ASP.NET Core Pro Setup Guide Part 2 - Visual Studio, CLI, Extensions & Workflow Optimization

📖 Table of Contents

1. From Beginner to Pro: Setting Up Your Development Powerhouse

2. Choosing Your Development Environment Wisely

3. Installing & Configuring Visual Studio 2022 Like an Expert

4. VS Code: The Lightweight Powerhouse Setup

5. Mastering .NET CLI for Ultimate Productivity

6. Essential Extensions Every  ASP.NET  Core Developer Needs

7. Project Templates & Scaffolding Like a Pro

8. Debugging Setup: From Basic to Advanced Techniques

9. Version Control Integration: Git Mastery

10. Performance Optimization & Tool Configuration

11. Docker Development Environment Setup

12. CI/CD Pipeline Preparation

13. Troubleshooting Common Setup Issues

14. Pro Tips & Workflow Automation

15. What's Next: Database Integration in Part 3

1. From Beginner to Pro: Setting Up Your Development Powerhouse 🚀

1.1 The Professional Mindset

Welcome to Part 2 of our  ASP.NET  Core mastery series! If Part 1 was about getting started, Part 2 is about setting up like a seasoned professional. The right development environment isn't just about having tools installed—it's about creating a workflow that makes you  10x more productive .

Real-World Analogy: Think of your development setup like a professional chef's kitchen:

• Beginner Setup  = Basic home kitchen with essential tools

• Pro Setup  = Commercial kitchen with specialized equipment, optimized workflow, and everything within reach

1.2 What You'll Achieve

By the end of this guide, you'll have:

• ✅  Expert IDE Configuration: Visual Studio 2022 or VS Code optimized for  ASP.NET  Core

• ✅  CLI Mastery: .NET CLI commands that save hours weekly

• ✅  Essential Extensions: Must-have tools that professional developers use

• ✅  Efficient Workflow: From code to deployment in minimal steps

• ✅  Debugging Powerhouse: Advanced debugging techniques

• ✅  Automation Setup: Scripts and configurations that work for you

2. Choosing Your Development Environment Wisely 🎯

2.1 Visual Studio 2022 vs Visual Studio Code: The Professional Choice

Decision Matrix for 2025 :

Scenario	Recommended IDE	Why	Setup Complexity
Enterprise Development	Visual Studio 2022	Full integration, debugging, profiling	Medium
Startup/Agile Teams	VS Code	Lightweight, fast, customizable	Low
Learning & Experiments	VS Code	Simple, focused, modern	Low
Legacy + New Projects	Both	Context-specific usage	High

2.2 System Requirements Analysis

csharp

  
    public class SystemRequirements{
    // Minimum (Functional)
    public class MinimumSpecs 
    {
        public string RAM => "8GB";
        public string Storage => "SSD 256GB";
        public string Processor => "Intel i5 / Ryzen 5";
        public string OS => "Windows 10 / macOS 11 / Linux Ubuntu 20.04";
    }
    
    // Recommended (Professional)
    public class RecommendedSpecs 
    {
        public string RAM => "16GB+ (32GB for Docker)";
        public string Storage => "NVMe SSD 512GB+";
        public string Processor => "Intel i7 / Ryzen 7+";
        public string OS => "Windows 11 / macOS 13+ / Linux Ubuntu 22.04+";
    }
    
    // Ideal (Power User)
    public class IdealSpecs 
    {
        public string RAM => "32GB+";
        public string Storage => "NVMe SSD 1TB+";
        public string Processor => "Intel i9 / Ryzen 9";
        public string OS => "Latest stable versions";
    }}
  

3. Installing & Configuring Visual Studio 2022 Like an Expert 🛠️

3.1 The Perfect Visual Studio 2022 Installation

Step 1: Download the Right Edition

bash

  
    # Professional choice: Visual Studio 2022 Community (Free) or Professional# Download from: https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads/

# Verify download integrity
certutil -hashfile vs_installer.exe SHA256
  

Step 2: Workload Selection Strategy

json

  
    // workloads.json - Professional ASP.NET Core developer selection{"essential_workloads": [
    "ASP.NET and web development",
    ".NET Multi-platform App UI development",
    "Azure development",
    "Data storage and processing"],"optional_workloads": [
    "Visual Studio extension development",
    "Game development with Unity",
    "Mobile development with .NET (MAUI)"],"individual_components": [
    "Git for Windows",
    "GitHub extension for Visual Studio",
    ".NET Framework 4.8 targeting pack",
    "Windows 10 SDK (10.0.19041.0)"]}
  

