Some time back, I blogged about different options to hook up a view to its view model when following the ViewModel (aka MVVM) pattern. There are multiple approaches in use out there. I raised the possibility of a convention-based approach in addition to existing ones like the ViewModelLocator pattern.
Motivation: I find the simplest way to explain ViewModel is to present it as a better code-behind, especially to the mainstream developer who is intimately familiar with the latter (at least in the .net world). With the code-behind approach the UI, its state and operations are all mixed up. The ViewModel pattern is of course designed to help separate application logic from the view, but now results in two discrete halves that need to be reconnected. Result: additional concept count. With a convention-based approach, I believe the simplicity of the code-behind model can be achieved while preserving the ability to decouple.
Like most other convention-based systems, it addresses the common and mainline scenarios well. There will always be some more advanced or less common scenarios that will fall out of the convention, for which a configuration-based approach needs to exist alongside.
With that context, I want to share what Silverlight.FX (@silverlightfx) now offers around hooking up a view to its view model by following a convention over configuration approach, to provide simplicity while retaining flexibility.