I never got into it enough to really understand MVVM. It looks like MVC with a different name to me, which leads me to believe I don't get it yet.
Perhaps I was doing it wrong. When I used the GUI to layout UI it was modifying the same XAML that I was also changing manually. I admit to being ignorant about modern versions of Visual Studio, this one trivial app I created was the first time I used .NET, C#, XAML, and Visual Studio. I left Windows programming with VB6 back in the day before switching to Linux.
OK, I see what you're saying. You're doing layout with the designer and seeing the XAML is changing.
Yes, the XAML is the underlying representation of the layout. i think most people are thinking about the code that gets generated and called via "InitializeComponent". What gets generated after the XAML compiler parses the XAML.
You should view the designer as simply a convenient way to edit XAML. Like using a designer to edit HTML.
MVVM is sort of like MVC, although really closer to MVP. Think of MVVM as MVP that where databinding coupled with the View Model is the Presenter.
Perhaps I was doing it wrong. When I used the GUI to layout UI it was modifying the same XAML that I was also changing manually. I admit to being ignorant about modern versions of Visual Studio, this one trivial app I created was the first time I used .NET, C#, XAML, and Visual Studio. I left Windows programming with VB6 back in the day before switching to Linux.