Step 3: Installation Command Line (Advanced)

powershell

  
    # Professional silent installation for consistent team setup
vs_enterprise.exe --installPath "C:\VS2022" ^
--add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.NetWeb ^
--add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.Azure ^
--add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.ManagedDesktop ^
--add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.Data ^
--includeRecommended ^
--quiet ^
--norestart
  

3.2 Visual Studio 2022 Configuration Mastery

3.2.1 Performance Optimization Settings

json

  
    // CurrentSettings.vssettings (Professional Configuration){"TextEditor": {
    "General": {
      "TrackChanges": false, // Better performance
      "SelectionMargin": true,
      "AutoDelimiterHighlighting": true
    }},"Debugging": {
    "General": {
      "EnableDiagnosticTools": true,
      "ShowExceptionHelp": true,
      "EnableHotReload": true
    }},"Environment": {
    "Startup": {
      "OnStartup": "ShowEmptyEnvironment"
    },
    "Documents": {
      "ReuseSavedActiveDocWindow": true,
      "DetectFileChangesOutsideIDE": true
    }}}
  

3.2.2 Keyboard Shortcuts Customization

csharp

  
    // Professional ASP.NET Core Developer Shortcutspublic class EssentialShortcuts 
{
    // Navigation
    public string GoToDefinition => "F12";
    public string FindAllReferences => "Shift+F12";
    public string NavigateBack => "Ctrl+-";
    public string NavigateForward => "Ctrl+Shift+-";
    
    // Debugging
    public string ToggleBreakpoint => "F9";
    public string StartDebugging => "F5";
    public string StartWithoutDebugging => "Ctrl+F5";
    public string StepOver => "F10";
    public string StepInto => "F11";
    
    // Code Editing
    public string QuickActions => "Ctrl+.";
    public string FormatDocument => "Ctrl+K, Ctrl+D";
    public string CommentSelection => "Ctrl+K, Ctrl+C";
    public string UncommentSelection => "Ctrl+K, Ctrl+U";
    
    // Build & Run
    public string BuildSolution => "Ctrl+Shift+B";
    public string RebuildSolution => "Ctrl+Alt+F7";
    public string RunTests => "Ctrl+R, T";}
  

4. VS Code: The Lightweight Powerhouse Setup ⚡

4.1 Professional VS Code Installation

Cross-Platform Installation Commands :

bash

  
    # Windows (PowerShell)
winget install Microsoft.VisualStudioCode

# macOS (Homebrew)
brew install --cask visual-studio-code

# Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)sudo snap install code --classic

# Linux (Alternative)wget -qO- https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc | gpg --dearmor > packages.microsoft.gpg
sudo install -o root -g root -m 644 packages.microsoft.gpg /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/
sudo sh -c echo 'deb [arch=amd64,arm64,armhf signed-by=/etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/packages.microsoft.gpg] https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/code stable main' > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/vscode.list
sudo apt update
sudo apt install code
  

4.2 Essential Settings Configuration

json

  
    // settings.json (Professional ASP.NET Core Development){// Editor Behavior"editor.fontFamily": "'Cascadia Code', 'Consolas', 'Courier New', monospace","editor.fontSize": 14,"editor.lineHeight": 1.5,"editor.minimap.enabled": true,"editor.wordWrap": "on",
  
  // C# Specific Settings"csharp.suppressDotnetInstallWarning": true,"csharp.format.enable": true,"omnisharp.enableRoslynAnalyzers": true,"omnisharp.enableEditorConfigSupport": true,
  
  // Debugging"debug.onTaskErrors": "showErrors","debug.internalConsoleOptions": "openOnSessionStart",
  
  // Files & Auto-save"files.autoSave": "afterDelay","files.autoSaveDelay": 1000,"files.exclude": {
    "**/node_modules": true,
    "**/bin": true,
    "**/obj": true,
    "**/.git": true},
  
  // Terminal Integration"terminal.integrated.shell.windows": "C:\\Program Files\\PowerShell\\7\\pwsh.exe","terminal.integrated.defaultProfile.windows": "PowerShell",
  
  // ASP.NET Core Specific"dotnet.defaultSolution": "**/*.sln","html.autoClosingTags": true,"css.format.enable": true}
  

