How to Architect and Build
Production-Ready .NET Applications

With scalable, secure, and testable architecture that follows best practices and uses the latest .NET features

… even if you haven’t worked on a project from scratch before

If you want to know how to build professional .NET Web API applications…

… so you can become a better developer,

… to get promoted within your company,

… or apply with confidence for more senior positions with better salaries,


Then you are in the right place... 

But first, let me know if one of these describes you:

YOU work on a legacy .NET Framework project.

(that maybe includes some older stack such as ASP.NET Web Forms, Win Forms…). The application was written by developers who have long left the company.

YOU know how to build new features by mimicking how the existing features have been implemented.

But you are unsure if you are following best practices. Or suspect that the existing code doesn’t follow good architectural principles.

YOU have never worked on a project from scratch.

And struggle to keep up with the latest .NET features.

Ask yourself: Do I write the C# code like I did 5 years ago?

Multi Layer Image

Sounds familiar?

If it does, it’s not your fault.

And it even gets worse when you start learning and upskilling on your own.

You soon realize that building a .NET project that follows the best practices and has a structure that can scale and support a high workload  is not a straightforward task.

Why?

Because there is so much cool stuff in the .NET ecosystem: Clean architecture, vertical slices, CQRS, DDD, microservices, modular monolith…

But here’s what happens when you mash all these concepts together without understanding whether or not you need them in the first place:

  • Adding unnecessary abstractions and layers leads to lasagna code. Where you need to change 3 interfaces, 17 files across 5 projects to return an additional field from the database.
  • Repository classes with 100 methods for querying and various kinds of updates.
  • Interfaces for everything and mocking that leads to tests that just check that one class calls another class. Every time you want to modify your code to make future changes easier, 3 tests break for no reason.

Those are some of the issues I’ve seen during my 12 years of career while working on 5 different enterprise projects, which have brought millions of Euros in yearly revenue.

I saw a long range of projects with both bad and good practices. Experienced everything from .NET Framework 4.0 to .NET Core 8. 

I’ve also had the chance to work on new projects and transform existing projects:

  • Set up a project structure that enables easy navigation and doesn’t lead to multiple developers changing the same file at once and causing merge conflicts.
  • Introduce unit and integration tests to the existing project. And wrote hundreds of maintainable tests.
  • Apply best practices, as well as different architectural and design patterns based on specific requirements of the project.

Let me show you how you can do the same.

Hi, my name is Kristijan Kralj.

And I’m a senior .NET developer with 13+ years of experience.

For the last 3 years, I have been working on projects that use a modern .NET stack and follow good engineering practices.

But it hasn’t been always like that.

My journey as a software developer began in 2012 when I worked on a project that used Win Forms. After that, I switched to a project that used ASP.NET Web Forms.

But in 2021, I’ve started to fear my current job will make me obsolete. After 6 years on a project, it felt like I was starting to repeat the same year of experience. Over and over.

Meanwhile, while looking at other job postings, everyone else was having fun working on projects that use the latest technologies.

So I took action, made an app using the latest .NET version, and attached it to the job I applied.
And I got the job after we discussed in the interview the app I’ve built.
If you feel your job is making you obsolete, I want to help you.

That’s why I packed all my experience and knowledge into one practical material.

13
+

Years of Experience

5

Enterprise Projects I Have Worked On

42
K+

Linkedin Followers

Introducing for the first time…

Backend Brilliance: Architect and Build Professional .NET Applications


Step-by-step guide on how to build well-structured, maintainable, scalable, testable, and secure production-ready .NET 8 applications.

Perfect for .NET developers with 4+ years of experience who want to:

  • Progress their career into more senior or architect positions,
  • Stay up to date with all the latest .NET features and implement them at production-grade level,
  • Follow industry best practices.
  • Confidently make architectural decisions.

 

You will learn how to:

Architect, design, and develop more robust and scalable solutions using the CIA solution structure

(if you have worked mainly on legacy and maintenance projects, this will help you decide the proper architecture for new projects)

Design layers and learn when to use abstractions and interfaces

(and when they are unnecessary)

Write unit tests for your business logic & set up fast integration tests that target your API endpoints

… even if you haven’t written a single unit test before
(so you have tests that help improve the design and reliability of your software, enable safer refactoring, and reduce bugs found by clients)

Strengthen your Web API security

using Authentication, Authorization, and Role-Based Access Control
(you will be able to produce higher-quality software that meets industry standards)

What’s inside the Backend Brilliance (total value €293)

Over the 3 modules and 42 lessons, you will gradually build a well-structured, scalable, secure, testable, and fully functional .NET Web API application.

Here's a sneak peak of the course:

Let me explain each course module and all bonuses you get.

Core module
Software Architecture Workshop

Learn how to combine principles from different architectures, such as Clean Architecture and Vertical Slice Architecture, to create an organized and well-structured .NET solution that you won’t have to change drastically when new requirements come.

Master Minimal APIs and use them to build features in a clean way.

Learn how to isolate the database layer and manage external dependencies to avoid tight coupling.

Core module
Automated Testing Workshop

Learn how to write maintainable unit and integration tests, even if you have no previous experience with writing tests.

