Hire .NET Core Developers
Microsoft dropped the word Core from the product name with .NET 5, but people still search for it, and they mean the same thing: the open-source, cross-platform .NET that runs on Linux and in containers as readily as on Windows. This page is about building on that platform. For older .NET Framework systems, see our .NET developers page.
An ASP.NET Core developer from PWTECH works in your repository and pipeline and is managed by you day to day. We are the employer and arrange cover. You and the engineer speak directly.
ASP.NET Core work, item by item
Modern .NET is mainly used for web APIs and services. These are the jobs a developer on this platform is asked to do.
Web APIs
Minimal APIs or controllers, chosen to suit the size of the service. Model validation, problem-details error responses, versioning, built-in rate limiting and an OpenAPI document produced from the code.
Data access with EF Core
Migrations kept in source control, queries projected to DTOs, no-tracking reads, compiled queries for hot paths, and split queries where a single join would multiply rows. Dapper is used where hand-written SQL is clearer.
Background and scheduled processing
Hosted services and worker projects that consume from Azure Service Bus, RabbitMQ or Kafka. Cancellation tokens are honoured so a deployment does not cut a job in half.
Blazor and SignalR
Interactive interfaces written in C#, rendered on the server, in the browser through WebAssembly, or a mixture chosen per component. SignalR provides live updates, with a backplane when several instances are running.
Containers and cloud deployment
Small Linux images, configuration from environment and secret stores, health and readiness endpoints, and pipelines that build, test and release on each merge. Native AOT is considered where start-up time matters.
Release-to-release upgrades
Moving a service from one .NET version to the next: target framework, package updates, review of the published breaking changes, and a test run. Done yearly, this is a small job. Left for several releases, it grows.
Current .NET tooling our engineers use
Most of what a service needs now ships with the platform. Third-party libraries fill the remaining gaps.
- Web
- ASP.NET CoreMinimal APIsBlazorSignalRgRPCKestrel
- Data
- EF CoreDapperSQL ServerPostgreSQLAzure Cosmos DBRedis
- Messaging
- Azure Service BusRabbitMQApache Kafka
- Identity
- ASP.NET Core IdentityMicrosoft Entra IDOpenID ConnectJWT bearer tokens
- Testing and diagnostics
- xUnitNSubstituteTestcontainersOpenTelemetrySerilogBenchmarkDotNet
- Delivery
- DockerKubernetesAzure App ServiceGitHub ActionsAzure DevOps
Seniority on a modern .NET team
C# is a large language and gains features every year. The levels below reflect how well a developer uses the platform, not how many keywords they know.
Junior
Adds endpoints, entities, validators and unit tests to an existing service. Understands dependency injection and async methods at a working level. May block on a task or choose the wrong service lifetime without review.
Choose when: the service is already structured and a senior engineer approves each pull request.
Mid-level
Builds a feature through every layer and deploys it. Writes integration tests against a real database in a container. Understands the middleware pipeline and knows why a scoped service must not be captured by a singleton.
Choose when: the design is agreed and you want consistent progress on the backlog.
Senior
Sets the solution structure, chooses between a modular monolith and separate services, and defines how services authenticate to one another. Investigates allocation and thread pool problems with the diagnostic tools. Mentors the other developers.
Choose when: you are starting a new platform, the load is significant, or architectural choices have not been made.
The first month, step by step
Brief us
State the .NET version, the hosting target, the database and the work required. For a new build, a list of the main features and integrations is sufficient.
Meet your candidate
A single engineer is put forward by name. You conduct the interview and may set a technical exercise. Say no and we will propose another.
Complete a first small delivery
One endpoint with tests, or one bug traced and fixed. It confirms that access, pipeline and communication all work.
Proceed with weekly reporting
From then on the developer works through your backlog in your tools. You are sent a weekly account of finished and blocked work, and one invoice for the month.
ASP.NET Core developer rates
Our rates are published. Pick the role and move the sliders for an indicative budget.
Rate card
| Role | Hourly | Monthly* |
|---|---|---|
| Frontend / WordPress | AED 110 | AED 17,600 |
| Backend / API | AED 118 | AED 18,880 |
| Full-stack | AED 129 | AED 20,640 |
| Mobile (React Native / Flutter) | AED 129 | AED 20,640 |
| DevOps / Cloud | AED 147 | AED 23,520 |
| AI / Automation engineer | AED 165 | AED 26,400 |
| QA / Test engineer | AED 92 | AED 14,720 |
| UI / UX design | AED 103 | AED 16,480 |
*160 hrs/month full-time. Rates are indicative for planning, in UAE dirhams (converted from our US-dollar rates at the fixed peg of 3.6725), before VAT where applicable, and depend on seniority, contract length and timezone overlap. Longer engagements and multi-role teams are discounted — ask.
Is this the right fit for a modern .NET project?
We are a good choice when
- You are building or extending services on a current .NET release.
- Your team writes C# and needs more developers without a long recruitment process.
- You deploy to Linux containers or Azure and want someone familiar with both.
- You are a product company or agency that needs .NET engineers for the long run.
Look elsewhere when
- Your application is Web Forms or WinForms on .NET Framework. Our .NET developers page describes that work.
- You have a single minor task and nothing planned after it.
- The developer must work from your office.
- You need a fixed price now for requirements that are still being discussed.
ASP.NET Core questions from technical leads
Which .NET version should a new project target?
The latest long-term support release. A new version appears each November; even-numbered ones carry long-term support and odd-numbered ones a shorter term. Check the support end date of your current version, because upgrades are easiest when made before it passes.
Minimal APIs or controllers?
Minimal APIs mean less ceremony and suit small and medium services. Controllers offer more conventions and are familiar to most .NET teams. Both run on the same pipeline and can exist in one project, so the decision is not permanent.
Can our services run on Linux?
Yes. ASP.NET Core runs on Linux, Windows and macOS, and Linux containers are the usual production target. The exceptions are libraries that call Windows-only APIs, which we identify before the move.
When is Native AOT worth using?
When fast start-up and low memory matter, for example serverless functions and small utilities. It restricts reflection and dynamic code, and some libraries, including parts of EF Core, are not fully compatible. For a long-running API the ordinary runtime is normally the better choice.
Who owns the source code?
You. It is committed to your repository from the outset, and the agreement states ownership and confidentiality terms in writing.
What happens when the developer is unavailable?
We nominate a replacement for your approval. Since the repository, pipeline and notes are all yours, the incoming engineer has what they need to continue.
Outline the service you are building
Give us a brief description: what the service is for, the .NET version and hosting, and the first deliverable. You will get a reply within one business day.