5. Mastering .NET CLI for Ultimate Productivity 💻

5.1 Essential .NET CLI Commands Every Pro Knows

bash

  
    # Project Creation Mastery
dotnet new web -n MyProfessionalApp -f net8.0
dotnet new webapi -o ProfessionalApi --no-https
dotnet new mvc -au Individual -o SecureWebApp

# Solution Management
dotnet new sln -n EnterpriseSolution
dotnet sln add **/*.csproj
dotnet sln list

# Build & Run Optimization
dotnet build --configuration Release --verbosity minimal
dotnet run --configuration Release --urls "https://localhost:5001"
dotnet watch run --non-interactive

# Testing Like a Pro
dotnet test --logger "trx;LogFileName=testresults.trx"
dotnet test --filter "Category=Integration"
dotnet test --blame-hang-timeout 5min

# Advanced Commands
dotnet publish --self-contained true --runtime win-x64
dotnet ef migrations add InitialCreate --context ApplicationDbContext
dotnet user-secrets set "ConnectionStrings:Default" "Server=localhost;..."
  

5.2 Creating Custom Project Templates

json

  
    // .template.config/template.json{"$schema": "http://json.schemastore.org/template","author": "Your Name","classifications": [ "Web", "API", "C#", "ASP.NET Core" ],"identity": "YourName.ProfessionalWebAPI","name": "Professional Web API Template","shortName": "proapi","tags": {
    "language": "C#",
    "type": "project"},"sourceName": "ProfessionalWebAPI","preferNameDirectory": true,"symbols": {
    "enableSwagger": {
      "type": "parameter",
      "datatype": "bool",
      "defaultValue": "true",
      "description": "Enable Swagger documentation"
    },
    "enableDocker": {
      "type": "parameter", 
      "datatype": "bool",
      "defaultValue": "false",
      "description": "Enable Docker support"
    }}}
  

6. Essential Extensions Every  ASP.NET  Core Developer Needs 🔌

6.1 Visual Studio 2022 Must-Have Extensions

csharp

  
    public class VSEssentialExtensions{
    // Productivity Boosters
    public List<string> Productivity => new()
    {
        "Productivity Power Tools",
        "CodeMaid",
        "GitHub Extension for Visual Studio",
        "Microsoft Visual Studio Installer Projects"
    };

    // ASP.NET Core Specific
    public List<string> AspNetCore => new()
    {
        "ASP.NET Core VS Tools",
        "Razor Language Services", 
        "Microsoft Web Developer Tools",
        "Web Compiler"
    };

    // Code Quality
    public List<string> CodeQuality => new()
    {
        "SonarLint for Visual Studio",
        "Roslynator",
        "Microsoft Code Analysis",
        "ReSharper" // Optional - resource intensive
    };

    // DevOps & Deployment
    public List<string> DevOps => new()
    {
        "Azure DevOps Extension",
        "Docker Tools for Visual Studio",
        "Azure Functions and Web Jobs Tools",
        "Web Essentials"
    };}
  

6.2 VS Code Extension Power Pack

json

  
    // .vscode/extensions.json (Professional Setup){"recommendations": [
    // C# & .NET Core
    "ms-dotnettools.csharp",
    "ms-dotnettools.csdevkit", 
    "ms-dotnettools.vscodeintellicode",
    "k--kato.docomment",
    
    // Web Development
    "ms-dotnettools.blazorwasm-companion",
    "doggy8088.netcore-snippets",
    "formulahendry.dotnet-test-explorer",
    
    // Productivity
    "eamodio.gitlens",
    "christian-kohler.path-intellisense",
    "ms-vscode.vscode-settings-cycler",
    
    // Frontend (if needed)
    "bradlc.vscode-tailwindcss",
    "esbenp.prettier-vscode",
    "ms-vscode.vscode-typescript-next",
    
    // Database
    "ms-mssql.mssql",
    "mtxr.sqltools",
    
    // Containers & DevOps
    "ms-azuretools.vscode-docker",
    "ms-vscode.azure-account",
    "github.vscode-pull-request-github",
    
    // Testing
    "formulahendry.dotnet-test-explorer",
    "ryanluker.vscode-coverage-gutters",
    
    // Themes & UI
    "pkief.material-icon-theme",
    "ms-vscode.theme-quietlight"]}
  

