Getting Started with ASP.NET Core

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Series: Mastering ASP.NET Core: From Zero to Production

SeriesSlug: mastering-aspnetcore

Starting something new can be overwhelming, especially when the tech world moves so fast. But ASP.NET Core? It’s one of those frameworks that makes your life easier once you get the hang of it.

In this post, I’ll help you get up and running with ASP.NET Core in under 10 minutes — without the jargon.

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🧠 What Is ASP.NET Core?

ASP.NET Core is the modern web development framework from Microsoft. It lets you build APIs, websites, and microservices that are:

• 🚀 Fast
• 🧱 Modular
• ☁️ Cloud-ready
• 🖥️ Cross-platform

Whether you’re deploying to Azure, AWS, or your own VPS, ASP.NET Core has you covered.

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🛠️ Prerequisites

Before we get started, make sure you’ve got:

• .NET SDK 8+ installed (Get it here)
• A text editor (Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio, or Rider)
• Terminal access and basic C# understanding (optional, but helpful)

Run this to check your version:

dotnet --version

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⚙️ Your First ASP.NET Core App

Let’s create a new Web API:

dotnet new webapi -n HelloAspNet
cd HelloAspNet
dotnet run

Now visit:
👉 https://localhost:5001/swagger

You’ll see Swagger UI — a clean, interactive way to test your API endpoints. 🎉

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🧩 Project Breakdown

Here’s what matters for now:

• Program.cs — where your app starts
• app.MapControllers(); — connects HTTP routes to controllers
• WeatherForecastController.cs — sample controller you can delete

This minimal structure keeps things lightweight and flexible.

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📦 Build, Run, Rinse, Repeat

Now make a change to the controller, rerun the app, and see what happens. You’ve officially started your ASP.NET Core journey!

Next, we’ll dive into what happens under the hood — aka the Request Pipeline.

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✅ Up Next

➡️ Understanding the ASP.NET Core Request Pipeline →

Follow the series to keep up — we’re just getting started 💪