Documentation/docs/data-binding/bindings.md

Bindings

You bind in XAML using the {Binding} markup extension. By using bindings assuming you've implemented [change notifications](https://docs.avaloniaui.net/docs/data-binding/change-notifications) any changes to the data context will automatically be updated in the control.

By default a binding binds to a property on the DataContext, e.g.:

<!-- Binds to the TextBlock's DataContext.Name property -->
<TextBlock Text="{Binding Name}"/>

<!-- Which is the same as ('Path' is optional) -->
<TextBlock Text="{Binding Path=Name}"/>

An empty binding binds to DataContext itself

<!-- Binds to the TextBlock's DataContext property -->
<TextBlock Text="{Binding}"/>

<!-- Which is the same as -->
<TextBlock Text="{Binding .}"/>

We call the property on the control the binding target and the property on the DataContext the binding source.

Binding Path

The binding path above can be a single property, or it can be a chain of properties. For example if the object assigned to the DataContext has a Student property, and the value of this property has a Name, you can bind to the student name using:

<TextBlock Text="{Binding Student.Name}"/>

You can also include array/list indexers in binding paths:

<TextBlock Text="{Binding Students[0].Name}"/>

Binding Modes

You can change the behavior of a {Binding} by specifing a binding Mode:

<TextBlock Text="{Binding Name, Mode=OneTime}">

The available binding modes are:

Mode	Description
OneWay	Changes to the source are automatically propagated to the target
TwoWay	Changes to the source are automatically propagated to the target and vice-versa
OneTime	The value from the source is propagated at initialization to the target and subsequent changes are ignored
OneWayToSource	Changes to the target are propagated to the source
Default	The binding mode is based on the property

The Default mode is assumed if one is not specified. This mode is generally OneWay for control properties that do not change due to user input e.g. `TextBlock.Text` and TwoWay for control properties that do change due to user input e.g. `TextBox.Text`.