7. Project Templates & Scaffolding Like a Pro 📁

7.1 Professional Project Structure

bash

  
    # Enterprise-Grade Project Structure
EnterpriseSolution/
├── src/
│   ├── WebAPI/                    # Main API Project
│   │   ├── Controllers/
│   │   ├── Models/
│   │   ├── Services/
│   │   ├── Program.cs
│   │   └── WebAPI.csproj
│   ├── Application/               # Business Logic
│   │   ├── Commands/
│   │   ├── Queries/
│   │   ├── Interfaces/
│   │   └── Application.csproj
│   └── Infrastructure/           # Data & External
│       ├── Data/
│       ├── Repositories/
│       ├── ExternalServices/
│       └── Infrastructure.csproj
├── tests/
│   ├── WebAPI.Tests/
│   ├── Application.Tests/
│   └── Infrastructure.Tests/
├── docs/                         # Documentation
├── scripts/                      # Build & Deployment
└── EnterpriseSolution.sln
  

7.2 Advanced Scaffolding with Custom Templates

csharp

  
    // Custom Controller Templateusing Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc;

namespace [namespace]{
    [ApiController]
    [Route("api/[controller]")]
    public class [controllerName]Controller : ControllerBase
    {
        private readonly ILogger<[controllerName]Controller> _logger;

        public [controllerName]Controller(ILogger<[controllerName]Controller> logger)
        {
            _logger = logger;
        }

        [HttpGet]
        public async Task<ActionResult<IEnumerable<[modelName]>>> Get[modelName]s()
        {
            _logger.LogInformation("Getting all [modelName]s");
            // Implementation here
            return Ok(new List<[modelName]>());
        }

        [HttpGet("{id}")]
        public async Task<ActionResult<[modelName]>> Get[modelName](int id)
        {
            _logger.LogInformation("Getting [modelName] with ID: {Id}", id);
            // Implementation here
            return Ok(new [modelName]());
        }

        [HttpPost]
        public async Task<ActionResult<[modelName]>> Create[modelName]([modelName] model)
        {
            _logger.LogInformation("Creating new [modelName]");
            // Implementation here
            return CreatedAtAction(nameof(Get[modelName]), new { id = model.Id }, model);
        }

        [HttpPut("{id}")]
        public async Task<IActionResult> Update[modelName](int id, [modelName] model)
        {
            _logger.LogInformation("Updating [modelName] with ID: {Id}", id);
            // Implementation here
            return NoContent();
        }

        [HttpDelete("{id}")]
        public async Task<IActionResult> Delete[modelName](int id)
        {
            _logger.LogInformation("Deleting [modelName] with ID: {Id}", id);
            // Implementation here
            return NoContent();
        }
    }}
  

8. Debugging Setup: From Basic to Advanced Techniques 🐛

8.1 Professional launchSettings.json

json

  
    // Properties/launchSettings.json (Professional Configuration){"profiles": {
    "WebAPI": {
      "commandName": "Project",
      "dotnetRunMessages": true,
      "launchBrowser": true,
      "launchUrl": "swagger",
      "applicationUrl": "https://localhost:7000;http://localhost:5000",
      "environmentVariables": {
        "ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT": "Development",
        "ASPNETCORE_DETAILEDERRORS": "true",
        "ASPNETCORE_HOSTINGSTARTUPASSEMBLIES": "Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Razor.RuntimeCompilation"
      }
    },
    "Docker": {
      "commandName": "Docker",
      "launchBrowser": true,
      "launchUrl": "{Scheme}://{ServiceHost}:{ServicePort}/swagger",
      "publishAllPorts": true,
      "useSSL": true,
      "httpPort": 5000,
      "sslPort": 5001
    },
    "Production": {
      "commandName": "Project",
      "dotnetRunMessages": false,
      "launchBrowser": false,
      "applicationUrl": "https://localhost:7000",
      "environmentVariables": {
        "ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT": "Production"
      }
    },
    "IIS Express": {
      "commandName": "IISExpress",
      "launchBrowser": true,
      "launchUrl": "swagger",
      "environmentVariables": {
        "ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT": "Development"
      }
    }}}
  

8.2 Advanced Debugging Configuration

json

  
    // .vscode/launch.json (VS Code Professional Debugging){"version": "0.2.0","configurations": [
    {
      "name": ".NET Core Launch (web)",
      "type": "coreclr",
      "request": "launch",
      "preLaunchTask": "build",
      "program": "${workspaceFolder}/src/WebAPI/bin/Debug/net8.0/WebAPI.dll",
      "args": [],
      "cwd": "${workspaceFolder}/src/WebAPI",
      "stopAtEntry": false,
      "serverReadyAction": {
        "action": "openExternally",
        "pattern": "\\bNow listening on:\\s+(https?://\\S+)",
        "uriFormat": "%s/swagger"
      },
      "env": {
        "ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT": "Development",
        "ASPNETCORE_DETAILEDERRORS": "true"
      },
      "sourceFileMap": {
        "/Views": "${workspaceFolder}/Views"
      }
    },
    {
      "name": ".NET Core Attach",
      "type": "coreclr",
      "request": "attach",
      "processId": "${command:pickProcess}"
    },
    {
      "name": "Docker .NET Core Launch",
      "type": "docker",
      "request": "launch",
      "preLaunchTask": "docker-run: debug",
      "netCore": {
        "appProject": "${workspaceFolder}/src/WebAPI/WebAPI.csproj"
      }
    }],"compounds": [
    {
      "name": "API & Database",
      "configurations": [".NET Core Launch (web)", "Attach to Database"]
    }]}
  

9. Version Control Integration: Git Mastery 🔄

9.1 Professional Git Configuration

bash

  
    # Global Git Configurationgit config --global user.name "Your Professional Name"git config --global user.email "[email protected]"git config --global init.defaultBranch main
git config --global core.autocrlf truegit config --global core.safecrlf warn
git config --global pull.rebase false

# Professional Aliasesgit config --global alias.co checkout
git config --global alias.br branch
git config --global alias.ci commit
git config --global alias.st status
git config --global alias.unstage 'reset HEAD --'git config --global alias.last 'log -1 HEAD'git config --global alias.lg "log --color --graph --pretty=format:'%Cred%h%Creset -%C(yellow)%d%Creset %s %Cgreen(%cr) %C(bold blue)<%an>%Creset' --abbrev-commit"
  

9.2 Professional .gitignore for  ASP.NET  Core

gitignore

  
    # Professional ASP.NET Core .gitignore
## .NET Core
**/bin/
**/obj/
**/publish/
*.user
*.userosscache
*.sln.docstates
*.nupkg

# Build results
[Dd]ebug/
[Dd]ebugPublic/
[Rr]elease/
[Rr]eleases/
x64/
x86/
[Aa][Rr][Mm]/
[Aa][Rr][Mm]64/
bld/
[Bb]in/
[Oo]bj/
[Ll]og/
[Ll]ogs/

# Visual Studio
.vs/
.vscode/
*.swp
*.swo
*~

# User-specific files
*.rsuser
*.suo
*.user
*.userosscache
*.sln.docstates

# Build results
[Dd]ebug/
[Dd]ebugPublic/
[Rr]elease/
[Rr]eleases/
x64/
x86/
[Aa][Rr][Mm]/
[Aa][Rr][Mm]64/
bld/
[Bb]in/
[Oo]bj/
[Ll]og/
[Ll]ogs/

# Docker
**/.dockerignore
**/Dockerfile
**/docker-compose.yml
**/docker-compose.*.yml
**/compose.yml

# Azure
.azure/

# Rider
.idea/
*.sln.iml

# CodeRush
.cr/

# Python Tools for Visual Studio (PTVS)
__pycache__/
*.pyc

# Cake - Uncomment if you are using it
# tools/

# JetBrains Rider
.idea/
*.sln.iml

# Microsoft Edge
*.ldb

# Windows
Thumbs.db
ehthumbs.db
Desktop.ini

# macOS
.DS_Store
  

10. Performance Optimization & Tool Configuration ⚡

10.1 Build Performance Optimization

xml

  
    <!-- Directory.Build.props - Build Optimization --><Project><PropertyGroup>
    <TargetFramework>net8.0</TargetFramework>
    <Nullable>enable</Nullable>
    <ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
    <TreatWarningsAsErrors>true</TreatWarningsAsErrors>
    <EnforceCodeStyleInBuild>true</EnforceCodeStyleInBuild>
    
    <!-- Performance Optimizations -->
    <UseSharedCompilation>true</UseSharedCompilation>
    <BuildInParallel>true</BuildInParallel>
    <CopyOutputSymbolsToOutputDirectory>false</CopyOutputSymbolsToOutputDirectory>
    
