New Framework for C# (.NET) Gains Popularity: What Developers Need to Know

New framework for C# (.NET) gaining popularity: what developers need to know

The .NET ecosystem continues to actively develop, and a new player has appeared on the horizon that is rapidly capturing the attention of C# developers. We are talking about the FastEndpoints framework — a lightweight alternative to the traditional ASP.NET Core Minimal API. Over the past few months, the number of stars on the project's GitHub has exceeded 4,500, and the number of downloads of the NuGet package has surpassed 500 thousand. What makes this framework so attractive?

Key features of FastEndpoints

FastEndpoints is a framework for creating REST APIs in C# that offers developers a more intuitive and performant approach compared to standard ASP.NET controllers. Its main philosophy is "one endpoint = one class". This simplifies the code structure and makes it more predictable.

• Maximum performance: According to benchmarks, FastEndpoints runs 25-30% faster than standard controllers due to a minimal number of abstractions and direct work with the HTTP context.
• Built-in validation: The framework uses FluentValidation "out of the box", allowing you to describe validation rules directly in the endpoint class, reducing the amount of boilerplate code.
• Automatic documentation: Generation of Swagger/OpenAPI specifications happens without additional configuration — just add description attributes.
• Convenient testing: Built-in support for test clients allows you to write integration tests 2 times faster than when using the standard WebApplicationFactory.

Why are developers switching to FastEndpoints?

The main reason for the growth in popularity is fatigue from bulky controllers and excessive configuration in classic ASP.NET. FastEndpoints offers an approach close to functional programming: each endpoint is a pure function with a clear input and output. This is especially valued in microservice architecture, where component isolation is important.

Additionally, the framework actively supports .NET 8 and the newest features of C# 12, such as primary constructors and collection expressions. This makes it attractive for those who want to use the most modern platform capabilities without compromises.

Real-world implementation examples

According to a JetBrains survey for 2024, 12% of .NET developers have already tried FastEndpoints in commercial projects. Companies specializing in fintech and e-commerce report a reduction in development time for a new API endpoint from 4 hours to 1.5 hours after switching to this framework.

The case of one startup in the logistics sector is particularly illustrative: replacing 80% of standard controllers with FastEndpoints allowed them to reduce code by 40% and improve API response time by 22% under peak loads.

How to start using it?

Installing the framework is simple — just add the NuGet package to the project:

dotnet add package FastEndpoints

A basic endpoint looks like this:

public class MyEndpoint : Endpoint<MyRequest, MyResponse>{    public override void Configure()    {        Get("/api/hello");        AllowAnonymous();    }

    public override async Task HandleAsync(MyRequest req, CancellationToken ct)    {        await SendAsync(new MyResponse { Message = $"Hello, {req.Name}!" });    }}