What to focus on when learning ASP.NET

If you’re setting out to learn ASP.NET in 2018, you’re probably wondering where to begin.

It was easy when you didn’t have to choose.

There was a time you’d spin up a WebForms app and that was that.

The path was clear, you were at the beginning, the yellow brick road lay ahead and took you straight to the Emerald City.

Then people began to question the Emerald City, rumours floated that the Wizard wasn’t even a real wizard and the path forked in two.

Now there was a choice. Stick with WebForms or try MVC.

MVC was fresh, slightly risky, but potentially a better path that might get you to a shinier, newer Emerald city, one with a real wizard.

Fast forward a few years and the yellow brick road has split off in all directions.

ASP.NET or ASP.NET Core. MVC or Razor Pages. Web API and/or a front-end framework? Which front-end framework?

Narrow your focus.#

Try answering this question.

Why are you trying to learn ASP.NET?

Feel free to shout your own answer at the screen but I’m guessing it might come down to wanting to get a job.

What job? One in your local area? Or perhaps you’re looking to relocate?

Either way try this.

Find one of the online jobs sites (like Indeed or Monster) and try searching for “.net” roles in your local area.

If you don’t find anything it might pay to switch up your search keywords a little.

For example…

• ASP.NET
• .NET
• React
• Web API
• Angular
• Vue

Now you have something to go off.

If Angular comes up more often than anything else (in relation to .net roles) you can decide to start there. If everyone in your area seems to be using React, perhaps you could focus on building one tiny feature, using React.js and ASP.NET Web API.

Think of it as stacking the odds in your favour. You could try to learn “everything” but that’s a pretty big assignment.

Practice the fundamentals#