WinUI’s Flexible Content Model

Data Templates define a user interface for data. It is often defined as a Resource.

ContentControl

Consider ContentControl (the base class of Button, CheckBox, ListViewItem, others).

• ContentControl defines the Content property which is of type object.
• This is what allows you to assign an arbitrary object (and not just a string) to the Content property.

ContentControl’s Content Property

• If a UIElement (base class of Panels and Controls) is assigned to ContentControl’s Content property, it is rendered.
• If any other object is assigned to ContentControl’s Content property, the result of its ToString method is rendered.

DataTemplate

Instead of relying on the ToString result, you can use a DataTemplate to define a UI for the object. In the DataTemplate:

• UI elements like panels and controls can be used.
• You can bind to the properties of the object that was assigned to the Content property.

DataTemplate is an object that is assigned to ContentTemplate property of ContentControl:

ItemsControl

ContentControl is for a single object. ItemsControl is for a collection of objects.
ItemsControl is the base class of ListView, ComboBox, others.

ItemsControl ItemsSource Property

ItemsControl has an ItemsSource property to which you can assign a collection of objects.

• The same rules as ContentControl.Content apply to ItemsControl.ItemsSource.

DataTemplate

A DataTemplate can be assigned to ItemsControl’s ItemTemplate property: