Top Microsoft NuGet Packages in 2023

Here are some of the popular NuGet packages that have been frequently used by developers.

1.    Newtonsoft.Json: This is a popular package for working with JSON data in .NET applications. It provides a simple and efficient API for parsing and serializing JSON data.

2.    Entity Framework Core: This is a lightweight and extensible ORM (object-relational mapper) that simplifies database access in .NET applications.

3.    AutoMapper: This package helps to simplify object-to-object mapping in .NET applications, reducing the amount of boilerplate code needed for mapping between different objects.

4.    Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection: This package provides a lightweight dependency injection framework for .NET applications. It simplifies the process of registering and resolving dependencies in your application.

5.    Serilog: This is a popular logging framework for .NET applications that supports structured logging, making it easy to search and analyze log data.

6.    Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc: This is a package that provides a lightweight and flexible framework for building web applications using ASP.NET Core.

7.    Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer: This package provides support for using SQL Server with Entity Framework Core, making it easy to work with SQL Server databases in your .NET application.

8.    Dapper: This is a popular micro-ORM (object-relational mapper) for .NET that provides a fast and efficient way to access data from a database.

9.    Microsoft.AspNet.WebApi.Core: This package provides a framework for building RESTful APIs using ASP.NET, making it easy to build scalable and maintainable web services.

10. Microsoft.Extensions.Logging: This package provides a logging abstraction for .NET applications, making it easy to switch between different logging providers and configure logging behavior.

11. Microsoft.Extensions.Caching.Memory: it is a NuGet package that provides an in-memory caching implementation for .NET applications. It is part of the Microsoft.Extensions.Caching namespace, which also includes other caching implementations like Redis and SQL Server.

12. FluentValidation.AspNetCore:- FluentValidation validation helps us validate our model when working with DotNet Core 7.0 application. To utilize the functionality of FluentValidation, we need to install the FluentValidation library from the NuGet package manager. FluentValidation uses the fluent API and the lambda expression to create the data validation rules for a model. Below is the command to install the FluentValidation package

There are many other Microsoft NuGet Packages as well, which are used in real programming also.

Above are a couple of packages that mostly we use in programming, let us know your thought on it if any important package is missing here.

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FluentValidation in minimal APIs in ASP.NET Core 7.0

 In this article, we will learn how to implement FluentValidation to our model classes in ASP.NET core 7 with minimal APIs.

We have already discussed what is minimal API in .Net Core. While working with an application, validation plays an important role. It helps us validate our data and ensure we insert the correct data into the database.

There is no in-built support to validate the model in the minimal APIs (unlike what we used to have in ASP.NET Core MVC and Razor Pages). Hence, we need to write custom code to validate the models in our minimal API applications.

FluentValidation validation helps us validate our model when working with DotNet Core 7.0 application.

To utilize the functionality of FluentValidation, we need to install the FluentValidation library from the NuGet package manager. FluentValidation uses the fluent API and the lambda expression to create the data validation rules for a model. Below is the command to install the FluentValidation package

PM> Install-Package FluentValidation.AspNetCore

Let's understand fluentValidation practically

First, let's create an ASP.NET core application. So to create it, open VS 2022, select the ASP.NET Core Web API template and click Next.

Now give the project name 'FluentValidationInAspCore' and click Next.

Now select the Framework as .NET 7.0 and click Next.

Once you click Next, it will create an ASP.NET core application. Now go to Nuget Package Manager by right click on the project solution.

Once you click on Manage Nuget packages, a new window will appear. Search for "FluentValidation.AspNetCore" and install it.

Now right-click on the project and create a Student Model class like below

namespace FluentValidationInAspCore {
    public class Student {
        public int Id {
            get;
            set;
        }
        public string ? Name {
            get;
            set;
        }
        public int Age {
            get;
            set;
        }
        public double Address {
            get;
            set;
        }
    }
}

C#

Create the StudentValidator class

To implement the required field or other validation to the student Model class, we need to create a StudentValidation class. Here we can create our custom validation by inheriting StudentValidation class from AbstractValidator, like below.

public class StudentValidator: AbstractValidator < Student > {
    public StudentValidator() {
        RuleFor(x => x.Id).NotNull();
        RuleFor(x => x.Name).Length(15);
        RuleFor(x => x.Age).NotNull().InclusiveBetween(5, 20);
        RuleFor(x => x.Address).NotNull().LessThanOrEqualTo(200);
    }
}

C#

Now create an interface IstudentBuilder class and write the below code to add the student information.

public interface IstudentBuilder {
    public void AddStudent(Student student);
}

C#

Now create a studentBuilder class and inherit it from the Istudentbuilder interface and implement the method.

public class StudentBuilder: IstudentBuilder {
    public void AddStudent(Student student) {
        // Write your logic to add data into the database
    }
}

C#

Now we need to register our validator class and builder classes to Program.cs like below

using FluentValidation;
using FluentValidationInAspCore;
var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);
// Add services to the container.
builder.Services.AddControllers();
builder.Services.AddEndpointsApiExplorer();
builder.Services.AddSwaggerGen();
builder.Services.AddScoped < IValidator < Student > , StudentValidator > ();
builder.Services.AddScoped < IstudentBuilder, StudentBuilder > ();
var app = builder.Build();
// Configure the HTTP request pipeline.
if (app.Environment.IsDevelopment()) {
    app.UseSwagger();
    app.UseSwaggerUI();
}
app.UseHttpsRedirection();
app.UseAuthorization();
app.MapControllers();
app.Run();

C#

Create the HttpPost endpoint in the Program.cs

Write the below code to create the HTTP POST endpoint in minimal API.

app.MapPost("/student", async (IValidator < Student > validator, IstudentBuilder builder, Student student) => {
    var validationResult = await validator.ValidateAsync(student);
    if (!validationResult.IsValid) {
        return Results.ValidationProblem(validationResult.ToDictionary());
    }
    builder.AddStudent(student);
    return Results.Created($ "/{student.Id}", student);
});

C#

Now run your application on swagger. Click on the Try it out button.

Without giving any value, if you run it, you will see a validation error like below.

So, these are the step to implement model validation to Minimal API in asp.net core 7.0.

Source Code: https://github.com/TheDotNetOffice/FluentValidation-in-minimal-APIs-in-ASP.NET-Core-7.0

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