In this week Reading Notes, we explore a diverse range of updates and insights from the tech world. From the latest features in the Azure SDK and Developer CLI, to an introduction to .NET Aspire and its innovative approach to Infrastructure as Code, there's plenty to catch up on.
Jump into discussions on AI productivity, free Azure SQL tiers, and even a refreshing podcast on stress-free living.
Let's get started!
Cloud
Azure SDK Release (March 2025) (Hector Norzagaray) - Many languages are supported and now Rust is part of it. There also some new bits for Node and Python.
Does AI really make you more productive? (Salma Alam-Naylor) - I trust AI as much as I trust any code found after googling.Meaning it might works but to I need to understand what it is doing. There is no trust, is always gambling.
Sharing my Reading Notes is a habit I started a long time ago, where I share a list of all the articles, blog posts, and books that catch my interest during the week.
It's been already 2 years since I stopped working on the AzUrlShortener project. Not that I didn't like it, but I was busy with other projects. Recently, the opportunity to work on it again came up, and I jumped on it. So many things changed in two years, and I was excited to see how I could improve the solution's developer experience and modernize the user interface and architecture.
This post is the first of a series where I share a few interesting details, tips, and tricks I learned while working on this project.
AzUrlShortener is an Open source project that consists of a simple URL shortener. The goal was simple: having a budget-friendly solution to share short URLs that would be secure, easy to use, and where the data would stay ours. Each instance is hosted in Azure and used to consist of an API (Azure Function), a Blazor WebAssembly website (Azure Static Web App), and Data Storage (Azure Storage table).
Key Changes at a Glance
Migration from Azure Static Web Apps to Azure Container Apps
Upgrade to .NET 9.0 and integration with .NET Aspire
Enhanced security with separated API responsibilities
Simplified deployment using Azure Developer CLI (azd)
Modern UI with FluentUI Blazor
Upgrading SDKs and packages
As mentioned earlier, a lot changed in two years. The first thing I did was to upgrade the SDKs to .NET 9.0. That was a breeze; I changed the target framework in the project file then used dotnet-updated to list all the packages that needed to be updated. I then used dotnet outdated -u to update all the packages.
And while we were at it, since I started using .NET Aspire, I couldn't resist using it as much as possible. It simplifies the development cycle so much, and the code is much cleaner. So I added that to the mix. It added two more projects to the solution, but now the entire solution is defined in C# in the AppHost project (the Aspire orchestrator).
So now the solution looks like this:
src/
├── Cloud5mins.ShortenerTools.Api # Internal management API
├── Cloud5mins.ShortenerTools.AppHost # .NET Aspire orchestrator
├── Cloud5mins.ShortenerTools.Core # Shared business logic
├── Cloud5mins.ShortenerTools.FunctionsLight # Public redirect API
├── Cloud5mins.ShortenerTools.ServiceDefaults # Common service configurations
└── Cloud5mins.ShortenerTools.TinyBlazorAdmin # Frontend application
Changes to Improve Security
Security should come first, and I wanted to make sure that the solution was as secure as possible. I decided to split the API into two parts. The first part is the API that redirects the users, and it can only do that. The second part is the internal API to manage all the URLs and other data.
I decided to migrate the solution to use Azure Container Apps and have it running in two containers: the TinyBlazorAdmin and the Api. With Azure Container Apps, I can use Microsoft Entra, without any line of code, to secure TinyBlazorAdmin. The API will only be accessible from the TinyBlazorAdmin and won't be exposed to the Internet. As a bonus, since TinyBlazorAdmin and the API are now running inside containers, you could also decide to run them locally.
The storage access got also a security upgrade. Instead of using a connection string, I will be using a Managed Identity to access the Azure Storage Table. This is a much more secure way to access Azure resources, and thanks to .NET Aspire, it is also very easy to implement.
Architecture
The architecture is changing a little. The API is now split in two: FunctionsLight and API. The two APIs use services from Core to avoid code duplication. The TinyBlazorAdmin runs in a container and is secured by Microsoft Entra. API is also running in a container and is not exposed to the Internet. And Azure Storage Table is still our faithful data source.
Previous Architecture
Azure Function (API)
Azure Storage (Function Code)
Azure Static Web App (Blazor WebAssembly)
Azure Storage Table (Data)
Application Insights
New Architecture
Container registry (Docker images)
Container Apps Environment
Container App/ Function: FunctionsLight Public redirect-only API
Container App: Internal API Protected management interface
The Deployment is also changing. Instead of using a button from my GitHub repo, we will be using the Azure Developer CLI (azd) or a GitHub Action from your own repo (aka fork). The deployment will take ~10 minutes and will be done with one simple command azd up.
