Exploring the Latest Features and Enhancements in .NET 8
Tags: webdev, dotnet, performance, vscode
Published: 2024-07-08 12:59:24

As a .NET developer, a .NET development company or a development enthusiast, we all know that Microsoft has released the new dotnet version. This time, we have the .NET 8 in the market, which seems to be quite advanced, high in performance, and a complete package of avant-garde features. 

However, it's a new technology, and that's why everyone takes a step back before utilizing it. Due to this, here I have listed the top five features and enhancements that make it a considerable development technology. In addition, undergoing the enhancements will also help you gain insight and understand Microsoft .NET 8 in a better way. 

So, let’s get started. 

## The Top Features and Enhancements of .NET 8
Following are the top five features and enhancements of .NET 8 that make dotnet a better choice in 2024 and until the next .NET release. 

### #1: Better Performance and Scalability
 Whenever a new .NET version is released, you are going to experience better performance than previous ones. This factor is consistently focused by Microsoft so that .NET applications run faster and smoother than ever.
 
In addition, to improve the performance of .NET 8, Microsoft focused on garbage collection, JIT, and support for ARM64. All these mechanisms together contributed to improving the app's performance. 

* The GC (Garbage Collector) was tuned to minimize latency, better the throughput, and maintain memory in high-traffic hours. 
* The new JIT in .NET 8 helps in faster execution and conversion of intermediate to machine code. Due to this, both server and client-side benefits and app loading are also reduced. 
* With the updates to support ARM64, .NET 8 makes you capable of creating high-performing applications compatible with this platform. 

### #2: Improved Blazor Functionalities 
Blazor is an integral component of the .NET ecosystem. You can utilize it for curating intuitive interfaces using the C# programming language. With the release of .NET 8, it has also received some exclusive improvements, such as: 

* The update provided to WebAssembly of Blazor has made it faster, which is helping the developers to reduce the loading time. Mainly, the tools utilized at runtime are improved so that the interface can function well with the backend logic. 
* You will find a new era of Blazor with .NET 8, as it introduces the Blazor Hybrid. It enables you to combine the benefits of Blazor server and WebAssembly. Because of this, you unlock the potential to leverage the utmost flexibility and performance to handle millions of users with ease. 

### #3: Additional Robustness To ASP.NET Core 
In the realm of the .NET ecosystem, ASP.NET Core is always going to be in your discussions. In Microsoft dotnet 8, it has got some really amazing improvements. The main advancements in ASP.NET Core are minimal APIs, rate-limiting middleware, and SignalR enhancement.
 
In addition, due to minimal APIs, the developers are able to build lightweight .NET applications. As a result, less boilerplate code is analyzed, leading to the easy and quick maintenance of the software. Further, with the help of rate-limiting middleware, you will be able to secure APIs from abuse and ensure their relevant and fair utilization. 

Lastly, the advancement in SignalR helps to optimize real-time communication. It has fastened the data processing capability, leading organizations to offer updates with zero to minimal delays. 

### #4: gRPC Enhancements 
In .NET applications, gRPC helps to enable bidirectional communication with the servers. It ensures that all the transactions are completed simultaneously and that the user device and server are communicating seamlessly. 

In addition, its performance and stability have a major impact on the application. Due to this, in .NET 8, gRPC is highly modified, which makes the usage of protocol buffers more efficient. Moreover, it has received some new tooling, enabling developers to effectively build, test, and debug the gRPC service. 

Furthermore, now you can also integrate with the Visual Studio IDE and configure its operation from your coding platform.
 
### #5: New-Age Security and Compliance 
From the initial release of .NET, Microsoft has always focused on data security and compliance. And from the very beginning dotnet has provided all the relevant mechanisms in the form of default settings and updates to maintain data integrity. 

This time, with the release of .NET 8, the following three main security and compliance updates are provided: 

* New cryptographic algorithms are added to the .NET suite, which will help you prevent attackers, and ensure data confidentiality and integrity. 
* You can configure multi-factor authentication using the built-in components and the OpenID Connect and OAuth 2.0 protocols. 
* The tools provided with the .NET 8 package can aid you in ensuring that the application aligns with relevant standards, such as GDPR, PCI-DSS, and HIPAA. In addition, guidelines to align with other regulatory compliance frameworks are also offered. 

## Concluding Up 
From all the above aspects, we can conclude that .NET 8 has mainly focused on performance, data security, compliance, Blazor, .NET Core, and gRPC. You can use all these features to build highly stable, secure, and scalable applications that can exceptionally boost productivity. 

.NET is a feature-rich technology, and you can’t ignore it with the dotnet 8 version or beyond. And once you utilize it, you’ll get to know about its potential.