Question 1

How to install PCL Storage in a Xamarin project?

Accepted Answer

Install the PCLStorage NuGet package in both your shared Portable Class Library and each platform-specific project (iOS, Android, etc.), then use FileSystem.Current to access storage, as demonstrated in the README sample.

Question 2

PCL Storage vs System.IO for cross-platform .NET?

Accepted Answer

PCL Storage abstracts platform differences for older .NET frameworks like Xamarin and Silverlight, while System.IO in .NET Standard is native but may require handling platform quirks manually; choose based on your target platforms.

Question 3

Does PCL Storage work with .NET Core or .NET 5+?

Accepted Answer

The README doesn't explicitly mention .NET Core support; check the NuGet package for compatibility, but consider that newer .NET versions have built-in cross-platform IO, making PCL Storage less necessary.

Question 4

How to handle file errors with PCL Storage async methods?

Accepted Answer

Use standard .NET async exception handling with try-catch blocks around await calls, as the library throws exceptions for I/O failures like file not found or access denied.

Question 5

Is PCL Storage still maintained or outdated?

Accepted Answer

The project might have limited updates since it targets legacy platforms; check GitHub for recent commits or issues, but for modern development, evaluate alternatives like .NET Standard libraries.

Question 6

Can PCL Storage access external SD card storage on Android?

Accepted Answer

It abstracts local and roaming storage, but for external storage, you may need to use platform-specific APIs or verify if the implementation includes such features, as it's not covered in the core API.

PCL Storage

What is PCL Storage?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Found a gem we're missing?

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions