Editor's note
I pulled together another deliberately mixed lineup this week, from Copilot-driven API testing to EF Core 9 behavior changes and MAUI runtime performance updates. The middleware testing and IIS environment-variable posts are especially practical if you’re shipping ASP.NET Core in production. I also included a few fundamentals pieces on async, nullable types, and DIP for readers who want a solid refresh.
Copilot testing, EF9, MAUI, Blazor
Jasen Fici
February 26, 2025
Welcome to the halfway point—a day for seasoned developers like us to embrace our quirks! This Wednesday, we're serving up a .NET newsletter as refreshing as your favorite classic car on a sunny day: polished, reliable, and maybe even sparking a bit of nostalgia. So, buckle up for insights that are smoother than your last successful deployment. Let's rev our engines and explore the articles that are idling below.
Today's Articles
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Jasen's take on today's picks
GitHub Copilot Just Took Over My API Testing… And I’m Not Mad About It!
Copilot is doing more than autocomplete here; this piece shows how it can take real weight off API testing without replacing judgment.
Using EntityFramework with IDBContext in .NET 9.0
A useful .NET 9 EF refresher, especially if you're using DbContext abstractions and want to avoid surprises in newer data-access code.
Visualize Multi-Dimensional Data Using the .NET MAUI Parallel Coordinate Chart
The MAUI chart article is a good reminder that mobile UI can still be both visual and data-dense when the control choice is right.
ChatGPT for Advanced C# Code Refactoring & Clean-Up
This one is about using ChatGPT as a refactoring partner, and the value is in speeding cleanup while still keeping your standards.
The 4 C# Techniques Nobody Talks About (But Should)
A short C# techniques piece is always worth a look when it surfaces patterns that quietly improve everyday code.
Mastering Async Programming in .NET: Best Practices & Pitfalls to Avoid
Async still trips up plenty of teams, so a best-practices roundup like this is useful for avoiding deadlocks and wasted tasks.
Setting application environment variables in IIS without restarts
Andrew Lock's IIS environment-variable workaround is the kind of production-friendly detail that saves restarts and headaches.
Understanding Nullable Types in C#: A Comprehensive Guide
Nullable types remain one of the most important C# features to understand well, especially for codebases enforcing annotations.
Recursive Algorithm in C# Using Towers of Honoi
A recursion article on Towers of Hanoi is classic CS territory, but it's still a neat way to exercise algorithmic thinking.
What is Middleware in ASP.NET ?
Middleware is one of ASP.NET Core's most important extensibility points, and the testing angle makes this post more practical.
Tuning Your Serialization in .NET with JSON Attributes: Faster, Leaner, and Cleaner
JSON attribute tuning is a nice reminder that serialization choices can buy you both cleaner payloads and better performance.
A general diagnosing .NET post can be broad, but troubleshooting guidance is always worth keeping handy.
How .NET Can Help Your Business Grow and Succeed?
The business-growth angle is more marketing than engineering, but it's still a reminder of why the platform keeps showing up in real products.
Understanding the Dependency Inversion Principle (DIP) in C#
DIP is foundational design thinking, and examples help when teams are trying to reduce coupling without overengineering.
.NET Buffering Techniques: Analysis, Benchmarking, and Practical Advice
Buffering analysis plus benchmarking makes this one a solid read for anyone chasing throughput or memory improvements.
Testing custom middleware is the kind of hands-on ASP.NET Core guidance people need once the abstractions stop being theoretical.
The merge-sorted-array writeup is algorithm practice, plain and simple, and still useful for sharpening problem-solving habits.
Building .NET AI apps with Chroma
Microsoft's Chroma SDK announcement is the most AI-forward item here, and it points at practical vector-search integration in .NET.
The .NET 9 Blazor runtime API coverage should interest anyone watching client-side capabilities in the newer release.
.NET MAUI Performance Features in .NET 9 - .NET Blog
MAUI performance improvements in .NET 9 matter because mobile apps feel every saved millisecond and allocation.
Clean Architecture in .NET: A Practical Guide with Examples
Clean architecture examples are always popular for a reason: they help teams turn principles into code structure.
Entity Framework 9 - GroupBy Throwing Exception
EF Core 9 GroupBy issues are exactly the sort of edge-case warning that can prevent a nasty production surprise.
The repository pattern article is familiar territory, but it's still a common architectural discussion in ASP.NET shops.