Best of .NET — February 2026

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   .NET Blog·14w

   .NET 11 Preview 1 is now available!

   .NET 11 Preview 1 introduces enhancements across the runtime, libraries, SDK, and frameworks. Key additions include Zstandard compression support, BFloat16 floating-point type, CoreCLR on WebAssembly, RISC-V and s390x architecture support, and JIT performance improvements. SDK updates bring interactive target framework selection in dotnet run and hot reload improvements in dotnet watch. F# gains parallel compilation by default, while Blazor adds new components like EnvironmentBoundary and Label. Entity Framework Core now supports complex types with TPT/TPC inheritance and Azure Cosmos DB transactional batches.

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   Article

   We Are .NET·12w

   Sometimes it's just better to load "all" the data

   Processing hundreds of thousands of items one-by-one with individual database queries is a common performance anti-pattern. A real-world batch job that took nearly 24 hours was reduced to ~15 minutes by bulk-loading data grouped by day instead of querying per item. The post generalizes this to other I/O-heavy scenarios (HTTP APIs, messaging, file I/O), warns against chatty I/O patterns like ORM lazy loading in web requests, and discusses why parallelization or moving logic into the database are less effective than batching. It also cautions against over-estimating scale and stresses understanding your tools, using Entity Framework Core's change tracker and lazy loading proxies as an example of hidden memory overhead.

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   YouTube·15w

   What Every .NET Developer Actually Needs to Know in 2026

   A fundamentals-focused roadmap for .NET developers covering core technologies rather than specific libraries. Key areas include mastering .NET 8/9/10 with ASP.NET Core (minimal APIs and controllers), dependency injection, authentication, and integration testing. Database skills should focus on SQL fundamentals using PostgreSQL or SQL Server, including data modeling, indexing, and query optimization. Messaging concepts (queues, topics, idempotency) are essential, with RabbitMQ, Azure Service Bus, or AWS SQS/SNS as implementation options. Cloud deployment skills on Azure or AWS with CI/CD using GitHub Actions are critical for standing out. AI tooling like Cursor or GitHub Copilot should be leveraged for productivity. Bonus recommendation includes learning React or Angular with TypeScript for full-stack capabilities.

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   Article

   InfoWorld·12w

   The best new features of C# 14

   C# 14, shipping with .NET 10, introduces several notable features. File-based apps let you run a single .cs file directly from the command line without a project or solution file. Extension members add a new block syntax for declaring both extension methods and extension properties, allowing cleaner grouping by receiver. The nameof operator now supports unbound generic types like List<> and Dictionary<,>, eliminating the need for dummy type arguments. User-defined compound assignment operators (+=, -=, *=, etc.) can now be overloaded directly on custom types, enabling cleaner, more readable code.

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   Nick Chapsas·15w

   Is .NET Really Underrated in 2026? Well...

   .NET remains a powerful, mature framework with strong performance characteristics and enterprise adoption, but faces challenges in developer mindshare compared to Node and Python. The rise of AI coding tools may further reduce .NET usage due to smaller training datasets, though this could increase demand and compensation for skilled .NET developers in large organizations. Cross-platform development is now fully viable on Mac and Linux, eliminating previous Windows-only limitations. The framework excels at high-throughput APIs and enterprise applications but struggles with perception issues and Microsoft's broader ecosystem decisions.

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   Nick Chapsas·15w

   Why I Moved to Mac from Windows as a .NET Developer

   A .NET developer shares their experience transitioning from Windows to Mac (M3 Ultra Mac Studio) as their primary development machine. The transition works well for modern .NET development using Rider or VS Code, with Parallels VMs handling Windows-specific needs. Gaming is possible through native Steam, Crossover, or streaming. Key motivations include frustration with Windows 11's instability and ads, better performance for LLM work with 512GB unified RAM, seamless integration with existing MacBook Pro travel setup, and superior terminal experience. The developer emphasizes that a Mac Mini with M4 Pro and 32GB RAM would suffice for most .NET developers, while their high-end setup serves specific creative and AI workloads.

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   Article

   Milan Jovanović·13w

   Where Vertical Slices Fit Inside the Modular Monolith Architecture

   Modular monolith architecture defines how to split a system into modules, but leaves the internal code organization of each module open. Vertical Slice Architecture (VSA) fills that gap by organizing code around features rather than technical layers. The two operate at different levels: modules define system boundaries (macro architecture), while vertical slices organize code within those boundaries (micro architecture). A concrete C# example shows a Ticketing module structured with feature folders, each containing request, handler, validator, and endpoint in one place. The post also clarifies that VSA and Clean Architecture are not mutually exclusive—different modules can use different internal architectures, and the choice should be driven by team familiarity, shared domain logic, and feature independence rather than perceived complexity.