The entire solution will still have Infrastructure as Code (IaC) using Bicep, instead of ARM.
Here a video about it
Were there any challenges?
While working, there were a few challenges or "detours" that slowed the progress of the migration a little, but most of them were due to decisions made to improve the solution. Let's take a look at the first one in the next post: How to use Azure Storage Table with .NET Aspire and a Minimal API (soon).
Sharing my Reading Notes is a habit I started a long time ago, where I share a list of all the articles, blog posts, and books that catch my interest during the week.
If you have interesting content, share it!
Cloud
Azure Developer CLI (azd) - March 2025 - The azd CLI just got better, with some new features, improved error messages, and of course bug fixes. Don't forget to update your version.
.NET Aspire and Dev Container (Laurent Kempé) - DevContainers are really a game changer. You don't have to be a container guru to use it, and it will make a dev environment constant everywhere on any device.
Welcome to Reading Notes #639, a curated selection of intriguing articles across programming, AI, cloud computing, and more. Dive into new productivity features in Visual Studio, the latest front-end development trends, .NET AI evaluations, and essential learning techniques.
What are Custom Integrations in .NET Aspire? (Kalle Marjokorpi) - This second post in a series shows how to configure the identity server name Curity. It's implemented in a .NET Aspire solution and looks very well structured.
5 Learning techniques you should know (Marco Siccardi) - Learning how to learn is a concept that in underrated. This post shares 5 accessible tips with big impact.
Sharing my Reading Notes is a habit I started a long time ago, where I share a list of all the articles, blog posts, and books that catch my interest during the week.
Welcome to Reading Notes —a curated dive into the latest and greatest in programming, cloud, and AI. From mastering multithreading with Azure to exploring GitHub Copilot's productivity potential, this collection is brimming with knowledge. Let's unravel what's new, innovative, and worth your attention!
Sharing my Reading Notes is a habit I started a long time ago, where I share a list of all the articles, blog posts, and books that catch my interest during the week.
Welcome back to another edition of my Reading Notes! This week, we've got some great content lined up, including insights on cloud development with Azure Developer CLI, tips for promoting your open source projects, updates on .NET, and more. Dive in to explore a wealth of knowledge and stay updated with the latest trends and developments.
Sharing my Reading Notes is a habit I started a long time ago, where I share a list of all the articles, blog posts, and books that catch my interest during the week.
In this edition of ReadingNotes, we explore some fascinating topics in the world of cloud computing, programming, and AI. From integrating images with AI in C# to the latest updates in Git, there's something for everyone. Plus, don't miss out on insights into effective developer relations and a deep dive into a new AI agent for Docker.
Highlights from Git 2.48 (Taylor Blau) - A nice update with many new features and bug fixes. There are 93 contributors to this update. It's pretty impressive.
AI
Meet Gordon: An AI Agent for Docker (Christopher Petito) - Oh! I like those specialized AI! One thing that could be nice is Docker could make accessible an Ask Gordon plugin that other AI like Copilot could use.
Miscellaneous
How to be a Ghostbuster (Sean Killeen) - So many! I guess I knew it was possible that some, and I mean A very few exceptions but so many people and so little work!
Sharing my Reading Notes is a habit I started a long time ago, where I share a list of all the articles, blog posts, and books that catch my interest during the week.
Welcome to this week's roundup! I'm excited to share some standout blog posts and podcasts that caught my attention. Enjoy exploring the latest updates, tips, and insights!
Suggestion of the week
azd CDN changing January 2025 (Kristen Womack) - Important note, that will probably impact many of you, like I was. Luckily the fix is very simple
AI Killed the Content Creator...Star 🤩 (Kirupa) - Interesting observation. The artificial intelligence is impacting all processes and changes the way we interact with the world. Will I kill it or change it?
Podcasts
438: Jon Galloway - From Submarine Office to Software Developer (Merge Conflict) - Super interesting episode about Jon. I learn more in those minutes than in all the time I've been working with him! But at the same time, a Teams call is not "the place" to share about Submarine stuff I guess ;)
.NET Aspire with Anthony Simmon (Hanselminutes) - Interesting episode about .NET Aspire by someone who is using it in his day to day and have been extending it. Great conversation, very interesting.
Sharing my Reading Notes is a habit I started a long time ago, where I share a list of all the articles, blog posts, and books that catch my interest during the week.
This week, ReadingNotes shares some insightful blog posts that caught my attention. From embracing a positive mindset and integrating local AI models with .NET Aspire, to leveraging Docker for cloud-native development and exploring AI-powered Blazor Kanban, there's plenty to dive into. Happy reading!
