title: What's the difference between DataContext and BindingContext
body: <p>I have been studying databinding techniques in numerous different WPF/MVVM resources. I thought I had a fairly strong grasp on the purpose and use of the <code>DataContext</code> object. But then I came across <a href="https://download.xamarin.com/developer/xamarin-forms-book/XamarinFormsBook-Ch18-Apr2016.pdf" rel="noreferrer">this article on MVVM</a> (this is a .pdf which was <a href="https://developer.xamarin.com/guides/xamarin-forms/creating-mobile-apps-xamarin-forms/summaries/chapter18/" rel="noreferrer">referenced here</a>). The entire chapter doesn't mention DataContext once, but instead utilizes "BindingContext" objects on various content controls. I have never heard of a <code>BindingContext</code> before; is it unique to Xamarin forms or something? Is it an alternate but equivalent way to set up the DataContext for a control? </p>
  
  <p><strong>UPDATE:</strong></p>
  
  <p>While my question in this regard has been answered below, it turns out that I'm not the only one confused by differences such as these. Apparently, the history behind the development of Xamarin.Forms has led to numerous discrepancies with Windows XAML. I am glad to learn that a formal effort to standardize these two paths <a href="https://blogs.windows.com/buildingapps/2017/05/19/introducing-xaml-standard-net-standard-2-0/#8SZVVHIhxoTtgQy1.97" rel="noreferrer">has just been announced</a> and will include <a href="https://github.com/Microsoft/xaml-standard/issues/8" rel="noreferrer">the DataContext terminology</a>.</p>