2 Understanding ASP.NET Core
This chapter covers
- Why ASP.NET Core was created
- The many application paradigms of ASP.NET Core
- Approaches to migrating an existing application to ASP.NET Core
In this chapter, I provide some background on ASP.NET Core: why web frameworks are useful, why ASP.NET Core was created, and how to choose when to use ASP.NET Core.
If you’re new to .NET development, this chapter will help you to understand the .NET landscape. For existing .NET developers, I provide guidance on whether now is the right time to consider moving your focus to .NET Core and .NET 7, and on the advantages ASP.NET Core can offer over previous versions of ASP.NET.
2.1 Using a web framework
If you’re new to web development, it can be daunting moving into an area with so many buzzwords and a plethora of ever-changing products. You may be wondering if they’re all necessary—how hard can it be to return a file from a server?
Well, it’s perfectly possible to build a static web application without the use of a web framework, but its capabilities will be limited. As soon as you want to provide any kind of security or dynamism, you’ll likely run into difficulties, and the original simplicity that enticed you will fade before your eyes.
Just as desktop or mobile development frameworks can help you build native applications, ASP.NET Core makes writing web applications faster, easier, and more secure than trying to build everything from scratch. It contains libraries for common things like