.NET Core (now just “.NET” from .NET 5 onwards) has become a powerhouse for modern, cross-platform development. But while most developers are busy writing APIs or deploying Blazor apps, there’s a treasure trove of underutilized features that could make your code faster, cleaner, and more maintainable.
In this article, I’ll walk you through 10 underrated features in .NET Core and beyond—and how they can level up your code immediately.
🔧 Whether you're building microservices, desktop apps, or working with the cloud—these tricks are worth bookmarking.
1. Minimal APIs (Yes, They’re Production-Ready)
Before
app.MapControllers();
After
app.MapGet("/hello", () => "Hello, world!");
Minimal APIs are not just for prototypes. With support for dependency injection, validation, OpenAPI, and middleware, they’re blazing fast and production-ready for microservices and lightweight endpoints.
2. Records for Immutable Data
public record Customer(string Name, int Age);
No more boilerplate. Records give you immutability, value-based equality, deconstruction, and clean models—all in a single line.
3. IAsyncEnumerable<T> for Async Streaming
public async IAsyncEnumerable<string> StreamData()
{
foreach (var item in data)
{
yield return await GetDataAsync(item);
}
}
Perfect for returning large data sets to gRPC or SignalR clients without blowing up memory.
4. Built-in Rate Limiting Middleware (from .NET 7+)
builder.Services.AddRateLimiter(options =>
{
options.GlobalLimiter = PartitionedRateLimiter.Create<HttpContext, string>(...);
});
No need for custom logic. Secure your API from abuse out-of-the-box.
5. Source Generators for Compile-Time Magic
Ever wished for zero-cost logging, JSON serialization, or boilerplate removal?
[JsonSerializable(typeof(MyType))]
internal partial class MyContext : JsonSerializerContext { }
Source generators let you inject code at compile time. Used by the likes of System.Text.Json and Serilog.
6. Native AOT Compilation (from .NET 7+)
Want lightning-fast startup times?
dotnet publish -r win-x64 -c Release /p:PublishAot=true
Great for CLI tools, microservices, and cloud-native apps.
7. Output Caching Middleware (from .NET 8)
app.UseOutputCache();
app.MapGet("/", async () => DateTime.Now.ToString())
.CacheOutput();
Built-in response caching that works beautifully with Minimal APIs and controllers.
8. Background Services with IHostedService
public class ReminderService : BackgroundService
{
protected override async Task ExecuteAsync(CancellationToken stoppingToken)
{
while (!stoppingToken.IsCancellationRequested)
{
SendReminderEmails();
await Task.Delay(TimeSpan.FromMinutes(5), stoppingToken);
}
}
}
Super useful for recurring tasks, cron jobs, or real-time workers.
9. OpenTelemetry Support Out of the Box
Instrument your app with tracing, metrics, and logs in minutes.
builder.Services.AddOpenTelemetry()
.WithTracing(builder => builder
.AddAspNetCoreInstrumentation()
.AddConsoleExporter());
Zero vendor lock-in. Works with Azure, Prometheus, Grafana, and more.
10. Strongly-Typed appsettings.json with Options Pattern
builder.Services.Configure<MySettings>(builder.Configuration.GetSection("MySettings"));
public class MySettings
{
public string ApiKey { get; set; }
}
Bind your config to POCOs. No more Configuration["SomeKey"] spaghetti!
Final Thoughts
.NET has evolved into a sleek, high-performance, and versatile framework. Whether you’re migrating legacy apps or starting greenfield projects, these underused gems can:
- Cut boilerplate
- Improve performance
- Modernize your architecture
💬 Which of these features have you used—or overlooked? Let me know in the comments on C# Corner!