ComponentOne XapOptimizer is a standalone utility designed to optimize and secure Microsoft Silverlight applications. It processes .XAP (pronounced “zap”) deployment files to compress their overall footprint, improve startup times, and prevent reverse engineering.
Because Microsoft Silverlight is a retired technology, ComponentOne (a brand by MESCIUS, formerly GrapeCity) categorizes XapOptimizer and the Silverlight suite as a legacy product meant strictly for maintaining existing applications. Core Capabilities
Size Reduction: Shrinks the size of any Silverlight application by 30% to 70%. It does this by scanning assemblies and removing unused objects, classes, and metadata.
Code Obfuscation: Includes built-in code obfuscation to make the final application much harder to reverse-engineer or decompile.
Performance Enhancements: Speeds up download and application start times. This is critical for web deployment where users previously had to download massive .XAP files over the network.
Universal Compatibility: Works with any standard Silverlight assembly. It is not restricted to projects using ComponentOne UI controls. Integration and Workflow
Build Automation: Integrates directly into the Microsoft Visual Studio build pipeline to auto-optimize output files automatically upon compilation.
Standalone UI: Includes its own desktop application where developers can inspect the application assembly tree, set up pruning exemptions, and customize compression settings.
Reflection Safeguards: Developers on Stack Overflow note that if your code relies on reflection or dynamic bindings, you may need to explicitly pin elements to prevent the utility from accidentally stripping out dynamically called classes. Current Status & Availability ComponentOne XAP Optimizer – ComponentSource
Leave a Reply