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Software build automation sweetness: Getting started with Cake

Fancy some Cake? While cakes in all their forms are usually a delicious treat, the Cake I’m referring to is a build automation system written in C#. Nonetheless, if you haven’t used Cake before I’m sure you’ll find it just as sweet an experience! Let’s dive right in with a definition of Cake, taken from…

How to generate a cryptographically secure random string in .NET with C#

InProgramming Security

Security is an implicit requirement in practically every software application. As a software developer, it is very important to be aware of the security implications of any code that you write, ensuring that you are protecting users and their data. Many applications need to make use of secure random strings for various purposes. One of…

Query to list all indexes in a SQL Server database

InSQL

Whenever I’m analysing the performance of a SQL Server database, I often find myself needing to retrieve a list of all indexes for review. Missing or unsuitable indexes are a leading cause of SQL Server slowdowns, so it can be very useful to view the existing indexes to get an idea of how heavily indexed…

SQL Server Replication: How to completely remove replication

InSQL Server Merge Replication

SQL Server Replication provides a comprehensive set of features for synchronising data between SQL Server databases and can be configured to suit many different scenarios. As a business scales and its software requirements change, it’s not uncommon for the data architecture to also change. When this happens there may be a need to move data…

Working with SecureString in .NET applications

InProgramming Security

The SecureString class is a .NET type that provides an increased level of security for sensitive in-memory data. Having said that, the security benefits of SecureString have been widely debated. The general consensus is that SecureString can help to increase application security if used properly, however, the inherent advantages are somewhat limited in scope. Despite…

Overcoming dependency injection hurdles with TinyIoC: A lightweight Inversion of Control container

InProgramming

Sometimes when embarking on a software project you may find yourself wishing that you had a lightweight way of achieving Inversion of Control (IoC) via dependency injection. On the other hand, you might not be very familiar with the principle of IoC, but have heard it can be very beneficial and are looking for a…

Chrome Developer Tools: Speed up changes to your web app front-end with Workspaces

InWeb

Most front-end web developers are aware of the developer tools that are built into modern web browsers such as Google Chrome. Many of these developers also use some of the available features to help debug their applications. However, in my experience, not many developers have put in the effort required to learn the full extent…

How to obfuscate .NET assemblies with ConfuserEx

InProgramming Security

Software assemblies containing managed code, such as those used by .NET applications can be easily decompiled into readable source code using free decompilation tools. This can present a challenge to application vendors who have a desire to prevent their code from being viewed or changed due to copyright or potential security concerns. For any application…

Believe, Empower, Inspire: Don’t Let Your Disability Deter You From Your Career Goals

InCareer

Guest post by Linda Chase from Able Hire. If we want to (or feel a need to), we can find inspiration around us daily, whether it’s a friend emerging from bankruptcy to become a successful CEO, or simply finding hope in a gentle sunrise. Some of the most exciting inspirational sources are those that appear…

Learning the Kusto Query Language (KQL) with Application Insights Logs

InWeb

Application Insights is a powerful Azure feature for monitoring web applications. It collects a wide range of useful data that you can analyse either in real-time or by executing queries against logs at a later point in time. The logs that are stored by Application Insights enable you to see how your web requests are…

Software build automation sweetness: Getting started with Cake

How to generate a cryptographically secure random string in .NET with C#

Query to list all indexes in a SQL Server database

SQL Server Replication: How to completely remove replication

Working with SecureString in .NET applications

Overcoming dependency injection hurdles with TinyIoC: A lightweight Inversion of Control container

Chrome Developer Tools: Speed up changes to your web app front-end with Workspaces

How to obfuscate .NET assemblies with ConfuserEx

Believe, Empower, Inspire: Don’t Let Your Disability Deter You From Your Career Goals

Learning the Kusto Query Language (KQL) with Application Insights Logs

Getting started with YARP

Styling Blazor child components with CSS Isolation: What you really need to know

How to create Mermaid diagrams with ease using GitHub Copilot and Visual Studio