Understanding the Difference between DependencyProperty and INotifyPropertyChanged in WPF

As a developer working with WPF, it's crucial to grasp the distinctions between DependencyProperty and INotifyPropertyChanged.

DependecyProperty: Key Points

• DependecyProperty is a powerful concept in WPF that enables a property to store and retrieve values, providing features like change notification and data binding.
• It is primarily used for properties in WPF controls, allowing them to participate in the dependency property system.
• DependecyProperty offers built-in supports for features like value coercion, default values, property invalidation, and metadata.

INotifyPropertyChanged: Key Points

• INotifyPropertyChanged is an interface that allows objects to notify clients when a property value changes.
• It is typically used in MVVM (Model-View-ViewModel) architectural pattern to facilitate data binding and update notifications.
• Implementing INotifyPropertyChanged requires defining a PropertyChanged event and raising it when a property's value changes.

In essence, DependencyProperty is more suitable for dependency properties within controls, while INotifyPropertyChanged is better suited for notifying changes in view models.

Understanding when to use each mechanism can greatly enhance the performance and maintainability of your WPF applications.