Feature Types

Understanding the different feature types available in the Microsoft platform helps you design robust, maintainable, and scalable applications. This article outlines the primary categories, typical use‑cases, and best practices.

Core Features

Core features form the foundation of any application. They include things like logging, configuration, and diagnostics.

Feature Type Purpose Typical APIs
Logging Capture runtime information for troubleshooting. Microsoft.Extensions.Logging, Serilog
Configuration Centralize settings across environments. Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration
Diagnostics Performance counters and health checks. System.Diagnostics, HealthChecks

UI Features

UI features enable rich user experiences across desktop, web, and mobile platforms.

// Example: Adding a NavigationView in WinUI 3
using Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Controls;

var navView = new NavigationView
{
    PaneDisplayMode = NavigationViewPaneDisplayMode.Auto,
    IsBackButtonVisible = NavigationViewBackButtonVisible.Collapsed
};

Data Access Features

Data‑related features cover everything from relational databases to NoSQL storage.

Feature Type Technology Example Provider
ORM Entity Framework Core Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer
Document DB Azure Cosmos DB Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos
Cache Distributed Cache Microsoft.Extensions.Caching.StackExchangeRedis

Security Features

Secure your applications with authentication, authorization, and data protection.

// ASP.NET Core authentication middleware
builder.Services.AddAuthentication("Cookies")
    .AddCookie("Cookies", options =>
    {
        options.LoginPath = "/account/login";
        options.AccessDeniedPath = "/account/denied";
    });

Performance & Scalability

Key patterns to keep your service responsive under load.

For more deep‑dive articles, explore the articles index or join the discussion forums.