEmpty(Text);

    private bool CanDelete() => !string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(Filename);
}

6. The composition root (App.xaml.cs)

using Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection;
using Microsoft.Extensions.Hosting;
using CommunityToolkit.Mvvm.Messaging;

public partial class App : Application
{
    public IHost Host { get; }

    public App()
    {
        InitializeComponent();

        var notesRoot = Path.Combine(
            Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.LocalApplicationData),
            "MyApp", "notes");
        Directory.CreateDirectory(notesRoot);

        Host = Microsoft.Extensions.Hosting.Host
            .CreateDefaultBuilder()
            .ConfigureServices((_, services) =>
            {
                services.AddSingleton<INotesService>(_ => new FileSystemNotesService(notesRoot));
                services.AddSingleton<IMessenger>(WeakReferenceMessenger.Default);

                services.AddSingleton<AllNotesViewModel>();
                services.AddTransient<NoteViewModel>();
            })
            .Build();
    }

    public static T GetService<T>() where T : class =>
        ((App)Current).Host.Services.GetRequiredService<T>();
}

7. Wire up the views

AllNotesPage.xaml.cs:

public sealed partial class AllNotesPage : Page
{
    public AllNotesViewModel ViewModel { get; } = App.GetService<AllNotesViewModel>();

    public AllNotesPage()
    {
        InitializeComponent();
    }

    protected override async void OnNavigatedTo(NavigationEventArgs e)
    {
        base.OnNavigatedTo(e);
        await ViewModel.LoadCommand.ExecuteAsync(null);
    }
}

AllNotesPage.xaml:

<Page x:Class="MyApp.Views.AllNotesPage"
      xmlns:vm="using:MyApp.Shared.ViewModels">
    <Grid RowDefinitions="Auto,*">
        <CommandBar>
            <AppBarButton Icon="Add" Label="New" Click="OnNewClicked"/>
            <AppBarButton Icon="Refresh" Label="Refresh"
                          Command="{x:Bind ViewModel.LoadCommand}"/>
        </CommandBar>
        <ListView Grid.Row="1"
                  ItemsSource="{x:Bind ViewModel.Notes}"
                  ItemClick="OnNoteClicked"
                  IsItemClickEnabled="True">
            <ListView.ItemTemplate>
                <DataTemplate x:DataType="vm:NoteSummary">
                    <StackPanel>
                        <TextBlock Text="{x:Bind Filename}" FontWeight="SemiBold"/>
                        <TextBlock Text="{x:Bind Preview}"
                                   TextTrimming="CharacterEllipsis"/>
                    </StackPanel>
                </DataTemplate>
            </ListView.ItemTemplate>
        </ListView>
    </Grid>
</Page>

NotePage.xaml.cs:

public sealed partial class NotePage : Page
{
    public NoteViewModel ViewModel { get; } = App.GetService<NoteViewModel>();

    public NotePage()
    {
        InitializeComponent();
    }

    protected override async void OnNavigatedTo(NavigationEventArgs e)
    {
        base.OnNavigatedTo(e);
        if (e.Parameter is string filename)
            await ViewModel.LoadCommand.ExecuteAsync(filename);
        ViewModel.IsActive = true;
    }

    protected override void OnNavigatedFrom(NavigationEventArgs e)
    {
        ViewModel.IsActive = false;
        base.OnNavigatedFrom(e);
    }
}

NotePage.xaml:

<Page x:Class="MyApp.Views.NotePage">
    <Grid RowDefinitions="Auto,*,Auto">
        <TextBox Header="Filename" Text="{x:Bind ViewModel.Filename, Mode=TwoWay}"/>
        <TextBox Grid.Row="1"
                 AcceptsReturn="True" TextWrapping="Wrap"
                 Text="{x:Bind ViewModel.Text, Mode=TwoWay}"/>
        <StackPanel Grid.Row="2" Orientation="Horizontal" Spacing="8">
            <Button Content="Save"  Command="{x:Bind ViewModel.SaveCommand}"/>
            <Button Content="Delete" Command="{x:Bind ViewModel.DeleteCommand}"/>
        </StackPanel>
    </Grid>
</Page>

8. A representative unit test

using CommunityToolkit.Mvvm.Messaging;

public sealed class NoteViewModelTests
{
    private sealed class FakeNotesService : INotesService
    {
        public List<(string filename, string text)> Saved { get; } = new();
        public Task<IReadOnlyList<NoteSummary>> GetAllAsync() => Task.FromResult<IReadOnlyList<NoteSummary>>(Array.Empty<NoteSummary>());
        public Task<string> LoadAsync(string filename) => Task.FromResult(string.Empty);
        public Task SaveAsync(string filename, string text)
        {
            Saved.Add((filename, text));
            return Task.CompletedTask;
        }
        public Task DeleteAsync(string filename) => Task.CompletedTask;
    }

    [Fact]
    public async Task SaveCommand_persists_and_broadcasts()
    {
        var notes = new FakeNotesService();
        var messenger = new WeakReferenceMessenger();
        string? receivedFilename = null;
        messenger.Register<NoteSavedMessage>(new object(), (_, m) => receivedFilename = m.Filename);

        var vm = new NoteViewModel(notes, messenger)
        {
            Filename = "hello.txt",
            Text = "world"
        };

        await vm.SaveCommand.ExecuteAsync(null);

        Assert.Single(notes.Saved);
        Assert.Equal("hello.txt", notes.Saved[0].filename);
        Assert.Equal("world", notes.Saved[0].text);
        Assert.Equal("hello.txt", receivedFilename);
    }
}

What to internalize from this sample

  1. VMs go in a UI-free class library. The toolkit's only dependency is netstandard2.0+, so VMs are testable without a UI host.

  2. Constructor injection everywhere. The composition root knows how to build everything; ViewModels and services receive their dependencies via parameters.

  3. IMessenger is the cross-VM glue. WeakReferenceMessenger.Default is the right default. The list VM listens via IRecipient<T>; the editor VM publishes via Messenger.Send.

  4. [NotifyCanExecuteChangedFor] keeps Save/Delete buttons in sync with text input — no manual wiring needed.

  5. ObservableRecipient.IsActive controls subscription lifetime — set it from OnNavigatedTo / OnNavigatedFrom (or an equivalent activation hook in your framework).

Requirements and compatibility

Written for: GitHub Copilot

Works with: Claude Code, Claude apps, OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Kiro, OpenCode, Goose, Amp, Roo Code, JetBrains Junie, Factory Droid, Devin (ex-Windsurf), Mistral Vibe, OpenHands, Letta

“Works with” means the tool reads the open Agent Skills format; a skill written for one tool may use features others lack.

Security

No issues found by our static scan· No issues found

A static scan is not a guarantee. Skills are third-party content: review a skill before you let an agent use it.

Attribution and licence

First committed by
GitHub avatar of alvinashcraftalvinashcraft
Publisher
GitHub (Official)
Distributed by
GitHub
Source
github/awesome-copilot · skills/mvvm-toolkit · commit 797337f
Licence
MIT License (redistribution allowed)
  • LICENSE (added by AutoGineer from LICENSE)
  • ATTRIBUTION.md (written by AutoGineer)
Synced
Contributors
alvinashcraft

AutoGineer is not affiliated with or endorsed by alvinashcraft or GitHub.

Download ZIP

The ZIP holds the skill’s files, its licence files and an ATTRIBUTION.md. Download mvvm-toolkit.zip