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Visual Studio 2017 - Update 2 Preview
Microsoft has released a preview of the second major update planned for Visual Studio 2017. This update brings a new workload, TypeScript side-by-side support, and enhanced F# tooling.
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C# Futures: Relaxed Overrides
A commonly requested feature in .NET is the ability to use covariant return types. An example of this would be overriding “virtual object Clone()” with “override Widget Clone()”. From a type safety perspective, this is perfectly acceptable, but C# doesn’t currently allow it.
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C# Futures: Read-Only Local Variables
Not too long ago the proposal for read-only local variables was revived. This is a much more modest feature than the read-only references proposal, but the two are complementary.
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C# Futures: Read-Only References and Structs
In C++ we have a feature known as “const”. This can be applied to parameters so that the caller knows that function will not modify the parameter and/or the object the parameter references. Under this proposal, C# would get something similar.
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C# Futures: Nullable Reference Types
No, the headline isn’t a typo. One of the new proposals for C# is to assume that all reference variables are non-nullable by default. Under the new syntax, you would need to explicitly indicate when a reference variable is nullable, just as you do for value types.
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MailKit Officially Replaces .NET’s SmtpClient
For the second time, Microsoft has officially marked a .NET class as being replaced by an open source library. The documentation for SmtpClient now reads, “Obsolete("SmtpClient and its network of types are poorly designed, we strongly recommend you use MailKit and MimeKit instead")”.
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Visual Studio 2017 Update Focuses on Stability
The redesigned installer and setup engine featured in Visual Studio 2017 allows Microsoft to more rapidly deploy fixes to their flagship development software. The first named update to the recently released tool has just been deployed, and brings with it the standalone version of Visual Studio Team Explorer.
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Azure Service Fabric SDK Becomes Open Source
Microsoft recently announced it opened the source code of its Azure Service Fabric SDK. Azure Service Fabric is a distributed systems platform to package, deploy, and manage and microservices. The SDK exposes Service Fabric APIs to integrate .NET applications in the Service Fabric platform.
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.NET Futures: Type Classes and Extensions
Another feature being considered for future versions of .NET are type classes. Referred to as “shapes” in the Shapes and Extensions proposal, they would greatly increase the capabilities of .NET generics.
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New Language Features in Visual Basic 15
Visual Basic 15 brings with it partial implementations of two important C# features: tuples and ref returns. Neither feature is “complete”, but they do offer enough work-arounds that VB applications can consume C# libraries that make use of these features.
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.NET Futures: Multiple Inheritance
A controversial new proposal for .NET suggests the introduction of a limited form of multiple inheritance via abstract interfaces. This feature was inspired by Java’s default methods.
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.NET Framework 4.7 Improves WPF and WinForms
Debuting with Windows 10 Creators Update, .NET Framework 4.7 includes high DPI support to Windows Forms applications and provides touch & stylus support to WPF applications running on Windows 10.
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NuGet is Now Part of MSBuild
After experimenting with a json-based project format, Microsoft has returned to MSBuild as the foundation for C# and VB project files. Along with that decision came the promise to implement many of the much-liked project.json features. Today we’re going to talk about one of these features, NuGet integration.
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CodePlex Shuts Down; Migration to GitHub Recommended
Microsoft has decided to stop providing free hosting services for open source projects via CodePlex. Instead they have recommend moving to GitHub or other hosting providers.
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Visual Studio 2017 Brings F# 4.1
The Visual Studio 2017 release in early March included F# 4.1 and an update of the Visual F# tools. F# 4.1 brings improvements and interoperation with C# 7 while the tools are the first version supporting the Roslyn workspaces.