What Is ASP.NET Core? An Overview of the Platform

ASP.NET Core is a modern framework made by Microsoft as part of the .NET ecosystem for building fast, high-performance web apps and APIs.

It’s an upgrade from the older ASP.NET Framework and comes packed with features that are perfect for today’s developers.

Whether you’re working on a web app, a microservice, or an API, getting to know ASP.NET Core can help you use its powerful tools to create scalable and strong applications.

What Is ASP.NET Core?

ASP.NET Core is an open-source framework that helps you build web apps and services.

It runs on the .NET Core runtime, so it works on Windows, macOS, and Linux. This framework comes with a full set of tools and libraries that make it easy to create dynamic and interactive web applications.

Compared to the old ASP.NET Framework, ASP.NET Core is lighter and more modular, which makes it simpler to deploy and manage your apps.

It also supports modern development practices like dependency injection and middleware, giving you more flexibility and making your applications easier to scale.

Key Features of ASP.NET Core

ASP.NET Core is packed with features that make it a great choice for building web applications:

• Runs Everywhere: ASP.NET Core works on Windows, macOS, and Linux. This means you can make and launch your software no matter what operating system you prefer.
• Good KPIs: ASP.NET Core is made to handle lots of traffic. It is also optimized to deliver quick responses and manage heavy loads without breaking a sweat.
• Modular Design: The framework follows a modular approach, where you include only the components you need.
• Dependency Injection: This feature makes it easier to manage your app’s components and helps keep your code clean and easy to test.
• Customizable Middleware: You can set up a series of middleware components to handle requests in a way that suits your needs, which allows you to integrate various services and add custom processing logic.
• Unified Model: With ASP.NET Core, you get the best of both worlds—MVC for web apps and Web API for creating APIs—in a single framework.

Advantages of Using ASP.NET Core

ASP.NET Core has a lot going for it, which makes it a great choice for custom web application development.

First off, ASP.NET Core is designed to be fast and handle a lot of requests, which is perfect for modern web apps that need to be quick and responsive.

Second, it boasts a lightweight and modular design that keeps things simple and avoids unnecessary bloat.

Security features are built right in, offering data protection, authentication, and authorization to keep your app and its users safe from threats.

Modern development practices are well-supported, too. ASP.NET Core works well with containerization using Docker, integrates with cloud services like Azure, and supports continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) for faster deployments.

Being open-source, ASP.NET Core benefits from contributions by developers worldwide, which means it’s always improving and staying up-to-date with the latest trends.

Finally, the framework includes integrated logging and diagnostic tools to help you keep an eye on performance and quickly fix any issues that come up.

Common Use Cases

Microsoft .NET Core is incredibly flexible and can handle a variety of projects. It’s great for building dynamic websites, whether you’re working on a personal blog or a full-fledged e-commerce site. Its features ensure that your web applications are interactive and perform well.

If you’re developing APIs, ASP.NET Core has you covered. It makes it easy to create RESTful services that work with mobile apps and other web services.

The framework is also perfect for creating microservices—small, independent services that work together within a larger system. This setup helps you scale and manage different parts of your application.

ASP.NET Core vs. ASP.NET Framework

ASP.NET Core is quite different from the older ASP.NET Framework. Here’s why it’s a step up:

• Cross-Platform Support: Unlike the ASP.NET Framework, which only runs on Windows, ASP.NET Core works on Windows, macOS, and Linux, which means it suits cross-platform development.
• Better Performance: ASP.NET Core is designed to be faster and more efficient. It’s built with performance in mind, so your applications generally run quicker than those built with the older framework.
• Modular Design: With ASP.NET Core, you only include the parts you need for your app. This modular approach helps keep your application smaller, unlike the ASP.NET Framework, which tends to be bulkier.
• Unified Framework: ASP.NET Core combines MVC (Model-View-Controller) and Web API into one framework. This means you get a more streamlined and simpler development experience, as you don’t need to juggle separate tools for web apps and APIs.

Real-World Examples

ASP.NET Core is used by many big names and organizations for various kinds of applications. Here’s a look at some real-world examples and how they use it:

Microsoft

Microsoft uses ASP.NET Core for parts of Azure DevOps, their suite of tools for managing code, builds, and releases. ASP.NET Core helps keep things running properly for developers around the world.

Stack Overflow

Stack Overflow, the go-to site for developers asking and answering questions, relies on ASP.NET Core to handle its huge traffic and data loads. It ensures the site stays fast and responsive, even when millions of users are active.

JetBrains

JetBrains, the company behind popular tools like ReSharper and IntelliJ IDEA, uses ASP.NET Core for some of its internal applications. The framework’s flexibility and performance help them properly build and maintain these tools.

Alibaba

Alibaba uses ASP.NET Core for its Cloud Development Kit, which helps ASP.NET Core developers manage cloud infrastructure. The framework’s speed and scalability are perfect for handling Alibaba’s vast e-commerce and cloud services.

Telerik

Telerik, known for its UI components and development tools, uses ASP.NET Core for some of its products. This helps them deliver powerful tools for building modern web applications.

Conclusion

ASP.NET Core is a great choice for modern web development. It’s powerful, flexible, and works on multiple operating systems. With its high performance and support for up-to-date practices, it’s perfect for building all kinds of applications.

By knowing its features and benefits, you can use ASP.NET Core to create scalable solutions for whatever project you’re working on.

If you’re looking to use ASP.NET Core for your next project, reach out to SCAND to find out more about our outsourcing .NET development services. We’re here to help you create awesome web applications and APIs that fit your business needs.