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How to Successfully Migrate from .NET Framework to .NET Core

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Overview

Introduction

Let's say you are working at a company, and there is an application written in the .NET Framework that has been in use for 15 years and is now considered legacy. How can we modernize this application using current technologies?

I have had a similar experience in the past. To summarize what we did, here are the steps we followed:

  • Clarify the Business Requirements: This is where the role of a Business Analyst or Product Owner becomes important. In my experience, there were people who understood the product well, and we could communicate with them easily. We learned the core functions of the product from them and rewrote them using new technology.

  • Decide on the Technologies to Use: It's important to determine which language or technology the application will be rewritten in, and to establish the architectural structure. In my experience, I migrated to .NET Core 6 and used a Clean Architecture approach.

  • Define Tasks and Share Recurring Work with Team Members: We assigned basic CRUD operations to junior team members to distribute tasks effectively.

  • Testing: It's important to have people with prior experience test the application and provide feedback. Their insights can be invaluable in ensuring that the updated application meets the necessary standards and functions correctly.

By following these steps, you can successfully modernize a legacy application and leverage the advantages of new technologies to improve functionality and maintainability.

Additional Tips

  • Incremental Migration: For large projects, consider an incremental migration strategy where parts of the application are gradually moved to .NET Core.

  • Use Containers: Consider using Docker containers to create a consistent environment for both development and production.

  • Stay Informed: Keep up to date with the latest .NET Core releases and community best practices to continually improve your application.

.NET Upgrade Assistant

The .NET Upgrade Assistant is a tool that helps you migrate your legacy .NET applications to .NET Core or newer versions. It automates much of the upgrade process by analyzing your code, identifying issues, and applying necessary changes. The tool also updates project files and dependencies, making the transition easier and faster. Using the .NET Upgrade Assistant can save you time and effort when modernizing your application.

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