    <!-- Code Analysis -->
    <EnableNETAnalyzers>true</EnableNETAnalyzers>
    <AnalysisMode>AllEnabledByDefault</AnalysisMode></PropertyGroup></Project>
  

10.2 Professional EditorConfig

ini

  
    # .editorconfig - Professional Code Styleroot = true

[*]indent_style = spaceindent_size = 2end_of_line = lfcharset = utf-8trim_trailing_whitespace = trueinsert_final_newline = true

[*.{cs,csx,vb,vbx}]indent_size = 4insert_final_newline = true

# C# files[*.cs]# Language rulesdotnet_style_require_accessibility_modifiers = alwaysdotnet_style_readonly_field = true:suggestion

# Formatting rulesdotnet_sort_system_directives_first = truecsharp_new_line_before_open_brace = allcsharp_new_line_before_else = truecsharp_new_line_before_catch = truecsharp_new_line_before_finally = true

# this. and Me. preferencesdotnet_style_qualification_for_field = falsedotnet_style_qualification_for_property = falsedotnet_style_qualification_for_method = falsedotnet_style_qualification_for_event = false

# Expression-level preferencesdotnet_style_object_initializer = true:suggestiondotnet_style_collection_initializer = true:suggestiondotnet_style_explicit_tuple_names = true:suggestiondotnet_style_coalesce_expression = true:suggestiondotnet_style_null_propagation = true:suggestion

# Naming rulesdotnet_naming_rule.interface_should_be_begins_with_i.severity = suggestiondotnet_naming_rule.interface_should_be_begins_with_i.symbols = interfacedotnet_naming_rule.interface_should_be_begins_with_i.style = begins_with_i

dotnet_naming_symbols.interface.applicable_kinds = interfacedotnet_naming_style.begins_with_i.capitalization = pascal_casedotnet_naming_style.begins_with_i.required_prefix = I
  

11. Docker Development Environment Setup 🐳

11.1 Professional Docker Configuration

dockerfile

  
    # Dockerfile (Professional ASP.NET Core Setup)
FROM mcr.microsoft.com/dotnet/aspnet:8.0 AS base
WORKDIR /app
EXPOSE 80
EXPOSE 443

# Install curl for health checks
RUN apt-get update && apt-get install -y curl && rm -rf /var/lib/apt/lists/*

FROM mcr.microsoft.com/dotnet/sdk:8.0 AS build
ARG BUILD_CONFIGURATION=Release
WORKDIR /src

# Copy project files
COPY ["src/WebAPI/WebAPI.csproj", "src/WebAPI/"]
COPY ["src/Application/Application.csproj", "src/Application/"]
COPY ["src/Infrastructure/Infrastructure.csproj", "src/Infrastructure/"]

# Restore dependencies
RUN dotnet restore "src/WebAPI/WebAPI.csproj"

# Copy everything else and build
COPY . .
WORKDIR "/src/src/WebAPI"
RUN dotnet build "WebAPI.csproj" -c $BUILD_CONFIGURATION -o /app/build

FROM build AS publish
ARG BUILD_CONFIGURATION=Release
RUN dotnet publish "WebAPI.csproj" -c $BUILD_CONFIGURATION -o /app/publish /p:UseAppHost=false

FROM base AS final
WORKDIR /app
COPY --from=publish /app/publish .
ENTRYPOINT ["dotnet", "WebAPI.dll"]

# Health check
HEALTHCHECK --interval=30s --timeout=3s --start-period=5s --retries=3 \
  CMD curl -f http://localhost:80/health || exit 1
  

11.2 Docker Compose for Development

yaml

  
    # docker-compose.yml - Professional Development Setupversion: '3.8'

services:webapi:
    image: ${DOCKER_REGISTRY-}webapi
    build:
      context: .
      dockerfile: src/WebAPI/Dockerfile
    environment:
      - ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT=Development
      - ASPNETCORE_URLS=https://+:443;http://+:80
      - ConnectionStrings__DefaultConnection=Server=db;Database=AppDb;User=sa;Password=YourPassword123!;
    ports:
      - "5000:80"
      - "5001:443"
    volumes:
      - ~/.aspnet/https:/https:ro
      - ./src/WebAPI:/app/src
    depends_on:
      - db
    networks:
      - app-network

  db:
    image: mcr.microsoft.com/mssql/server:2019-latest
    environment:
      SA_PASSWORD: "YourPassword123!"
      ACCEPT_EULA: "Y"
    ports:
      - "1433:1433"
    volumes:
      - sqldata:/var/opt/mssql
    networks:
      - app-network

