Microsoft has unveiled .NET Aspire 9.1, a significant update aimed at streamlining the developer experience through a host of new dashboard features and quality of life enhancements based on developer feedback.
Resource Relationships
The latest release introduces a “parent–child” resource model. This means that if you create a Postgres instance that contains multiple databases, these databases are now nested under the main instance on the Resource page.
Localisation Overrides
While the dashboard traditionally mirrors your browser’s language, you can now override this default. A new language dropdown lets you set the dashboard language independently, ensuring a more personalised interface.
Advanced Filtering
Locating specific resources is now easier. Users can filter the Resource page by type, state, and health status, allowing for quicker and more precise management of their resources.
Expanded Resource Details
Clicking on any resource now reveals a richer details pane. This includes additional data points such as References, Back references, and Volumes with their respective mount types, providing deeper insight into your infrastructure.
CORS Support for Custom Local Domains
Developers can now configure the dashboard to accept telemetry from other browser applications running on custom local domains by setting the DOTNET_DASHBOARD_CORS_ALLOWED_ORIGINS environment variable.
Enhanced Console Log Flexibility
The console log page has been improved with new options. Not only can you download logs for external analysis, but you can also toggle timestamps on or off to minimise visual clutter during troubleshooting.
Beyond the core dashboard enhancements, .NET Aspire 9.1 introduces several additional UX improvements:
- Start and Stop buttons are now accessible directly from the console logs page.
- A single selection now opens resources in the text visualiser.
- Within log entries, URLs are now automatically converted into clickable links, with any commas removed from their endpoints.
- When switching between resources, the scroll position now resets automatically.
.NET Aspire 9.1 isn’t only about dashboard refinements; Microsoft has packed in a range of additional features as well:
- Start Resources on Demand: With the WithExplicitStart() option, you can now choose to delay the start of specific resources until you’re ready to activate them via the dashboard.
- Improved Docker Integration: The PublishAsDockerfile() feature gives you full customisation over your Docker containers and Dockerfiles during the publishing process.
- Tidier Docker Networks: A long-standing issue (tracked as issue #6504) where Docker networks remained active post-application shutdown has been resolved, leading to a cleaner development environment.
- Enhanced Dev Container Support: Improved compatibility for Dev Containers in GitHub Codespaces and Visual Studio Code further bolsters the development workflow.
Check out the complete list of new features here.
Microsoft is inviting the community to join the .NET Aspire Community Standup, where you can watch detailed demonstrations and learn more about the new features. Developers are also encouraged to share feedback and contribute via GitHub and Discord, as well as peruse the official documentation for further insights.
With .NET Aspire 9.1, Microsoft reaffirms its commitment to evolving its tools in line with developer needs, providing a more robust, customisable, and user-friendly platform for modern application development.
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