ben brown

August 21, 2023

Business

8 Trends in .NET Development in 2023

ben brown

August 21, 2023

Business

There’s so much opportunity for .NET developers in 2023 when it comes to growth and innovation. With that said, as user demands grow, so too does the pressure to enhance .NET applications. Of course, we’re seeing Microsoft consistently innovate the framework to empower .NET developers. However, gaps in updates can be big setbacks for companies and stakeholders, leading to a chain of functional setbacks and unmet expectations. To avoid this, grasping the latest .NET trends is crucial.

Commonly, the gaps disrupt 5 key areas; performance, compatibility, documentation, security, and third-party dependencies. These missing pieces can expose security vulnerabilities in applications. Given the prevalence of cyber attacks, this is typically enough for companies to reevaluate their applications.

How Relevant is .NET in 2023?

The Stack Overflow Developer Survey from last year unveiled that ASP.NET Core & ASP.NET are the favoured web frameworks.

With that said, here’s a look at some of the hottest trends in .NET development right now that are shaping the way developers enhance applications to mitigate these risks:

1) ML.NET

Machine learning has taken center stage, and Microsoft's ML.NET framework is at the forefront of this transformation. By integrating machine learning in the .NET ecosystem, developers can infuse their applications with AI-driven insights and access pre-built models that span across applications, everything from natural language processing to image recognition.

Additionally, ML.NET is open-source, which means the framework is continuously evolving and benefitting from the collective expertise of the development community. The last thing that should be noted is just how user-friendly this platform is for developers of all skill levels. That aspect comes from its graphical user interface (GUI) called Model Builder, which is a tool that integrates into Visual Studio. The GUI allows developers to build, train, and ship custom machine learning models in their .NET applications.

2) Cloud-native Development

Leveraging cloud computing in app development is an approach born out of the reliance, we could even say “attractiveness”, of cloud computing environments. Creating and managing applications in this environment is a developer's paradise. It’s scalable, it’s flexible, and it provides resources on demand.

Cloud-native development breaks applications down into microservices that scale on their own which in turn makes the application more adaptable and responsive to user demand.

3) .NET MAUI for Native Apps

Creating native applications for different platforms is very intense as every developer knows. .NET MAUI lets you create native mobile and desktop apps with C# and XAML. It’s beating out Xamarin. Forms and is meant to build apps that run on Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows from a single shared codebase.

MAUI uses .NET 6 as a foundation, offering a consistent runtime and framework for crafting applications from a range of platforms. This integration utilizes contemporary capabilities like hot reload, which enables real-time code adjustments without necessitating a complete app rebuild. MAUI lets developers create apps on either PCs or Macs and upon compilation, then turns them into native app packages.

For instance, MAUI constructs Android apps using C#, which is subsequently converted into an intermediate language (IL), then just-in-time (JIT) compiled into a native assembly upon app launch.

4) ASP.NET Core

Originally introduced in 2016, ASP.NET Core is a far more advanced version of .NET where developers can build websites and web applications using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It stands as an open-source framework tailored for crafting cloud-based applications. This framework is a reimagined edition of ASP.NET, and it features architectural enhancements to build a modular structure.

Unlike ASP.NET, the Core version has cross-platform adaptability and the development process is a lot more streamlined. Its framework integrates MVC and Web API, alongside the inclusion of Razor Pages for simplified creation of page-centric applications. Additionally, it offers a lightweight and efficient HTTP request pipeline and is compatible with hosting on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

5) Blazor

Microsoft created Blazor as a means to build web apps using .NET and C#. The idea is that developers can write client-side web UI experiences using HTML, CSS, and C# instead of relying heavily on JavaScript.

Blazor presents two methods of hosting: Blazor WebAssembly and Blazor Server.

Blazor WebAssembly: In this approach, the entire application operates within the user's browser. The application is fetched as a WebAssembly binary and executed within the confines of the browser. This facilitates a dynamic user interface, akin to conventional single-page applications built using JavaScript.

Blazor Server: In this alternative, the application's visual elements are generated on the server side and then conveyed to the client through a live connection. User interactions are managed by the client-side code, which then relays them back to the server for processing. This model does streamline the client-side experience which makes it ideal for scenarios demanding real-time updates or when client-side resources are more limited.

6) Xamarin for Mobile Development

Xamarin is a cross-platform mobile development framework that developers can use to build native iOS, Windows, and Android apps using C#. It uses a single codebase for building apps across multiple platforms, which can save time and resources. This trend is you’ll see continue to grow as more businesses look to build mobile apps for multiple platforms.

7) Movement Towards Open-Source

What you’ll find with most tools nowadays is that they’re open-source models, which are primarily driven by Microsoft's efforts and the desire for flexibility and community-driven improvement. Also, many businesses are using open-source software internally and contributing to open-source projects which has been a big driver in the adoption of open-source in .NET development.

