ASP.NET 5 beta7 is now available both on NuGet and as a tooling update to Visual Studio 2015! This release also includes the first public preview of the .NET Execution Environment (DNX) for Mac and Linux based on .NET Core – no Mono required.

using MyConsole = System.Console;

MyConsole.WriteLine("Test console");

// Namespace alias
using SuperJSON = System.Text.Json;
var document = SuperJSON.JsonSerializer.Serialize("{}");

// Type alias
using SuperJSON = System.Text.Json.JsonSerializer;
var document = SuperJSON.Serialize("{}");

using UnityEngine;
using System;

Random rnd = new Random();

var rnd = new System.Random();

using Random = System.Random;

using Ints = int[];
using DatabaseInt = int?;
using OptionalFloat = float?;
using Grade= decimal;
using Point3D = (int, int, int);
using Person = (string name, int age, string country);
using unsafe P = char*;
using Matrix = int[][];

Matrix aMatrix = [[1, 2, 3], [4, 5, 6], [7, 8, 9]];

using MyConsole = System.Console;
using Person = (string name, int age, string country);

Person person = new("User 1", 33, "Iran");
Console.WriteLine(person);
PrintPerson(person);

MyConsole.WriteLine("Test console");

static void PrintPerson(Person person)
{
   MyConsole.WriteLine($"{person.name}, {person.age}, {person.country}");
}

(User 1, 33, Iran)
User 1, 33, Iran
Test console

using Companies = System.Collections.Generic.List<Company>;

Companies GetCompanies()
{
   // logic here
}

class Company
{
   public string Name;
   public int Id;
}

using EventHandlers = System.Collections.Generic.IEnumerable<System.Func<System.Threading.Tasks.Task>>;

using Country = (string Abbreviation, string Name);

Country GetCountry(string abbreviation)
{
   // Logic here
}

List<Country> GetCountries()
{
   // Logic here
}

using Ints = int[];
using DatabaseInt = int?;
using OptionalFloat = float?;

The Firebase Admin .NET SDK enables access to Firebase services from privileged environments (such as servers or cloud) in .NET.

Supported Frameworks:

• .NET Framework 4.5+
• netstandard 1.5, providing .NET Core support 

The .NET Core SDK 3.1.106 includes .NET Core 3.1 Runtime so downloading the runtime packages separately is not needed when installing the SDK. After installing the .NET Core SDK 3.1.106, the following command will show that you're running version 3.1.106 of the tools. 

.NET 5 Preview 6 is now available and is ready for evaluation. Here’s what’s new in this release:

• Blazor WebAssembly template now included
• JSON extension methods for HttpRequest and HttpResponse
• Extension method to allow anonymous access to an endpoint
• Custom handling of authorization failures
• SignalR Hub filters 

.NET Core, the reinvention of the Microsoft .NET Framework as an open source, cross-platform development choice, is a key focus of the upcoming features planned for the Visual Studio IDE.

In conjunction with .NET Standard -- a spec detailing what .NET APIs should be available on all .NET implementations -- .NET Core retains compatibility with .NET Framework, Xamarin and Mono while letting developers use Windows, macOS or Linux machines to code for mobile, cloud and embedded/IoT projects.

While still primarily driven by Microsoft dev teams, .NET Core is hosted on a GitHub repository and is supported by the .NET Foundation, an independent organization created by Microsoft three years ago to improve its open source development and collaboration.

