; Middleware: Ability to build lightweight, high-speed services using the latest ASP.NET Core features.
Data Access: Advanced use of Entity Framework Core (optimized queries, migrations) and Dapper for performance-critical scenarios.
2. Cloud & Infrastructure (Azure-Centric)
Most .NET roles in 2026 require a "DevOps mindset":
Serverless & Messaging: Hands-on experience with Azure Functions, Logic Apps, and event-driven systems using Azure Service Bus or Event Grid.
Containerization: Ability to containerize applications using Docker and manage deployments via Kubernetes (AKS) or Azure Container Apps.
Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Basic proficiency in Terraform, Bicep, or Pulumi to manage environment resources.
3. Architecture & Modern Patterns
Distributed Systems: Understanding of Microservices architecture, Service Mesh (like Istio), and CQRS (Command Query Responsibility Segregation).
Resiliency Patterns: Implementation of Retry, Circuit Breaker, and Fallback patterns using libraries like Polly.
Observability: Setting up and interpreting logs, metrics, and traces using the OpenTelemetry standard and tools like Application Insights or Grafana.
4. AI & Next-Gen Productivity
AI Integration: Experience integrating LLMs into backends via Semantic Kernel or Azure OpenAI SDK.
AI-Assisted Development: Proficiency in using AI tools (GitHub Copilot, Cursor) to accelerate coding, unit test generation, and documentation.
5. Security & Compliance (DevSecOps)
Identity Management: Expertise in OAuth2, OpenID Connect (OIDC), and JWT implementation.
Secure Coding: Knowledge of OWASP Top 10 and experience with automated security scanning (Snyk, Checkmarx) within the CI/CD pipeline.