8) .NET in IoT

Given the proliferation of IoT networks for security and automation in various enterprises, the demand for compatible applications has surged. In response, .NET enables the construction of applications specifically for IoT devices and sensors. It also provides a specialized framework, known as the Nano framework, created for crafting applications for embedded devices.

The libraries .NET offers are good for interactions between applications and a range of IoT input devices, sensors, System-On-Chip components, RFID elements, GPIO, I2C, and port interfaces.

Moving Forward as a .NET Developer

C# and .NET programmers are highly sought after by both startups and major tech corporations. For large-scale applications, these technologies are very commonly used which makes being proficient in them a superpower for developers in 2023.

Written By Ben Brown

—

ISU Corp is an award-winning software development company, with over 17 years of experience in multiple industries, providing cost-effective custom software development, technology management, and IT outsourcing.

Our unique owners’ mindset reduces development costs and fast-tracks timelines. We help craft the specifications of your project based on your company's needs, to produce the best ROI. Find out why startups, all the way to Fortune 500 companies like General Electric, Heinz, and many others have trusted us with their projects. Contact us here.

ben brown

August 14, 2023

Business

Integrating NLP into Your Website

ben brown

August 14, 2023

Business

As software developers, we’re always looking for ways to enhance the user experience on any website we’re given. Forrester estimated that for every $1 invested in UX, you can expect to see a return of $100. Other research tells us that 70% of online businesses fail due to bad usability, 75% of customers judge a website's credibility based on its aesthetics, and 88% of online consumers say they wouldn't return to a website after having a bad experience.

While it may be best to take these figures with a grain of salt, the underlying message is loud and clear: user experience matters, and it can make or break a website. In a fast-paced digital world, Natural Language Processing (NLP) has become an important tool when trying to differentiate your site from others and ultimately innovate the way users interact with your brand.

NLP in a Nutshell

Think about how you talk to voice assistants like Alexa or Siri – they understand the context and provide precise answers to precise questions. This expectation now extends to websites. Users anticipate conversational support to yield relevant answers.

But as any online business owner will tell you, the real value lies in converting users who engage with the site. As a developer, when you’re tasked with making this conversion a regular occurrence, NLP is an obvious move since it uses algorithms that work to identify patterns, context, and underlying meanings within the queries from users.

As a result, even if the user's query doesn't match the exact phrasing of your product descriptions or content, your website is still able to rank if it falls under the same context or category. For instance, if someone searches for something specific like "best budget-friendly smartphones with good camera quality”, even if your website doesn't have the exact phrase explicitly stated, NLP recognizes the context and presents options from your product range that fit the description.

Industry Example

The financial sector is generally one of the best places to look when it comes to the introduction of automation or data-driven technologies. So if you take the compliance process for instance, the rules and regulations businesses follow require a level of precision that leaves very little room for error. NLP, in this case, makes sense of rules and requirements faster than manual review which ensures that everything is extracted and organized correctly.

Now, if a FinTech company was to integrate NLP into their website, these benefits go to their users as well. For instance, when a customer has queries related to compliance or regulations, the NLP system translates legal jargon into plain language so customers can understand their rights, obligations, and options. Also, if a customer asks about their spending patterns, the system looks at their transaction history and generates visual representations they can use for budgeting and/or planning. Over time, the system can understand the context better which then enhances the results it outputs.

Why is Natural Language Processing Different?

NLP bridges the gap between how people naturally communicate and how technology responds. It understands the nuances of language, the context behind queries, and even the emotions expressed which personalizes the experience.

When you take the traditional approach to technology, interactions often feel rigid and constrained. Users need to follow specific formats or keywords to get the desired response. It's almost like you need to speak a different language to communicate with machines. The way we can look at it is that we’re still just at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to AI. By getting familiar now and integrating these processes, businesses get ahead.

Traditionally, website interactions have been a one-sided affair. Think about the last time you had to navigate through a website's menus, enter specific keywords, or get in touch with a support person to fix an issue. AI is about making technology understand us, not the other way around.

Exploring NLP Integration Technologies

NLP applications span across web and mobile apps. Here's a glimpse into some of the key technologies commonly employed during NLP integration:

Frameworks and Libraries: The realm of NLP is powered by open-source frameworks and libraries. These resources offer pre-trained models and APIs designed for diverse NLP tasks. Leading options include NLTK, spaCy, TensorFlow, and BERT.

Sentiment Analysis: This technique discerns sentiments expressed in text, which is great for social media analysis and evaluating customer feedback.

Named Entity Recognition (NER): Extracting insights from unstructured text is made possible through NER. This technique categorizes named entities whether it’s names of people, organizations, locations, or dates. NER allows systems to discern information from within the clutter of text.

The Takeaway

Because digital experiences define customer relationships, the importance of user experience cannot be overstated. You're not just integrating NLP or AI into your website, you’re redefining how your business or brand interacts with its users. Once you see what this approach to online business entails, you’ll never understand how you operated without it. It’s best to find consultants with experience who can set you up for success before you run the risk of wasting an investment on a system that doesn’t deliver the way you wanted.

