MSDN Tutorials

Learn about ASP.NET Core

Introduction to ASP.NET Core

Welcome to the comprehensive tutorial series on ASP.NET Core! ASP.NET Core is a modern, cross-platform, open-source framework for building high-performance applications that can run on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It's designed for cloud-native applications and modern web development.

This tutorial will guide you through the fundamental concepts, architecture, and key features of ASP.NET Core, enabling you to build robust and scalable web applications, APIs, and real-time experiences.

What is ASP.NET Core?

ASP.NET Core is a complete rewrite of the ASP.NET platform, incorporating lessons learned from previous versions and embracing modern development practices. It offers:

  • High Performance: Optimized for speed and efficiency.
  • Cross-Platform: Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
  • Open-Source: Developed in the open on GitHub.
  • Modular Design: Built with a lightweight, composable architecture.
  • Unified Story: Supports building web apps, APIs, microservices, and more.
  • Modern Tooling: Excellent integration with Visual Studio, VS Code, and the .NET CLI.

Key Features and Concepts

Middleware Pipeline

ASP.NET Core applications process HTTP requests through a pipeline of middleware components. Each middleware can perform actions, delegate processing to the next middleware, or terminate the request.

Dependency Injection (DI)

Built-in support for dependency injection makes it easy to manage dependencies and write loosely coupled, testable code.

Razor Pages

A simpler, page-centric model for building web UI, ideal for scenarios where you're primarily focused on server-side rendering.

MVC (Model-View-Controller)

The traditional and powerful MVC pattern is fully supported for building complex, well-structured web applications.

Web APIs

Effortlessly build RESTful HTTP services and APIs with built-in routing, model binding, and validation.

Blazor

A revolutionary framework for building interactive client-side web UIs with .NET, allowing you to run C# code directly in the browser.

Getting Started

To start building your first ASP.NET Core application, you'll need to:

  1. Install the .NET SDK.
  2. Choose a code editor, such as Visual Studio or Visual Studio Code.
  3. Create a new project using the .NET CLI or your IDE.

For example, to create a new web application using the .NET CLI:

dotnet new webapp -o MyAspNetCoreApp
cd MyAspNetCoreApp
dotnet run

This command creates a new web application project in a folder named MyAspNetCoreApp and then runs it.

Next Steps

In the following tutorials, we will delve deeper into:

  • Creating and configuring your first ASP.NET Core project.
  • Understanding the project structure.
  • Implementing routing and request handling.
  • Working with data and databases (Entity Framework Core).
  • Building APIs and consuming them.
  • Securing your applications.
  • Deploying your applications.

Let's begin this exciting journey into modern web development with ASP.NET Core!