Peeking at the Visual Studio Roadmap (updated last week) reveals .NET Core figures prominently in upcoming functionality for the IDE, both in the near-term and long:  

public class Employee
{
    public string FirstName { get; set; }
    public string LastName { get; set; }
    public DateTime HireDate { get; set; }
    public decimal Salary { get; set; }

    public Employee(string firstName, string lastName, DateTime hireDate, decimal salary)
    {
        FirstName = firstName;
        LastName = lastName;
        HireDate = hireDate;
        Salary = salary;
    }
}

public class Employee(string firstName, string lastName, DateTime hireDate, decimal salary)
{
    public string FirstName { get; set; } = firstName;
    public string LastName { get; set; } = lastName;
    public DateTime HireDate { get; set; } = hireDate;
    public decimal Salary { get; set; } = salary;
}

var employee = new Employee("John", "Doe", new DateTime(2020, 1, 1), 50000);

public record class Book(string Title, string Publisher);

public record struct Color(int R, int G, int B);

public class MyService
{
    private readonly IDepedent _dependent;
  
    public MyService(IDependent dependent)
    {
        _dependent = dependent;
    }
  
    public void Do() 
    {
        _dependent.DoWork();
    }
}

public class MyService(IDependent dependent)
{
    public void Do() 
    {
        dependent.DoWork();
    }
}

using System;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;

namespace CS8Tests
{
  [NullableContext(1)]
  [Nullable(0)]
  public class Employee
  {
    [CompilerGenerated]
    [DebuggerBrowsable(DebuggerBrowsableState.Never)]
    private string <FirstName>k__BackingField;
    [CompilerGenerated]
    [DebuggerBrowsable(DebuggerBrowsableState.Never)]
    private string <LastName>k__BackingField;
    [CompilerGenerated]
    [DebuggerBrowsable(DebuggerBrowsableState.Never)]
    private DateTime <HireDate>k__BackingField;
    [CompilerGenerated]
    [DebuggerBrowsable(DebuggerBrowsableState.Never)]
    private Decimal <Salary>k__BackingField;

    public Employee(string firstName, string lastName, DateTime hireDate, Decimal salary)
    {
      this.<FirstName>k__BackingField = firstName;
      this.<LastName>k__BackingField = lastName;
      this.<HireDate>k__BackingField = hireDate;
      this.<Salary>k__BackingField = salary;
      base..ctor();
    }

    public string FirstName
    {
      [CompilerGenerated] get
      {
        return this.<FirstName>k__BackingField;
      }
      [CompilerGenerated] set
      {
        this.<FirstName>k__BackingField = value;
      }
    }

    public string LastName
    {
      [CompilerGenerated] get
      {
        return this.<LastName>k__BackingField;
      }
      [CompilerGenerated] set
      {
        this.<LastName>k__BackingField = value;
      }
    }

    public DateTime HireDate
    {
      [CompilerGenerated] get
      {
        return this.<HireDate>k__BackingField;
      }
      [CompilerGenerated] set
      {
        this.<HireDate>k__BackingField = value;
      }
    }

    public Decimal Salary
    {
      [CompilerGenerated] get
      {
        return this.<Salary>k__BackingField;
      }
      [CompilerGenerated] set
      {
        this.<Salary>k__BackingField = value;
      }
    }
  }
}

public class Person(string firstName, string lastName) 
{
    public Person() : this("John", "Smith") { }
    public Person(string firstName) : this(firstName, "Smith") { }
    public string FullName => $"{firstName} {lastName}";
}

public class User
{
    public User(string firstName, string lastName) { }
}

public class Editor(string firstName, string lastName) : User
{
}

public class Automobile
{
    public Automobile(int wheels, int seats)
    {
        Wheels = wheels;
        Seats = seats;
    }

    public int Wheels { get; }
    public int Seats { get; }
}

public class Car : Automobile
{
    public Car(int seats) : base(4, seats)
    {
    }
}

public class Automobile(int wheels, int seats)
{
    public int Wheels { get; } = wheels;
    public int Seats { get; } = seats;
}

public class Car(int seats) : Automobile(4, seats);

public class MyBaseClass(string s); // no body required

public class Derived(int i, string s, bool b) : MyBaseClass(s)
{
    public int I { get; set; } = i;
    public string B => b.ToString();
}

public class Human(int age)
{
    // initialization
    public int Age { get; set; } = age;

    // capture
    public string Bio => $"My age is {age}!";
}

var p = new Human(42);
Console.WriteLine(p.Age); // Output: 42
Console.WriteLine(p.Bio); // Output: My age is 42!

