Editor's note
I pulled together a deliberately mixed lineup this week: classic C# patterns sit next to AI tooling in VS Code and practical data-access pieces. The EF Core pagination guide and the SQL Server lock article stood out because they solve problems people hit in real projects, not just theory.
C# patterns, AI, and EF Core tips
Jasen Fici
June 04, 2025
Welcome to the middle lane of the week, where .NET development takes a quirky turn! This Wednesday, shake up your coding routine and discover an array of compelling articles crafted to spark your curiosity and challenge your skills. You’ll find nuggets of wisdom and practical insights to keep your developer journey on the fast track, without missing a beat. Whether you're looking to optimize your code or explore cutting-edge features, we've got something to invigorate your routine.
Today's Articles
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Jasen's take on today's picks
Singleton Design Pattern in C#/.NET
A solid refresher on the Singleton pattern, with enough .NET framing to keep the classic example relevant.
AI and Remote Development in VS Code
A practical look at how AI fits into remote development workflows in VS Code, especially for distributed teams.
C# Delegates and Events: Powering Flexible Callbacks
Delegates and events get a clear treatment here, which is always useful when you need flexible callback wiring.
Improve the commands in your extensions
This Visual Studio extensions post is a handy reminder that command design affects both UX and maintainability.
Boost Your C# Skills with Anonymous Methods
Anonymous methods still matter, and this piece is a good bridge between language basics and everyday C# patterns.
Boosting Productivity with .NET Source Generators
Source generators can remove repetitive code and this article makes the productivity payoff easy to see.
C# Tip: Pagination in EF Core — A Complete Guide
A complete EF Core pagination guide is the kind of reference you bookmark before the next large-resultset bug.
Integrating GPT-4 in C# Applications Using Azure OpenAI Services
Azure OpenAI in C# gets an approachable walkthrough that helps teams move from curiosity to implementation.
Protect Your Secrets in .NET : A Dev’s Guide to User Secrets
User secrets is the right reminder that config hygiene matters, even in small apps and local dev.
Clean Querying with QueryBuilderSpecs
QueryBuilderSpecs is a clean-architecture-friendly way to keep querying logic composable and readable.
Understanding GUID, UUID, and ULID in C#
GUID, UUID, and ULID comparisons are useful when you care about identifiers, ordering, and storage tradeoffs.
Variables! — The building blocks of programming
A beginner-friendly variables article, aimed more at fundamentals than advanced .NET practice.
A Practical Guide to C#’s Null Operators for Robust Code Development
Null operators are explained in a way that should help reduce defensive-code noise in real applications.
Using Oracle with Entity Framework
Using Oracle with Entity Framework is niche but valuable if you live in mixed-database enterprise systems.
An Alternative to nuget install-package
A good practical note on package installation alternatives, especially for older tooling habits.
🚨 Xamarin Is Dead! Here’s What You MUST Know Before Migrating from Xamarin to MAUI
The Xamarin-to-MAUI migration warning is blunt, but it’s the sort of advice teams need before making a jump.
SQL Server Transaction Locks: Identification & Resolution
SQL Server transaction locks are covered from diagnosis through resolution, which is what busy production systems need.
Enums on Steroids! — Building Strongly Typed Enums in C# for Rich Behavior and Clean Code
Strongly typed enums are presented as a way to add behavior without losing clarity, and that’s a useful design compromise.
Dense vs Sparse Matrices in C# .NET 9: Concepts, Performance, and CSR/CSC Formats
Dense vs sparse matrices in .NET 9 brings performance thinking into an area many app developers rarely revisit.
ExpandoObject in C#: Dynamic, Flexible, and Powerful
ExpandoObject gets a straightforward explanation for cases where flexible shapes are genuinely useful.
C# Async/Await, Tasks, and Threads — Demystified for Everyday Coders
Async, await, tasks, and threads are demystified here without pretending they’re the same thing.
Boost Your .NET Projects: Enhance Your Workflow with AssemblyHelper in Spargine
AssemblyHelper in Spargine is a productivity-oriented utility piece for developers maintaining larger .NET codebases.
Circuit Breaker Policy Fine-tuning Best Practice - .NET Blog
The circuit breaker tuning post is especially relevant if you’re hardening outbound calls and want fewer retry storms.
Brighter and the Outbox Pattern: At-Least-Once Delivery for Resilient
Brighter plus the outbox pattern is a nice resilience combo for systems that need at-least-once delivery.
Permissions > Roles— A Practical On-Ramp to Fine-Grained Authorization in ASP.NET Core
Fine-grained authorization is the right next step once simple role checks stop being enough in ASP.NET Core.