Write unbreakable unit tests that don’t stop you from refactoring the code.

Write fast API integration tests that execute fast and are isolated from other tests.

Core module
Web API Security Workshop

Make security your top priority.

Learn how to use authentication, authorization, role-based access control, and JWT tokens to build a bulletproof Web API solution.

bonus
2x Complete Source Code (value €100)

Two complete versions of the source code of the app implemented inside the course.

One contains a Minimal API approach. The other one uses API controllers.

Both solutions use .NET 8.

bonus
C# Unit Testing Essentials in One Afternoon (value €27)

Your 101 unit testing starting guide.

Learn how to write maintainable tests that enable safe refactoring and reduce bugs found by clients.

bonus
Stay Sharp Checklist (value €19)

If you struggle to keep up with the latest features .NET has to offer, this checklist will help.

Contains must-know features from versions C# 9-13.

It also includes explanations and practical code examples.

Get instant access today for €97

Backend Brilliance Guarantee

Join Backend Brilliance, explore the materials, and watch the lessons.

If you’re not 100% satisfied with the Backend Brilliance course or the support after 14 days, feel free to email me at kristijan@blueinvader.com for a full refund.

Make your payment today, and decide later if this is a good fit for you!

Take the full 14 days to explore the materials and experience the Backend Brilliance course and THEN... make a decision using the information YOU HAVE, rather than the information you don’t.

I’m ready to BUILD professional .NET apps

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is this course for?

This course is perfect for .NET developers with 4+ years of experience who want to stay up to date with all the latest .NET features, build modern .NET applications while following industry best practices, and progress their career into more senior and architect roles.

What will I learn in the course?

You’ll learn to build well-structured, maintainable, scalable, testable, and secure production-ready .NET applications. These are the same principles I’ve used in many enterprise projects I’ve worked in the last 12 years:

  • Software Architecture Fundamentals
  • Minimal API
  • Project Structure
  • Unit & Integration testing
  • Authentication, Authorization, JWT, Role-Based Access Control
What’s inside the course?

The course includes 3 core modules and 42 lessons.

How long is the course?

The course is 5 hours and 16 minutes long and is a video course. I packed a lot of value in those few hours, and it’s designed to be easy to follow.

What do I need to have to get the most out of the course?

If you want to follow along and build the application with me, the only tool you need is a free version of the Visual Studio Community. Otherwise, you can watch me do it.

What kind of support can I get if I get stuck?

If you have any questions, you can reach out to me at any time. Just send an email to kristijan@blueinvader.com

How long will I have access to the content?

Your enrollment includes unlimited lifetime access and free updates for life.

Backend Brilliance Course

Core Modules (value €147)

Software Architecture Workshop                   
Automated Testing Workshop                         
Web API Security Workshop                             
  [BONUS] Source Code - Minimal API (value €50)
[BONUS] Source Code - Controllers (value €50)
                                       [BONUS] C# Unit Testing Essentials in One Afternoon (value €27)       
  [BONUS] Stay Sharp Checklist (value €19)          
(TOTAL VALUE: €293) 
TODAY'S PRICE: €97
Enroll Now

Now it’s time for a decision…

The IT job market is horrible right now.

The layoffs still happen.

And there are fewer available jobs than during Covid.

But don’t take it from me.

Just one scroll through Reddit is enough to get me a week of cardiac arrhythmia when I see posts like this:

The market is full of developers who were unfortunate to lose their jobs.

And I see all the time 2 category of developers.

First category is .NET developers who will have a hard time finding another job if they lose the current one.

They:

  • Copy and paste the code from colleagues without understanding and inventing solutions on their own.
  • Over-engineer the project structure, depending on the current architecture flavor of the month (this month is microservices, right?)
  • Ship features to production with zero tests and dozens of bugs… until they stop shipping features and start working on recurring bugs all the time. And leave an impression on clients and product owners that they are slow and ineffective.
  • Introduce security holes in the API endpoints where a malicious user can register, see restricted information, and steal others' credit card numbers.
  • Leave themselves far behind their peers by not improving their skills at all.
  • Rely on outdated principles, neglecting industry standards and best practices.

 

In the second category are .NET developers who can land another job easily and will be always in demand.

They:

  • Understand the basic principles of software architecture.
  • Find the structure that suits the project and can decide on their own what is useful and what is not needed.
  • Deliver robust applications backed by automated tests where bugs don’t slip to customers.
  • Don’t cause expensive security breaches since they use adequate security measures to protect their API endpoints.
  • Took the time to learn the latest .NET trends and features.
  • Apply best industry practices when working on any project.

 

Put yourself in the second category and act today.


See you on the inside!

Kristijan

Backend Brilliance Course

Core Modules (value €147)

Software Architecture Workshop                   
Automated Testing Workshop                         
Web API Security Workshop                             
  [BONUS] Source Code - Minimal API (value €50)
[BONUS] Source Code - Controllers (value €50)
                                       [BONUS] C# Unit Testing Essentials in One Afternoon (value €27)       
  [BONUS] Stay Sharp Checklist (value €19)          
(TOTAL VALUE: €293) 
TODAY'S PRICE: €97
Enroll Now