Editor's note
I kept this one intentionally mixed: platform changes, practical performance, and a bit of AI all landed in the same issue. The MAUI FontImageExtension deprecation is one teams will feel quickly, and the Aspire 9.5 release brings real CLI and dashboard improvements. The EF Core performance piece and the SQL Server 2025 article are both worth a close read if you care about runtime efficiency.
Maui deprecations, Aspire 9.5, and EF Core wins
Jasen Fici
September 29, 2025
Welcome to Monday's reawakening, where .NET developers like you and me fuel our minds like an expertly-tuned classic car ready to roar into the week. As we navigate today’s code highways, we’ll cruise past key updates and intriguing challenges that promise to keep your gears turning smoothly. Buckle up and let the excitement of fresh insights be your turbocharge.
Today's Articles
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Jasen's take on today's picks
Say Goodbye to the FontImageExtension in .NET MAUI 👋
MAUI’s FontImageExtension is on the way out, so if your app leans on icon fonts, now’s the time to adjust.
The Builder Pattern in .NET C#: From Complex Constructors to Fluent APIs (2025)
A practical Builder Pattern refresher—useful if you’re trying to make constructors less painful without overengineering.
One Line, 40% Faster: The EF Core Fix Every .NET Developer Should Know
A simple EF Core tweak delivering a big speedup is exactly the kind of win teams can ship fast.
ASP.NET Community Standup - Vibe coding a C# MCP server
The ASP.NET Community Standup on vibe coding a C# MCP server is a good snapshot of where the platform is headed.
Background Services in .NET: IHostedService vs Worker Service
IHostedService versus Worker Service is a useful cleanup for anyone building background jobs or long-running processes.
Stop Ignoring Options: 5 Cleaner and Safer Configurations in .NET
Options can make configuration safer and more testable; this one is about the little things that save time later.
C# 12 Features I Actually Use in Production (and Which Ones I Ignore)
A grounded take on C# 12 features: what people actually keep using once the novelty wears off.
Zero-Downtime Transition from IdentityServer4 to Keycloak
Moving from IdentityServer4 to Keycloak without downtime is the sort of migration plan most teams wish they had.
SQL Server 2025 Isn’t Just a Database — It’s Your New AI Platform
SQL Server 2025 as an AI platform is an interesting look at how much can stay inside the database layer.
Aspire 9.5 looks like a meaningful release, especially with the update command and better dashboard UX.
The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to 6 Hidden C# Features
Hidden C# features for beginners are always popular, but the good ones are the ones that stick in daily work.
Why Dot Net Is a Must for Modern Developers
More broad encouragement than deep technical guidance, but it reflects how many devs still evaluate .NET today.
Exploring Text-to-Image capabilities in .NET
Text-to-image in .NET is one of those posts that helps connect Microsoft’s AI abstractions to a real use case.
The Options Pattern in .NET: A Complete Guide
The Options pattern deserves the spotlight—especially when you want cleaner configuration and fewer magic strings.
How I Fixed a .NET Dashboard That Got 300% Slower Overnight
A Query Store-driven slowdown fix is the kind of post I like: specific, diagnosable, and rooted in production reality.
How to Secure Your C# Applications: Best Practices & Code Examples
Security basics for C# apps are evergreen, and the code examples make this one especially approachable.
Implement a secure MCP server using OAuth and Entra ID
OAuth and Entra ID for MCP is a timely combo—security first, but still practical for modern AI integrations.