p.Age++;
Console.WriteLine(p.Age); // Output: 43
Console.WriteLine(p.Bio); // Output: My age is 42! // !

using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Runtime.CompilerServices;

namespace CS8Tests
{
  [NullableContext(1)]
  [Nullable(0)]
  public class Human
  {
    [CompilerGenerated]
    [DebuggerBrowsable(DebuggerBrowsableState.Never)]
    private int <age>P;
    [CompilerGenerated]
    [DebuggerBrowsable(DebuggerBrowsableState.Never)]
    private int <Age>k__BackingField;

    public Human(int age)
    {
      this.<age>P = age;
      this.<Age>k__BackingField = this.<age>P;
      base..ctor();
    }

    public int Age
    {
      [CompilerGenerated] get
      {
        return this.<Age>k__BackingField;
      }
      [CompilerGenerated] set
      {
        this.<Age>k__BackingField = value;
      }
    }

    public string Bio
    {
      get
      {
        DefaultInterpolatedStringHandler interpolatedStringHandler = new DefaultInterpolatedStringHandler(11, 1);
        interpolatedStringHandler.AppendLiteral("My age is ");
        interpolatedStringHandler.AppendFormatted<int>(this.<age>P);
        interpolatedStringHandler.AppendLiteral("!");
        return interpolatedStringHandler.ToStringAndClear();
      }
    }
  }
}

public Human(int age)
{
   this.<age>P = age;
   this.<Age>k__BackingField = this.<age>P;
   base..ctor();
}

public class IdentityRevalidatingAuthenticationStateProvider : RevalidatingServerAuthenticationStateProvider
{

    protected override TimeSpan RevalidationInterval => TimeSpan.FromMinutes(30);

    protected override async Task<bool> ValidateAuthenticationStateAsync(
        AuthenticationState authenticationState, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
    {
     // ...
    }
}

public class PersistingRevalidatingAuthenticationStateProvider : RevalidatingServerAuthenticationStateProvider
{
    public PersistingRevalidatingAuthenticationStateProvider(
        ILoggerFactory loggerFactory,
        IServiceScopeFactory scopeFactory,
        PersistentComponentState state,
        IOptions<IdentityOptions> options)
        : base(loggerFactory)
    {
     // ...
    }

    protected override TimeSpan RevalidationInterval => TimeSpan.FromMinutes(30);

    protected override async Task<bool> ValidateAuthenticationStateAsync(
        AuthenticationState authenticationState, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
    {
     // ...
    }

    private async Task OnPersistingAsync()
    {
     // ...
                _state.PersistAsJson(nameof(UserInfo), new UserInfo
                {
                    UserId = userId,
                    Email = email,
                });
     // ...
    }
}

public class PersistentAuthenticationStateProvider(PersistentComponentState persistentState) : AuthenticationStateProvider
{
    private static readonly Task<AuthenticationState> _unauthenticatedTask =
        Task.FromResult(new AuthenticationState(new ClaimsPrincipal(new ClaimsIdentity())));

    public override Task<AuthenticationState> GetAuthenticationStateAsync()
    {
        if (!persistentState.TryTakeFromJson<UserInfo>(nameof(UserInfo), out var userInfo) || userInfo is null)
        {
            return _unauthenticatedTask;
        }

        Claim[] claims = [
            new Claim(ClaimTypes.NameIdentifier, userInfo.UserId),
            new Claim(ClaimTypes.Name, userInfo.Email),
            new Claim(ClaimTypes.Email, userInfo.Email) ];

        return Task.FromResult(
            new AuthenticationState(new ClaimsPrincipal(new ClaimsIdentity(claims,
                authenticationType: nameof(PersistentAuthenticationStateProvider)))));
    }
}

First it is important to recognize that the .NET Framework is not the same as .NET Core. The .NET Framework is effectively now in maintenance mode , and all innovation is occurring in the open source .NET Core now and into the future. So step one to remaining relevant is to understand .NET Core (and the closely related .NET Standard).