Written By Ben Brown

—

ben brown

August 11, 2023

Business

Leveraging IaC (Infrastructure as Code) in Business 2023

ben brown

August 11, 2023

Business

Imagine a world where setting up and managing complex infrastructure becomes as simple as writing code. This is the premise for Infrastructure as Code (IaC), which is a concept that has gained tons of traction recently as it’s changing the way we manage and deploy infrastructure. The way it works is that it defines and manages infrastructure using code as opposed to manual configuration, which means everything - from servers and networks to databases and configurations - can be described and provisioned through code.

Business Setup with Infrastructure as Code

To give you an example of how it works in a business environment, consider the setup stage of a new application. It’s a process that’s traditionally been very tedious, but with this approach, developers can work with infrastructure experts to articulate the necessary resources and configurations through code. This code - written in languages like Terraform or CloudFormation - becomes the ultimate reference for infrastructure setup.

This all happens through parameters such as server specifications, networking rules, load balancer settings, and database configurations which are well-defined within the codebase. The code's inherent version control allows us to track changes over time. This comes in especially handy when we need to replicate the setup for testing, staging, or scaling purposes. In fact, replicating environments becomes as simple as executing a piece of code.

IaC Scalability

Back to that, we can’t overlook the scalability aspect. Think about when an app sees a surge in demand with a conventional setup, one where infrastructure is managed manually. Often, this would entail downtime and manual adjustments which would interfere with the user side and the app's reputation for reliability.

In IaC the entire infrastructure setup is encapsulated in code, detailing every component's configurations and interdependencies. When demand surges, a mere adjustment to the code initiates actions; automated provisioning spins up new instances, load balancers allocate traffic, and network configurations adjust on the fly. All of this happens in a controlled and rapid manner, with minimal to no disruption to users.

What Does IaC Do For DevOps?

IaC plays a crucial role in adopting DevOps methodologies and enabling continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD). IaC alleviates much of the provisioning burden from developers, who can now execute scripts to prepare their infrastructure. Consequently, application deployments no longer hinge on infrastructure setup, and system administrators are freed from managing any time-consuming manual tasks.

CI/CD hinges on perpetual automation and uninterrupted monitoring throughout the application's lifecycle – from integration and testing to delivery and deployment. However, automation relies on uniformity. Inconsistent deployment and configuration practices between development and operations teams can undermine the deployment of the automated application.

The DevOps ethos thrives on the synergy between development and operations, mitigating errors, manual interventions, and disparities. IaC becomes a bridge between these teams, offering a unified description of application deployment that aligns with DevOps principles.

This uniformity extends to all environments, including production. IaC ensures that every deployment replicates the same environment consistently, eliminating the need for unique configurations that are hard to reproduce manually.

Developer Tools for IaC

Let's delve into some of the key IaC tools:

Terraform

This is a cornerstone of IaC, Terraform enables you to define infrastructure as code using its declarative syntax. Whether you're managing cloud resources, networks, or databases, Terraform simplifies everything from provisioning to updating with a single command. Also, its open-source and Terraform Cloud options are flexible.

AWS CloudFormation

For those within the Amazon Web Services ecosystem, AWS CloudFormation provides a dedicated path to IaC. It lets you define AWS resources using templates, reducing manual management and enhancing consistency across your cloud infrastructure.

Google Cloud Deployment Manager

Google Cloud Deployment Manager revolves around declarative YAML formats and supports Python as well as Jinja2 templates. By employing these tools, you can configure and reuse resources with ease, fostering efficiency and reducing redundancy.

Crossplane

Crossplane integrates well with Kubernetes, enabling you to manage infrastructure across clouds, clusters, and on-premises environments. Simply put, it’s an open-source tool that extends Kubernetes' power to infrastructure orchestration.

Vagrant

If you’re focused on the development environment, Vagrant is going to be your top choice. By defining environments as code, developers can share setups across team members, ensuring that everyone works in the same development environment.

Spacelift

Spacelift is a developer-centric CI/CD solution tailored for cloud-agnostic Infrastructure as Code. It revolves around the concept of managing infrastructure as code, and of course, automating the management of your infrastructure setups. With Spacelift, you can integrate IaC into your workflows pretty easily, ensuring consistent infrastructure deployment while focusing on your core development tasks.

The Takeaway

IaC empowers development teams to focus on core tasks while automating infrastructure management. With the ability to replicate environments consistently, businesses can ensure deployments are reliable and effective.

To stay ahead in the rapidly evolving technology landscape, businesses have got to consider adopting IaC and exploring the available tools that best suit their needs. By implementing IaC, businesses can optimize their infrastructure management and accelerate their digital transformation journey. Does this sound interesting? We can help you get started on this journey by identifying any deficiencies in your current workflows. Check us out today and initiate your transformation with us.

Written By Ben Brown

—