Azure OpenAI agents, Minimal APIs, C# pitfalls
This issue covers Azure OpenAI agents, MCP governance, Minimal APIs, EF basics, LocalStack with Docker, and practical C# language gotchas.
Part of: ASP.NET Core: a working guide for .NET developers, C#: a working guide for .NET developers, EF Core: a working guide for .NET developers
Jasen's top three picks
- 1 Zero To First Agent (Azure OpenAI)
""charp" OR "asp.net" OR "fsharp" OR "c#" OR "vb.net" " - Google News
A practical on-ramp for building an Azure OpenAI agent in C#, especially useful if you want framework context instead of abstract AI talk.
- 2 The Limit of Software Brain
Mark Downie - PoppaString
More of a perspective piece than a tutorial, but it’s a worthwhile read on the limits of reducing messy work to software and automation.
- 3 Collections in .Net (C# Guide for Beginners)
C# Corner
A beginner-friendly refresher on the collection types you actually reach for, with enough real-world framing to stay useful.
Editor's note
I pulled together a deliberately mixed issue today, which is how I like this newsletter to read. The MCP governance toolkit post stands out because it gets concrete about controlling tool use in agentic systems, and the Minimal APIs standup is a useful reality check on why teams still hesitate. There’s also a nice spread of foundational material here, from collections and EF to sealed, union types, and async edge cases.
Today's articles
Zero To First Agent (Azure OpenAI)
""charp" OR "asp.net" OR "fsharp" OR "c#" OR "vb.net" " - Google News
Zero To First Agent (Azure OpenAI) - AI In C# (Microsoft Agent Framework) (X3DYrdlcLf)
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The Limit of Software Brain
Mark Downie - PoppaString
Software brain, AI backlash, databases, and automation by Nilay Patel on Decoder: I've been calling it software brain, and it's a particular way of seeing the world that fits everything into algorithm...
Topics: OpenAI
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Collections in .Net (C# Guide for Beginners)
C# Corner
Master .NET collections in C#! This beginner's guide covers generic, non-generic, and concurrent collections. Learn to efficiently store and manage data for APIs, databases, caching, and real-time app...
Topics: C#
Read articleGet Started With ENTITY FRAMEWORK In C#! (rhtBVESaBp)
""charp" OR "asp.net" OR "fsharp" OR "c#" OR "vb.net" " - Google News
Get Started With ENTITY FRAMEWORK In C#! (rhtBVESaBp)
Read articleASP.NET Community Standup
""charp" OR "asp.net" OR "fsharp" OR "c#" OR "vb.net" " - Google News
ASP.NET Community Standup - Why Aren't You Using Minimal APIs? (avy3AoSZsS)
Topics: ASP.NET Core Minimal APIs
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Agentic AI Tools Are Orchestrators, Not Magic
Chris Pietschmann
The LLM is not doing everything. It is the last 5% of a much larger system.
Topics: OpenAI
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Governing MCP tool calls in .NET with the Agent Governance Toolkit
Microsoft Dev Blogs
AI agents are connecting to real tools — reading files, calling APIs, querying databases — through the Model Context Protocol (MCP). The Agent Governance Toolkit (AGT) provides a governance layer for ...
Read articleThe LocalStack Chronicles: A .NET Developer’s Survival Guide
Medium
How I fought Docker networking, timeout traps, and type-mapping demons — and won.
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The Hidden Power of sealed in C#
Medium
The sealed modifier is at the center of many discussions, benchmarks, and articles within the .NET community. Although it is a…
Topics: C# Performance
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The Architecture of URL Paths: Why Kebab-Case is the Industry Gold Standard
Medium
If your API documentation looks like a naming lottery, your developer experience (DX) is already failing. Consistency isn’t just about…
Read articleMake Cursor AI Debug C# Code In 9 Minutes! (aNGzL7uy5M)
""charp" OR "asp.net" OR "fsharp" OR "c#" OR "vb.net" " - Google News
Make Cursor AI Debug C# Code In 9 Minutes! (aNGzL7uy5M)
Topics: C# GitHub Copilot
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C# Traps & Edge Cases — Part 1: From Basics Through Async
Medium
This article is Part 1 of a two-part series. It covers Sections 1–7 (types through async/Task). Part 2 continues with OOP, generics…
Topics: C#
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