We’ll start with some fundamental .NET knowledge and then go on to three different types of talents. Those required for .net developers, more general technical skills, and, ultimately, soft skills that will enhance a developer’s career.
Mastering these 25 skills and technologies will position you as the most in-demand .NET developer on the market. If, on the other hand, you’re looking for a specialist to recruit, this article might help you figure out what abilities to seek for.
What exactly is.NET? What’s the point of that?
The.NET Framework was created by Microsoft in direct response to the popularity of the Java platform. It debuted in 2002 and was designed for object-oriented programming. Today, the.NET development platform includes not just the.NET Framework, but also a number of other technologies that have been developed throughout the nearly 20 years since its initial release. You’ll find.NET Core and Xamarin among them. They all have their own libraries and each serves a unique purpose. While the.NET Framework is the most mature,.NET Core is more platform-agnostic, and Xamarin works on mobile devices. There are also Microsoft-supported libraries for API connections and a plethora of other options.
One significant advantage of the .NET Developer platform is its ease of integration with other Microsoft technologies. It’s also a fairly mature platform with strong backing from Microsoft and the developer community. For all types of.NET programs, you just need one IDE – Visual Studio, also from Microsoft.
.NET Developer Program is ideal for programs with a variety of features. Web-based services, desktop software, and cloud infrastructure are examples. However, it is only suitable for usage in games and the development of Artificial Reality.
Over 60 programming languages are supported by the .NET Developer Framework. Using shared elements, you can write code in more than one of them at the same time and for the same application. Microsoft produced 11 of these languages. The following languages are supported by Microsoft and are worth mentioning:
- C#
- .NET Visual Basic
- C++/CLI
- F#
- PowerShell
- IronPython
What technical skills do.NET developers require?
Visual Studio is a Microsoft-developed integrated development environment (IDE). It increases team collaboration, CI, integrations, and so on when combined with a plethora of extensions from Microsoft and third-party sources.
ASP.NET –
This framework allows you to reuse your code in various places, making it more apparent. It allows you to separate your application’s code from its presentation layer. The framework also supports a wide range of programming models. For example, ASP.NET MVC enables the production of web apps using the MVC design pattern, and ASP.NET Web API simplifies the establishment of HTTP services when developing RESTful apps.
ASP.NET Core is a redesigned version of ASP.NET 4.x that is available not only for Windows but also for macOS and Linux. It also improves your performance.
Entity Framework Core is a lightweight, extendable, open-source, and cross-platform version of Entity Framework that also works with ASP.NET Core.
Roslyn is a platform for.NET compilers. Furthermore, it exposes sets of APIs that allow for more extensive interaction with code. It offers information about the source code and aids with on-demand code analysis.
Xamarin is a.NET development tool and library platform. This is extremely useful for developing mobile apps. Xamarin makes it easy to create native.NET applications. The platform is made up of a foundation framework for accessing native features, libraries for design patterns, platform-specific libraries, and editor extensions that provide mobile development functionality.
All developers must have the same technical competence.
There are also numerous less particular skills. They are critical regardless of the technology stack you choose to master. Of course, how you use them will differ between.NET and, example, React Native. Nonetheless, they are relatively universal for the majority of programmers.
MVC stands for Model-View-Controller.
The controller design pattern is a type of software design pattern. It defines the interactions between the three components of a web application and its graphical user interface.
Databases –
Understanding databases and SQL is essential for both back end and front end developers. It will come in handy not only for programming, but also for testing and issue solving.
Code refactoring —
There are numerous approaches for refactoring code. They are all aiming to rebuild and create simpler and cleaner code, resulting in increased application efficacy. Refactoring does not alter the application’s functionality; it simply improves the code.
SCRUM –
Any software engineer must be able to work in SCRUM and have a solid understanding of Agile development principles. Acquiring this expertise will also allow you to work effectively with Project Managers. In some cases, knowing something about the waterfall approach to project management may be useful.
Frameworks for unit testing –
Unit tests are critical, especially in SCRUM and Test Driven Development, hence they are virtually always used. As a developer, you should be familiar with the tools and frameworks that are appropriate for the tech stack of your choosing. In the case of.NET, for example, you should be familiar with nUnit and SpecFlow (used for test automation for .NET).
Build tools –
You can do it manually for smaller and simpler apps, but for more sophisticated software built by a remote team, you should utilize tools that automate the generation of executable programs. It aids in keeping everything in order. Azure DevOps, Team City, Jenkins, or NAnt and CCNet for.NET are other examples.
Version control is a critical concept in high-quality software development. Furthermore, it enhances the development and testing processes. You should be familiar with Git at the very least. Experience with a Git hosting service (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, etc.) is highly desirable.
SDLC –
Software development life cycle — describes the processes required to develop software successfully. Knowing this notion provides you a better grasp of your profession and how all of our jobs are interconnected.
What soft skills should every developer have?
Similarly to the preceding section, this one applies to almost all developers regardless of technology stack. After all, we are human beings collaborating with others (sometimes remotely). As a result, we require some non-technical characteristics and talents that will allow us to work more efficiently and effectively with others.
Detail-orientedness –
When speaking a foreign language, you can make a lot of mistakes and still be understood. This is not the case with programming languages. As a result, one of the fundamental talents that any programmer should cultivate is attention to detail.
Patience and attention to detail led us here. Software development is a difficult task. However, there is a reward in store for the most tenacious of us. Beautiful code and applications that are extremely efficient.
Logical reasoning —
as in mathematical logic. Because programming is founded on logical relationships, logical thinking is required to comprehend how it works.
It’s not as simple as it sounds to work as a team. Group work is not the same as teamwork. A group of people may work in the same place and do comparable jobs, but they are not a team unless they affect each other’s work. It is this multilateral influence that makes good teamwork so challenging.
Communicativeness –
Effective teamwork necessitates clear and effective communication. You may dislike small talk, but you must know how to use communication at business.
Adaptability to change in a tumultuous environment – first, constant change is a part of our life, and second, requirements can change quickly, especially in agile projects. You do not want to be left behind.
Helpfulness —
The willingness to assist one another is essential for teamwork. Furthermore, it encourages us to create better software. Every team requires attitudes such as knowledge sharing and helpfulness.
Problem-solving abilities are a complicated combination of abilities and attitudes toward obstacles. You will need analytical thinking and inventiveness, among other things. They, along with the proactive approach, will assist you in becoming a problem solver.
Curiosity –
Curiosity and a drive to learn new things are essential traits for all specialists today, not just coders. It will guide you to more effective, innovative, and sometimes dangerous solutions. Growth is impossible without at least a smidgeon of inquisitiveness.
Time management –
The capacity to manage yourself and your duties on time is essential in many industries, but it is especially crucial in creative activities such as programming and software development in general. This importance is evident, especially when your job has a significant impact on other team members.
Is that all that a.NET developer requires?
There is much more to consider in business practice. Expert developers should also be familiar with the industry in which they work. They will thus have a better understanding of the many types of projects that are implemented in a firm. Furthermore, it would be ideal if they were also compatible with the company’s culture.
It appears difficult to find someone like that, and it is. We have, nevertheless, assembled dozens of experienced.NET developer who may assist your company and work on your project. Contact us to learn more about our network of expertise.