10 ASP.NET Core Books That Separate Experts from Amateurs

When Valerio De Sanctis first discovered the potential of combining ASP.NET Core 6 with Angular 13, he crafted a resource that walks you through creating robust, modern web applications with a full-stack approach. You’ll learn to build data models using Entity Framework Core, implement reactive forms in Angular, and enhance your apps with real-time updates using SignalR. The book also dives into advanced debugging, unit testing with xUnit, Jasmine, and Karma, and securing your applications with authentication and authorization. If you want to master both frontend and backend development seamlessly and deploy your apps confidently, this book offers a hands-on path tailored for experienced developers ready to level up their skills.

When Andrew Lock first realized the power of ASP.NET Core for cross-platform web development, he set out to guide intermediate C# developers through its evolving landscape in this second edition. Drawing on his decade of experience and deep expertise from Cambridge to the Microsoft MVP community, Lock takes you from fundamental HTTP concepts to advanced framework customization, including Razor Pages and the new hosting model. You'll learn practical skills like dependency injection, authentication with Identity, and building background services, illustrated with annotated code and real examples. If you're aiming to build scalable, secure web applications with ASP.NET Core 5.0, this book offers a solid, hands-on path without unnecessary fluff, though beginners may find it demanding.

This tailored book offers a personalized framework for mastering ASP.NET Core, focusing on your unique goals and experience level. It provides a comprehensive exploration of core components such as middleware, dependency injection, routing, and security, alongside advanced topics like cloud deployment and API design. By cutting through generic advice, it delivers targeted insights that fit your specific development context, whether building web applications, APIs, or full-stack solutions. The book emphasizes implementation strategies grounded in your background and objectives, ensuring clarity on best practices and tool integrations relevant to your projects. This personalized approach enables efficient skill growth tailored directly to your ASP.NET Core journey.

Valerio De Sanctis brings over two decades of experience in web development and leadership roles to this focused guide on building web APIs with ASP.NET Core. Drawing from his background as a CTO and Microsoft MVP, he walks you through creating robust APIs using REST and GraphQL standards, starting from environment setup to deployment on cloud platforms like Azure. You'll gain hands-on skills in integrating SQL Server, using Entity Framework Core for data modeling, crafting backend controllers, and documenting APIs with Swagger. This book suits developers familiar with .NET who want a practical project-based approach to mastering API development with ASP.NET Core's latest tools.

Andrew Lock, a Microsoft MVP with a PhD from Cambridge, brings over a decade of professional .NET experience to this detailed guide on ASP.NET Core 7.0. You’ll gain hands-on skills building everything from minimal APIs that serve JSON to dynamic Razor Pages for server-side rendering, alongside mastering authentication, data storage with Entity Framework Core, and custom middleware creation. The book’s chapter on dependency injection demystifies this core ASP.NET concept, while later sections delve into testing with xUnit and application security. If you’re aiming to build cross-platform, production-ready web apps using C# and ASP.NET Core, this book equips you with the essential tools and up-to-date patterns to get there efficiently.

Adam Freeman’s extensive experience in software development and passion for teaching shine through in this detailed guide to ASP.NET Core MVC 2. You’ll gain a thorough understanding of the framework’s architecture and how to build cloud-optimized, mobile-ready web applications using the latest features, including view filters and Docker deployment. Freeman doesn’t just skim the surface—he walks you step-by-step through a fully functional case study that serves as a practical template for your projects. If you’re aiming to deepen your mastery of modern ASP.NET Core MVC, whether updating existing apps or starting fresh, this book offers clear, in-depth explanations alongside real-world implementation.

This personalized ASP.NET Core guide provides a tailored framework for accelerating your development skills through a focused 30-day roadmap. It emphasizes daily actionable steps curated specifically to match your background and goals, enabling efficient skill acquisition without wading through irrelevant material. The book covers foundational concepts such as middleware, dependency injection, and API development, progressing into advanced topics like security practices, performance tuning, and deployment strategies. By delivering a daily structured plan that fits your unique context, this tailored approach bridges the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical implementation, helping you build robust, scalable ASP.NET Core applications systematically and effectively.

When Valerio De Sanctis challenges the usual separation of front-end and back-end development, he draws on two decades of deep experience to bridge ASP.NET Core 5 and Angular 11 in one cohesive workflow. You’ll learn to build robust Single Page Applications and Progressive Web Apps that handle everything from data modeling with Entity Framework Core to deploying on Azure or Linux servers. Chapters detail debugging with Visual Studio 2019 and implementing unit tests using xUnit and Jasmine, giving you concrete skills to produce secure, maintainable web applications. If you’re comfortable with ASP.NET and Angular basics but want to master their integration and deployment, this book offers a clear, detailed path without fluff.

What if everything you knew about integrating frontend and backend web development was upended? Carl Rippon argues that mastering full-stack development today demands fluency in both the latest .NET 5 backend features and React with TypeScript on the frontend. Drawing from two decades in software and nearly a decade building single-page applications, Rippon guides you through creating scalable REST APIs, securing them with identity policies, and crafting robust React components using hooks and Redux. The book’s chapters balance backend API controllers and model binding with frontend state management and testing, making it ideal for developers ready to build production-grade, cloud-ready apps. If you want hands-on exposure to integrating .NET and modern JavaScript frameworks, this book offers concrete techniques without fluff.

What started as Dino Esposito's extensive experience navigating the evolving ASP.NET landscape became a detailed manual for mastering ASP.NET Core. You gain hands-on understanding of key technologies like MVC, Razor Pages, Entity Framework Core, and ASP.NET Identity, along with practical guidance on dependency injection and cross-platform development. The book walks you through structuring projects, managing authentication and authorization, and building APIs and mobile-friendly web views. If you're aiming to build robust, production-ready web applications with ASP.NET Core, this book offers a solid foundation without unnecessary complexity.

Drawing from decades of senior IT leadership, Adam Freeman delivers a thorough exploration of ASP.NET Core 3, aimed at developers ready to deepen their understanding beyond basics. You learn to master middleware, dependency injection, endpoint routing, Blazor, and Razor Pages with practical code examples that clarify complex concepts. The book walks you through building cloud-ready web applications, highlighting MVC 3 and RESTful services, making it highly relevant for professionals updating existing skills or transitioning to ASP.NET Core 3. If you have some Microsoft web development background, this book equips you with the tools to leverage new features effectively, though absolute beginners might find some sections demanding.

What if everything you thought about learning ASP.NET Core MVC was incomplete? Joel Murach, drawing from over 30 years of programming book experience and a legacy in technical publishing, compiles a methodical approach that teaches you not just to code, but to build maintainable web apps using the MVC pattern. You’ll learn core skills like responsive design, debugging with Visual Studio tools, and database integration with EF Core, plus advanced topics such as dependency injection, custom tag helpers, and cloud deployment with Azure. This book is tailored for developers with C# basics aiming to master professional-grade ASP.NET Core web development.