Editor's note
I pulled a deliberately mixed lineup today: EF Core patterns, ASP.NET Core fundamentals, C# language ideas, and a bit of AI tooling. The soft deletes and audit logging pieces are especially practical if you’re trying to keep persistence concerns out of your entities. I also liked the Visual Studio chat update for how it improves codebase context without changing your workflow.
EF Core, ASP.NET Core, and Visual Studio AI
Jasen Fici
August 22, 2025
As the weekend looms like a well-oiled classic car ready for a joyride, let's take a reflective pit stop this Friday to fuel up on the latest in .NET. Imagine this newsletter as a trusty manual that keeps your development skills from stalling in the fast lane—packed with insights that'll have you shifting gears smoothly through the ever-evolving tech landscape. Whether you're debugging like a pro or architecting the next big thing, today’s handpicked articles will ensure your .NET engine keeps roaring into the weekend.
Today's Articles
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Jasen's take on today's picks
Soft Deletes using EF Core Interceptors
A clean way to hide deletes without losing history; the interceptor approach is the real takeaway here.
.NET 9 — Aspire vs Ocelot vs YARP
A practical comparison if you’re choosing between gateway, reverse proxy, or platform routing in .NET 9.
How Do I Create Custom GPT Workflows Visually?
Visual, no-code GPT workflow builders are maturing fast, and this piece shows where Langflow, Flowise, and Autogen Studio fit.
Stop Using Try-Catch for Everything — Microsoft’s Real Error Handling Patterns in C#
Good reminder that exception handling is a design tool, not a blanket replacement for validation and failure modeling.
Understanding Controller Return Types in ASP.NET Core: IActionResult vs ActionResult vs T
Helpful refresher on controller return types before your API surfaces start getting awkward.
How to not return all properties in SqlRaw
A workaround for a sharp EF Core SqlRaw edge case when your query shape doesn’t match the entity exactly.
The 5 C# Features Good Developers Know But Never Use
A short C# roundup focused on language features developers know but often forget to use.
The Hidden C# 13 Features That Make Your Code Faster, Safer, and AI-Ready
This one points at newer C# 13 ideas aimed at safety, speed, and AI-era ergonomics.
SQL Server Features: A Comprehensive Guide for Developers
A broad SQL Server guide that’s useful when your app logic starts depending on database capabilities.
Improving Codebase Awareness in Visual Studio Chat
Visual Studio chat is getting better at finding relevant code context, which matters more than flashy autocomplete.
EF Core Performance Secrets: Querying at Warp Speed
Performance-focused EF Core advice, with the usual warning that query tuning beats magical settings.
Implementing Audit Logs in EF Core Without Polluting Your Entities
Audit logging without entity clutter is exactly the kind of persistence architecture improvement teams appreciate.
From Redmond to San Diego: VS Live! Highlights, Session Examples, and What’s Next
A nice conference recap, but the valuable part is the examples and product direction from the Visual Studio team.
How To Build a Load Balancer In .NET With YARP Reverse Proxy
A YARP reverse proxy build is always instructive, especially if you want to understand how the pieces actually compose.
A reflective personal essay, but the core message is familiar: .NET changes how you think about building software.
5 .NET Hacks So Good, You’ll Want to Refactor Your Whole Codebase
A grab bag of small .NET techniques that can still pay off when your codebase has real age.
Understanding Middleware in ASP.NET Core
Middleware remains one of the most important ASP.NET Core concepts, and it’s still worth revisiting.
How to Reverse a Linked List in Data Structures with Examples
Linked lists are classic interview material, though this one sits more in general data structures than .NET practice.
JIT vs AOT in .NET 9: Choosing the Right Compilation Strategy
JIT vs AOT is one of the more practical .NET 9 decisions, especially for startup time and deployment constraints.
Long Polling vs Short Polling: Which One Fits Your Real-Time App?
Polling trade-offs still matter when you’re building real-time features without SignalR or websockets.
Advanced .NET Disposal Patterns Every Senior Dev Should Know
Disposal patterns get subtle fast; this is the kind of article senior developers should keep handy.