Best Practices to Boost ASP.NET Core Application Performance

ASP.NET or ASP.NET core development services are synonyms with the words like flexibility, simplicity, security, customizability, etc. Although it comes with many perks, there is always this hidden scope that can still help you make the best out of it. We are sure you are wondering what this hidden scope could be! It's two words, and we can say it's the power behind the throne. 

Any guesses? Well, it's the 'best practices. And they boost ASP.NET core application performance. In addition, best practices offer a stable foundation to the developers, which can help in the accessible building of the application. Yet, one needs to perform frequent checks to the apt working of the application. 

We all know a lot about ASP.NET features and ASP.NET core development services, etc. On the other hand, not all of us know about ASP.NET best practices that can improve the performance of ASP.NET core applications. So, we thought, why not enlighten our curious audience with a detailed blog? 

Let's Discuss Best Practices To Boost ASP.NET Core Application Performance

Let's dive in!

Always go for the latest version.

If you are an experienced ASP.NET core developer, you probably know the importance of using the latest version of any platform. The newest version is much better as it comes with a new upgrade, advanced features, and better performance.

For instance, the .NET 2.1 version upgraded with the addition of JIT compiler, benefitted span <T> Tags, etc. The next version, i.e., 2.2, has support for HTTP/2.

Then came ASP.NET core 3.0, powered by the fast memory reading and writing assembly, unloads ability, etc. Version 5 came with simplified processing and optimized performance capabilities.

Do you see what happened here? Every version came with something that the previous version lacked. This is the reason why one must always prefer the latest version.

Say no to synchronous calls.

Are you thinking about processing multiple requests simultaneously? Then you need to design an ASP.NET core application. Asynchronous API is that brilliant thing that permits all the small groups of threads to tackle hundreds and thousands of requests sent simultaneously without waiting for the calls to be blocked. Rather than waiting for a long sync task to run, threads can run on other requests.

Call blocking is one of the most performance issues in ASP.NET core applications, which has the possibility of being asynchronous. Most synchronous blocking calls lead to mishaps like thread pooling and poor response time.

Pay close attention to caching.

One way to enhance the application performance is by minimizing the request numbers. Don't worry; it doesn't mean you don't call the server, but it means that you don’t make a call to the server every single time. 

Initially, the first call made to the server, and the received response is stored. So, the next time the server receives the call from any matching response, it goes looking for a similarity in the stored data. And if the matching data is found, the information is directly retrieved from the server instead of making any call.

Few of the tested and proven caching techniques are,

• In-memory caching
• Distributed Cache
• Cache tag helper
• Distributed cache tag helper

Optimize Data Access

Along with optimizing data access logic, one can also optimize things like business logic or custom middleware code. When these codes are optimized or refactored, it enhances the efficiency of applications. 

Here is how you can do that!

• Configure custom logging, Authentication, or any code handler that runs on every request
• Ensure to never carry long-running custom execution in the business logic layer. This is because it blocks the request to go to the server, delaying the result. 
• Ensure you check the long-term tasks and perform them asynchronously without affecting the process.

Utilize the exceptions judicially

As the name suggests, exceptions are uncommon. Comparatively, throwing and capturing the exceptions can cost more time than any other pattern of code flows. We recommend you not to throw and grab exceptions to any usual program flow. Go for the exceptions only when they are required. 

One can use the tools like app diagnostic tools to spot the standard exceptions in the apps and understand their functionality. 

Optimize Custom Code in ASP.NET applications

One of the most loved practice to solve the ASP.Net performance problem is by optimizing code and business logic. Optimizing, also known as refactoring, enables the ASP.NET applications to be more efficient.

Here are a few things you can do to attain your desired results.

• Configure securely the things like Custom logging, authentication, or anyone that handles the code on another request.
• If you want to save time and prevent the blocking of the request that goes to the server, we suggest you to avoid long-running custom execution.
• Ensure that every long-term task is performed asynchronously. In a nut-shell let no process be disturbed.
• Real-time client server communication is the best way to work asynchronously.

These were some of the ways to optimize data and seamlessly solve the ASP.NET performance problems.

Go for JSON serialization

We insist to go for this best practice because for JSON serialization .NET core utilizes System.Text.Json. The meaning of this extremely simple and powerful. It means one can seamlessly read and write JSON asynchronously and no one needs to wait for the other processes to be executed. Besides, Syatem.Text.Json also has other meanings like high performance, low allocation, complaint functionality, JSON text serialization objects, and vice versa.

Choose Response caching middleware

Using middleware components will lead you to quick code configuration. It optimizes often-called code paths and store responses. You can seek this component in Microsoft. ASP.NETCore. ResponseCaching package.

Here is how you can add service collection in Startup.ConfigureServices.

public void ConfigureServices(IServiceCollection services)

{

services.AddResponseCaching();

services.AddRazorPages();

}

Response Compression

Response compression is yet another powerful middleware component in ASP.NET Core. As the name suggests it compresses the file size that eventually enhances the .NET applications performance.

It has CSS, JavaScript, HTML, XML, and JSON. One thing to notice here is the response is not compressed natively.

Ensure to avoid compressing natively compressed files like PNG files. In addition, also avoid files that fall under the smaller range that is 150-1000 bytes.

Use Exceptions Judicially

Since exceptions are a rare occurrence, throwing and catching them can consume more time in comparison to other flow patterns. Avoid throwing and grabbing exceptions to the usual program flow. One can go for app diagnostic tools like Application insights to recognize common exceptions.

Additional Tips to boost the performance of your .Net application

• Instead of going for Reques.Form go for ReadFormAsync
• Avoid storing HttpContext in a field
• HTTPContext must not be accessed from multiple threads. We suggest this because it does not assure security and can lead to undefined behavior like hangs, crashes, and data corruption
• Another thing like capturing services injected into the background threads must be avoided
• Say no to status code or headers modification after the response body has started as ASP.NET Core

While these were some of the things that developers can do, there are a few things that you can do for client-side improvement.

• Bundling and Minification

Content optimization is essential before one load and uses magnification. The best thing to do is minimize the code and load all your client-side assets in one go; assets being JS/CSS. To load faster bundle the minified files. It is just how you do it to zip file

• Keep the JavaScript loading for the end

Loading JavaScript files at the end will help you render your website in minimum time. By the time JavaScript files are executed, DOM elements are already present.

• Shrink Elements

The best way to minimize the loading time is to shrink the images with the help of compression tools. You definitely would want to do this as large images consume a lot of time.

Conclusion:

So that was all. These are some of the practices that we believe will boost the performance of your ASP.NET core application. 

Clarion Technologies is well equipped and experienced to offer you driven ASP.NET application development services. Contact us no more.