  redis:
    image: redis:alpine
    ports:
      - "6379:6379"
    networks:
      - app-network

volumes:sqldata:

networks:app-network:
    driver: bridge
  

12. CI/CD Pipeline Preparation 🔄

12.1 GitHub Actions Workflow

yaml

  
    # .github/workflows/dotnet.ymlname: .NET Core CI

on:push:
    branches: [ main, develop ]pull_request:
    branches: [ main ]

env:DOTNET_VERSION: '8.0.x'PROJECT_PATH: 'src/WebAPI/WebAPI.csproj'

jobs:build:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest

    steps:
    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
    
    - name: Setup .NET Core
      uses: actions/setup-dotnet@v3
      with:
        dotnet-version: ${{ env.DOTNET_VERSION }}
        
    - name: Restore dependencies
      run: dotnet restore ${{ env.PROJECT_PATH }}
      
    - name: Build
      run: dotnet build ${{ env.PROJECT_PATH }} --configuration Release --no-restore
      
    - name: Test
      run: dotnet test ${{ env.PROJECT_PATH }} --configuration Release --no-build --verbosity normal
      
    - name: Publish
      run: dotnet publish ${{ env.PROJECT_PATH }} --configuration Release --no-build --output ./publish
      
    - name: Upload artifact
      uses: actions/upload-artifact@v3
      with:
        name: webapi
        path: ./publish

  docker:
    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
    needs: build
    
    steps:
    - uses: actions/checkout@v3
    
    - name: Build Docker image
      run: docker build -t webapi:latest .
      
    - name: Log in to Docker Hub
      uses: docker/login-action@v2
      with:
        username: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_USERNAME }}
        password: ${{ secrets.DOCKER_PASSWORD }}
        
    - name: Push Docker image
      run: docker push webapi:latest
  

13. Troubleshooting Common Setup Issues 🔧

13.1 Common Problems & Solutions

csharp

  
    public class SetupTroubleshooting{
    // Problem: .NET SDK not found
    public string SdkNotFound => "Solution: Install .NET 8 SDK and restart terminal";
    
    // Problem: Visual Studio slow performance
    public string VSSlow => """
        Solutions:
        1. Disable unnecessary extensions
        2. Clear Visual Studio cache
        3. Increase RAM allocation in devenv.exe.config
        4. Disable hardware acceleration if having GPU issues
        """;
    
    // Problem: Build errors after upgrade
    public string BuildErrors => """
        Solutions:
        1. Clean solution and rebuild
        2. Delete bin/obj folders
        3. Check target framework in .csproj
        4. Update NuGet packages
        """;
    
    // Problem: Docker container won't start
    public string DockerIssues => """
        Solutions:
        1. Check Docker Desktop is running
        2. Verify ports aren't already in use
        3. Check Dockerfile syntax
        4. Review container logs: docker logs <container_id>
        """;}
  

13.2 Performance Monitoring Scripts

powershell

  
    # monitor-performance.ps1 - Professional Performance Monitoringparam(
    [int]$Duration = 300,
    [int]$Interval = 5
)

Write-Host "Monitoring ASP.NET Core Performance for $Duration seconds..." -ForegroundColor Green

$endTime = (Get-Date).AddSeconds($Duration)

while ((Get-Date) -lt $endTime) {
    $process = Get-Process -Name "dotnet" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    
    if ($process) {
        $cpu = ($process.CPU | Measure-Object -Sum).Sum
        $memory = [math]::Round($process.WorkingSet64 / 1MB, 2)
        
        Write-Host "CPU: $cpu% | Memory: $memory MB | Threads: $($process.Threads.Count)" -ForegroundColor Yellow
    } else {
        Write-Host "No dotnet process found" -ForegroundColor Red
    }
    
    Start-Sleep -Seconds $Interval}

Write-Host "Performance monitoring completed" -ForegroundColor Green
  

14. Pro Tips & Workflow Automation 🤖

14.1 PowerShell Profile Automation

powershell

  
    # Microsoft.PowerShell_profile.ps1 - Professional Developer Profile

# ASP.NET Core Aliasesfunction dotnet-run-watch { dotnet watch run }function dotnet-test-all { dotnet test --logger "trx" --results-directory "./TestResults" }function dotnet-clean-all { Get-ChildItem -Recurse -Include bin,obj | Remove-Item -Recurse -Force }function dotnet-restore-all { Get-ChildItem -Recurse -Include *.csproj | ForEach-Object { dotnet restore $_.FullName } }

