Commonly Used WPF Namespaces

Commonly Used WPF Namespaces

I have tried to compile a list of common WPF namespaces used in any WPF application. While developing my WPF application, I noticed some commonly and frequently used namespaces which I had to include in each and every file, so I tried to list them down in a single place in the form of an article.

If you are preparing for WPF interview, this article will surely help you as namespaces related questions are frequently asked in WPF interviews.

I have taken all the references of namespaces mentioned below from microsoft documentation.

If any common namespace is missing, you can mention them in comments below. So here goes the list of common WPF namespaces.

1. System.Windows.Media Namespace

Provides types that enable integration of rich media, including drawings, text, and audio/video content in Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) applications.

Related namespaces:

System.Windows.Media.Animation
System.Windows.Media.Effects
System.Windows.Media.Imaging
System.Windows.Media.Media3D
System.Windows.Media.TextFormatting
System.Windows.Navigation

2. System.Windows.Shapes Namespace

Provides access to a library of shapes that can be used in Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML) or code.

3. System.Windows.Navigation Namespace

Provides types that support navigation, including navigating between windows and navigation journaling.

4. System.Windows.Input Namespace

Provides types to support the Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) input system.

5. System.Windows.Forms Namespace

The System.Windows.Forms namespace contains classes for creating Windows-based applications that take full advantage of the rich user interface features available in in the Microsoft Windows operating system.

6. System.Windows.Documents Namespace

Contains types that support FixedDocument, FlowDocument, and XML Paper Specification (XPS) document creation.

7. System.Windows.Data Namespace

Contains classes used for binding properties to data sources, data source provider classes, and data-specific implementations of collections and views.

8. System.Windows.Controls Namespace

Provides classes to create elements, known as controls, that enable a user to interact with an application. The control classes are at the core of the user's experience with any application because they allow a user to view, select, or enter data or other information.

9. System.Windows.Automation Namespace

Provides support for Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) UI Automation clients.

10. System.Windows.Ink Namespace

Provides classes to interact with and manipulate ink on the Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) platform.

11. System.Windows.Shell Namespace

Contains types that provide managed code access to the enhanced functionality of the Windows 7 taskbar.

12. System.ComponentModel Namespace

This WPF namespace is used when you use INotifyPropertyChanged interface in your application.

13. System.Collections.ObjectModel Namespace

This namespace is used to implement ObservableCollection in your WPF application.

14. Prism and Unity Namespaces

Microsoft.Practices.Prism.dll
Microsoft.Practices.Prism.UnityExtensions.dll
Microsoft.Practices.ServiceLocation.dll
Microsoft.Practices.Unity.dll