Sharing my Reading Notes is a habit I started a long time ago, where I share a list of all the articles, blog posts, and books that catch my interest during the week.
For this week reading notes, I have some exciting blog posts and podcast episodes. Covering topics including .NET scaffolding, Visual Studio updates, the Builder Pattern in C#, and OpenAPI in .NET 9. Plus, tips on validating identity with GitHub, improving Azure Identity, and podcast highlights on GitHub Universe and presentation skills.
The Builder Pattern in C# [2024] - This is a very nice post that explains clearly with code different scenarios where that pattern would make sense.
OpenAPI document generation in .NET 9 (Mike Kistler) - This is a great new feature in NET9 when building APIs. The post shares how to update existing APIs to get it. I'm looking forward to migrating my stuff.
Sharing my Reading Notes is a habit I started a long time ago, where I share a list of all the articles, blog posts, and books that catch my interest during the week.
This week, I stumbled upon some fascinating reads. From the announcement of .NET 9 and its incredible versatility to an intriguing new type of failover for Azure Storage, there's plenty to explore. Discover how to get .NET 9 running on your Raspberry Pi, check out the latest Blazorise update, and delve into the power of GitHub Models in .NET with Semantic Kernel. Plus, don't miss out on the introduction of GitHub Copilot for Azure and a new season of AI-related sessions in Visual Studio. And for my fellow open-source enthusiasts, the .NET Aspire Community Toolkit is a game-changer.
Dive in and let's geek out together! 🌟
Suggestion of the week
Announcing .NET 9 - .NET Blog (.NET Team) - You can build anything with C# (aka .NET) and I love it! With runs everywhere, it's open source, it's fast and free!
Introducing GitHub Copilot for Azure (Chris Harris) - After trying it, I can tell that it is pretty amazing! It's like have someone else besides you with the Azure portal answering all you're questions.
Integrating .NET Aspire With Azure Storage (Fiodar Sazanavets) - Nice wait to have an emulator for local work. I will have to check this as I'm using Azure table storage in many of my projects.
Open Source
Introducing the .NET Aspire Community Toolkit - .NET Blog (Aaron Powell) - Very happy (and proud) about this OSS project. .NET Aspire makes things so much easier for developers. And now we can simply add more types of integration thanks to the CF.
Sharing my Reading Notes is a habit I started a long time ago, where I share a list of all the articles, blog posts, and books that catch my interest during the week.
Dive into this week's fascinating mix of tech insights, troubleshooting tales, and productivity tips. From the latest in Azure Dev tools to real-world debugging adventures and cutting-edge .NET innovations, there's something for everyone.
Happy reading!
Cloud
Azure Developer CLI (azd) – October 2024 (Grace Kulin) - Quick post to share about the most recent features like customizing our API version when deploying our containers.
How we build GitHub Copilot into Visual Studio (Anson Horton) - It is so interesting to read how things happens and the different interactions. If you use vs code or Visual Studio, you should read this article.
Introducing the New .NET MAUI Kanban Board (Saravanan Madheswaran) - I'm always impressed when I see components build be third parties. The quality, the customization, the look... It's a lot of work make one in your app with half the features; wow.
Inspektor Gadget (DevOps and Docker Talk: Cloud Native Interviews and Tooling) - THe first time I heard about Inspektor Gadget was in an episode of Open at Microsoft. I don't use much Kubernetes, but that will be part of my toolbox when I do. Great security, troubleshooting, and observability utility.
Sharing my Reading Notes is a habit I started a long time ago, where I share a list of all the articles, blog posts, and books that catch my interest during the week.
Welcome to this week’s reading notes! In this post, you’ll find a curated selection of insightful articles and tutorials covering various topics in technology and programming. Whether you’re looking to enhance your testing skills with .NET Aspire, improve your code comprehension with GitHub Copilot, or explore the world of Docker for DevOps, there’s something here for everyone. Dive in and enjoy these valuable resources!
If you have interesting content, share it!
Suggestion of the week
Getting started with testing and .NET Aspire (Aaron Powell) - This is a great tutorial, with a video version if you prefer, to get us started with test when .NET Aspire is part obor solution.
Hosting a (DevOpsDays) Tech Conference (Dewan Ahmed) - I went to this even and you could feel it was prepared with patio and care. It very interesting to learn about the behind the scene and all the work put both before and after.DevOpsDay Halifax you won my heart.
It's Reading Notes time and this week we learn how to improve our experience and security while using AI and containers
a zip line spider?
Sharing my Reading Notes is a habit I started a long time ago, where I share a list of all the articles, blog posts, and books that catch my interest during the week.
