How this ASP.NET track works
- C# in the playground — runnable code uses top-level statements with
Console.WriteLineand LINQ (using System.Linq). Click Run to compile and execute viadotnet build/run. - ASP.NET Core in prose — Razor, Kestrel, middleware, EF Core migrations, and Web API are taught with file trees and
dotnet new webcommands. Install the .NET SDK locally for full MVC and API practice. - Prerequisites — finish C# (types, classes, LINQ) and JavaScript (async, fetch). Compare backend context with Java and Django request–response lessons.
The runner does not host Kestrel or EF migrations—lessons simulate web patterns in C# so concepts stick before you run dotnet new web on your machine.
Install on your device (macOS, Linux, Windows)
Install .NET 8 SDK for C# and ASP.NET Core on your machine.
macOS
brew install --cask dotnet-sdkor script from dotnet.microsoft.com.
Linux
- Follow Microsoft docs for your distro: Install .NET on Linux (apt/dnf packages
dotnet-sdk-8.0).
Windows
winget install Microsoft.DotNet.SDK.8
Verify: dotnet --version shows 8.x.
Run code on this site (Backend & language playgrounds)
- Clone or open this project locally; copy
.env.exampleto.env. - Ensure
LEARNING_RUNNER_ENABLED=trueandLEARNING_RUNNER_URL=http://127.0.0.1:9999/v1/execute. - Terminal 1:
php artisan serve(orcomposer run devfor Laravel + Vite + runner together). - Terminal 2:
npm run runner— keep it running while you click Run on server.
New web app: dotnet new web -n MySite && cd MySite && dotnet run
ASP.NET Core is Microsoft's cross-platform framework for building web apps, REST APIs, and real-time services on the .NET runtime. It combines C# type safety, high throughput (Kestrel), and integrated tooling—Visual Studio, VS Code, and the dotnet CLI.
How this track differs from plain C#
After the C# track, you know types, classes, LINQ, and async. ASP.NET adds a web pipeline—middleware, routing, controllers, Razor views, EF Core, and authentication—so HTTP requests become structured application code.
Compare with Django and Java/Spring: all three handle HTTP and databases, but ASP.NET Core targets .NET teams, Azure deployments, and strongly typed APIs from day one.
What you will learn
- C# refresher tailored to web patterns (LINQ, async, DI-friendly classes)
- Project structure:
Program.cs, configuration, middleware, routing - MVC and Razor Pages: controllers, view models, tag helpers, validation
- EF Core: entities, DbContext, migrations, relationships, repositories
- Web API, minimal APIs, authentication, and production habits
Playground setup
This topic uses the server_compiled profile: runnable code is C# top-level statements with Console.WriteLine. Lessons simulate routing, DI, and EF ideas in plain C#. Full ASP.NET Core (dotnet new web, Kestrel) runs on your local machine—file trees and commands in prose teach the real workflow.
Self-check
- In one sentence, what problem does ASP.NET Core solve for web developers?
- Why is C# a recommended prerequisite before this track?
Interview prep
- What is ASP.NET Core in one sentence?
ASP.NET Core is Microsoft's cross-platform web framework on .NET for building MVC sites, Razor Pages, and JSON APIs with integrated DI, configuration, middleware, and EF Core support.