# Docker Aliasesfunction docker-clean { docker system prune -f }function docker-logs { docker logs -f $args[0] }function docker-restart { docker-compose down && docker-compose up -d }

# Git Aliasesfunction gs { git status }function ga { git add . }function gc { git commit -m $args[0] }function gp { git push }function gpl { git pull }

# Development Utilitiesfunction open-solution { Get-ChildItem -Recurse -Filter *.sln | Select-Object -First 1 | Invoke-Item }function find-in-files { Get-ChildItem -Recurse -File -Include *.cs | Select-String $args[0] }function measure-build { Measure-Command { dotnet build --configuration Release } }

# Environment Setupfunction setup-dev {
    Write-Host "Setting up development environment..." -ForegroundColor Green
    
    # Check .NET SDK
    dotnet --version
    
    # Check Docker
    docker --version
    docker-compose --version
    
    # Check Git
    git --version
    
    Write-Host "Development environment ready!" -ForegroundColor Green
}

# Import common functions. "$PSScriptRoot\dev-utils.ps1"
  

14.2 Bash Profile for Linux/macOS

bash

  
    # ~/.bash_profile - Professional ASP.NET Core Developer

# ASP.NET Core Aliasesalias dnrun='dotnet run'alias dnb='dotnet build'alias dnt='dotnet test'alias dnw='dotnet watch run'alias dnp='dotnet publish -c Release'

# Docker Aliasesalias dc='docker-compose'alias dcd='docker-compose down'alias dcu='docker-compose up -d'alias dcl='docker-compose logs -f'

# Git Aliasesalias gs='git status'alias ga='git add .'alias gc='git commit -m'alias gp='git push'alias gpl='git pull'

# Development Utilitiesfind_cs() { find . -name "*.cs" -type f | grep "$1"; }clean_sln() { find . -name "bin" -o -name "obj" | xargs rm -rf; }measure_time() { time eval "$@"; }

# Environment Setupsetup_dev() {
    echo "Setting up development environment..."
    
    # Check installations
    dotnet --version
    docker --version
    git --version
    
    echo "Development environment ready!"}

# Professional Promptexport PS1='\[\033[01;32m\]\u@\h\[\033[00m\]:\[\033[01;34m\]\w\[\033[00m\]\$ '
  

15. What's Next: Database Integration in Part 3 🔮

Coming in Part 3: Professional Database Integration

• Entity Framework Core Mastery: Advanced database operations

• Database Migrations: Professional schema management

• Repository & Unit of Work Patterns: Enterprise data access

• Performance Optimization: Query tuning and indexing

• Database Providers: SQL Server, PostgreSQL, SQLite choices

• Testing Strategies: Integration testing with real databases

Your Professional Setup Checklist:

✅  IDE Mastery: Visual Studio 2022 or VS Code optimized
✅  CLI Expertise: .NET CLI commands and automation
✅  Extension Ecosystem: Essential productivity tools
✅  Debugging Setup: Professional debugging configuration
✅  Version Control: Git workflow and best practices
✅  Docker Environment: Containerized development
✅  CI/CD Foundation: Pipeline preparation
✅  Performance Optimization: Build and runtime tuning
✅  Automation Scripts: Time-saving workflows

Professional Achievement : You've now set up a development environment that matches enterprise standards. This foundation will make you significantly more productive throughout your  ASP.NET  Core journey.

🎯 Key Professional Setup Takeaways

✅  Tool Selection: Right IDE for your workflow
✅  Configuration Mastery: Optimized settings for productivity
✅  Extension Ecosystem: Essential tools that professionals use
✅  CLI Proficiency: Command-line efficiency
✅  Debugging Setup: Advanced troubleshooting capabilities
✅  Version Control: Professional Git workflow
✅  Containerization: Docker development environment
✅  Automation: Scripts and aliases that save time
✅  Performance: Optimized build and runtime
✅  CI/CD Ready: Pipeline preparation

Remember: A professional development environment isn't about having the most tools—it's about having the right tools configured perfectly for your workflow.

My Main Article: https://www.freelearning365.com/2025/10/aspnet-core-pro-setup-guide-part-2.html

📘ASP.NET Core Mastery with Latest Features : 40-Part Series