Avoid These 5 Common AI Project Mistakes for Success (Narcosa Admin) - AI is a great tool and with it's new easy accessibility more are integrating it into there services, This post shares tips to give you more chance of success.
7 Best Practices for Using GitHub Copilot (Visual Studio Code team) - AI is a great tool, but to enjoy it as much as possible there are a few things we can do, This post shares those tips that could make the differences.
Less posts and articles this week, I was devouring books! I guess a special "book edition" of the Reading Notes should be coming soon...
If you are new on this blog, welcome! The reading notes post is a habit I started a long time ago, where I share a list of all the articles, blog posts, and books that catch my interest during the week.
Debug Containers with Mintoolkit (DevOps and Docker Talk: Cloud Native Interviews and Tooling) - Great episode about the intricacy of debugging containers and a tool mintoolkit,before knows as DockerSlim, that could really simplify things for us.
Fine tuning Products with Stanza System's Stacie Frederick (Hanselminutes with Scott Hanselman) - Do we really need to have that automatic build and deployment x time by week, or day? Are far should we go? Are we trying to solve a real problem or just find a solution we think we need. Great episode that will help you answering those questions.
Better ways to have tricky conversations at work (Modern Mentor) - It's been many stories I heard from people who quit their job before even talking to their manager... This short episode will provides you a few tips to get more prepare and try different alternative.
It's reading notes time! It is a habit I started a long time ago, where I share a list of all the articles, blog posts, and books that catch my interest during the week.
Easier to fix async exceptions (Mark Downie) - Debugging Asynchronous code as been always more complicated, looking forward to seeing (and using) that new capability in .NET 9.
How to make your web page faster before it even loads (Salma Alam-Naylor) - To make sure our users have he best experience possible it important to fine-tune some little details. This post goes deep and explains them very well.
It's reading notes time! It is a habit I started a long time ago, where I share a list of all the articles, blog posts, and books that catch my interest during the week.
Back from a two weeks time off it was nice to get back into tech read.
Adding .NET Aspire to your existing .NET apps (Jon Galloway) - This great post explains step by step how to add .NET Aspire to your existing app, saying what you gain and how it's helping you to be faster at buildinba better application.
Combining multiple docker images into a multi-arch image (Andrew Lock) - Another great article from Andrew that explains very clearly a Docker feature: generate multiple image under the same ta to target different OS and infrastructure (ex: x64,arm32)
Logging in Banana Cake Pop (Pascal Senn) - What a amazing new feature! This will greatly improve development and debugging productivity!
The ultimate guide to developer happiness (Jeimy Ruiz) - Many great tools and solution within GitHub "circle". This post provides best practices to improve developers productivity and announces when the next GitHub Universe is coming up.
Good Monday! This week Reading Notes are more listening notes 😅 and we go from .NET Aspire and containers, passing by communication with AI to camping!
Sharing my Reading Notes is a habit I started a long time ago, where I share a list of all the articles, blog posts, and books that catch my interest during the week.
Introducing .NET Aspire with Damian Edwards (Hanselminutes with Scott Hanselman) - Nice episode where .NET Aspire is really well explained, but yes it's kind of hard to say in a few words what it is.
CosmosDB and AI with Mark Brown (.NET Rocks!) - AI and data! AI and data! AI and data! It's not a typo, I wrote it 3 times... It's everywhere, evolving fast and you must look at it.
It's reading notes time! It is a habit I started a long time ago, where I share a list of all the articles, blog posts, and books that catch my interest during the week.
You also read something you liked? Share it!
Cloud
It's Finally Possible To Hibernate Azure VMs (Sam Cogan) - This new feature must be such a relief for all the VM users. Make sure to read this post to know the requirements of the VM tone able to hibernate it.
It's reading notes time! It is a habit I started a long time ago, where I share a list of all the articles, blog posts, and books that catch my interest during the week.
Making C# Simple with Fluent Techniques (Niraj Ranasinghe) - Nice post. I didn't realise that Fluent path was used in so many places. It makes it so cleaner when we can use it.
AI
Visual Studio Code AI Toolkit: Run LLMs locally (Shreyan Fernandes) - It goes so fast! It used to be complicated to get AI and now we can get one locally directly from vs code... Quick post to get us started.
Episode 1900 with Scott Hanselman! (.NET Rocks!) - Three of my favorite people in the word in a single episode! It was such a pleasure to listen pleasure to listen talk about all those little stories. Long live to .NET Rocks (and HanselMinutes)
8 Learning Paths for Beginners on GitHub (Cynthia Zanoni) - Wow! so many very cool learning Path to get started with anything you can think about it. I may do one or two just to refresh my knowledge.