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   Video

   Tech With Tim·14w

   Is C# the best back end language for you to learn?

   C# is positioned as a strong backend language choice for developers working within the Microsoft ecosystem (Windows, Xbox). It's widely used for enterprise-grade backends, game development with Unity, and desktop applications. The language maintains high job demand, particularly in enterprise sectors building large-scale applications. Best suited for robust desktop and enterprise applications leveraging Microsoft technologies.

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   The Art of Simplicity·12w

   Cleaner switch expressions with pattern matching in C#

   C# switch expressions with pattern matching allow cleaner, more declarative code when mapping multiple values to the same result. The `or` keyword acts as a logical pattern combinator, letting you collapse multiple case labels into one arm. Combined with `and`, `not`, and relational patterns, switch expressions can handle ranges and negations elegantly. The `and` operator binds tighter than `or`, similar to `&&` vs `||`, so parentheses should be used when combining them. The discard pattern `_` serves as a safe default, making switch expressions a concise, self-documenting decision table.

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    InfoWorld·14w

    Microsoft unveils first preview of .NET 11

    .NET 11 Preview 1 introduces JIT compiler improvements for better startup performance and optimization, CoreCLR support for WebAssembly (migrating from Mono runtime), and Zstandard compression for faster data handling. C# 15 adds collection expression arguments and extended layout support, while F# 11 enables parallel compilation by default and removes legacy ML compatibility features. Additional updates include runtime async infrastructure, CoreCLR as default for Android Release builds, enhanced CLI commands, Blazor's EnvironmentBoundary component, and XAML source generation as default for .NET MAUI applications.

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    JetBrains·12w

    C# Extension Members

    C# 14 introduces extension members, a significant evolution beyond the classic extension methods available since C# 3.0. While traditional extension methods were limited to instance methods requiring static classes and the `this` keyword, the new `extension` block syntax supports instance and static properties, methods, and operators. The article walks through a classic extension method example on `DateTime`, then shows how to convert it to the new syntax using an `extension` block inside a static class. The new approach eliminates the need for `this` on each member, enables static member extensions, and allows calling extensions without creating an instance first. Existing code remains compatible, and JetBrains Rider provides an intention action to migrate classic extension methods to the new block syntax automatically.

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    ASP.NET Blog·15w

    .NET Framework 3.5 Moves to Standalone Deployment in new versions of Windows

    .NET Framework 3.5 will no longer be included as an optional Windows component starting with Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27965. Instead, it must be installed via a standalone installer for legacy applications. This change affects future Windows releases but not Windows 10 or Windows 11 through 25H2. The shift aligns with .NET Framework 3.5's approaching end of support on January 9, 2029, and Microsoft encourages migration to newer .NET versions. Detailed guidance, installers, and migration paths are available on Microsoft Learn.

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    .NET Blog·14w

    .NET and .NET Framework February 2026 servicing releases updates

    .NET 10.0, 9.0, and 8.0 received February 2026 servicing updates with security and non-security fixes. The releases include versions 10.0.3, 9.0.13, and 8.0.24 across runtime, ASP.NET Core, Entity Framework Core, SDK, and other components. No new .NET Framework updates were released this month. Detailed changelogs and release notes are available on GitHub for each affected component.

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    C# Corner·15w

    Hire C# Developers and .NET Consultants

    C# Corner Consulting connects companies with vetted C# and .NET developers from a trusted global community. Services include legacy modernization, .NET Core/.NET 8 migration, Azure cloud solutions, ASP.NET development, and performance optimization. Developers are verified through code projects, tutorials, and certifications. Flexible engagement models include hourly consulting, fixed-price projects, dedicated developers, and fractional CTO support. The platform emphasizes enterprise-grade expertise over volume, targeting startups, enterprises, healthcare, fintech, and SaaS companies needing Microsoft stack specialists.

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    Zoran Horvat·15w

    How to Design a Reusable C# Library

    Transforming working code into a reusable library requires deliberate design decisions. Key steps include choosing descriptive names, ensuring API consistency, introducing clear concepts (like repository patterns), creating abstractions to hide implementation details, and organizing code with nested namespaces. The tutorial demonstrates refactoring EF Core code for immutable entities, showing how to evolve from inconsistent extension methods to a clean, interface-based library with intuitive method names and minimal surface area.

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    Zoran Horvat·13w

    Solving the Deep Immutable Problem in EF Core

    EF Core 10 natively supports adding, removing, and querying immutable entities with ImmutableList collections, but updating them requires a custom wrapper. A thin library (under 300 lines) enables deep immutability tracking by detaching original entities, attaching modified ones, and recursively resolving navigation properties. The solution uses documented EF Core features like change tracker manipulation and init-only setters to maintain immutable design patterns while persisting complex object graphs with nested collections.

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