.NET Development

Why Choose .NET for Custom Software Development

• Reliable Microsoft-backed, open-source tech
• Cross-platform development with one codebase (.NET MAUI)
• Great for legacy system modernization
• Strong integration with Azure, Visual Studio, GitHub, and other tools we use
• Huge developer community and talent pool

While we’re not exclusively a .NET development company, we do use the Microsoft stack as our foundation. We do so for a number of reasons:

• It’s the technology we were most familiar with when we started Far Reach
• It blends the benefits of open source with the backing of enterprise support
• It’s widely used in business software around the world
• The framework is fast and secure
• There’s a large, supportive ecosystem around it
• It’s been a top development framework for decades
• Ongoing support and growth of the framework
• Consistent new releases with updated features and capabilities
• Integration with Microsoft products (e.g., Azure) and other frameworks

There are a lot of other benefits of using .NET. We’ve been using it successfully since before Far Reach was born. We’re happy with its longevity, the consistent release cycle, the community support, and overall performance. 

.NET may not be the right framework for every company or every custom software system, but in many cases it’s worth evaluating.

The Latest Technology: .NET 9.0

Microsoft is now on a consistent release schedule for .NET, with major versions released in November each year and smaller releases every month or two as needed. 

.NET 9.0 was released in November 2024 and is currently the latest version. This new version continues to build upon the efforts of previous versions, including: 

• Artificial intelligence (AI)
• .NET MAUI enhancements
• Cross-platform development
• New and improved cloud development tools
• Additional integrations and APIs

We work with clients to keep their software systems on a maintenance and update schedule to take advantage of the latest releases as they come out.

.NET is one of the most popular programming frameworks—often in the top five of most in demand and most used. It comes with a supportive network of fellow developers. 

There’s a robust community of .NET developers creating tools, solutions, and plugins for other developers to use and improve on. There are events, forums, demos, and all kinds of other ways to stay involved with the .NET community. 

.NET is also fully integrated into the wider world of Microsoft—Azure cloud hosting, Visual Studio, GitHub. And the framework benefits from Microsoft’s research in other areas, including artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, mixed reality, and more. 

Because .NET is such a widely used platform, and continues to be popular with developers, businesses using .NET can find support for their applications. Finding development talent or a development partner for outsourcing software development is easier with a popular framework.

Back in the day, .NET was known mostly for Windows desktop apps. But now, the cross-platform development capabilities continue to grow. We can build desktop apps, web apps, and mobile apps (both Android and iOS), all using one codebase. That saves development time and complexity, and it makes for a better experience for users. 

Software platforms are no longer relegated to a single device—businesses have to build for multi-device users. Each .NET release makes this more streamlined for developers and more efficient and cost-effective for businesses.

Enterprise applications built in old versions of .NET or in other frameworks are missing the opportunity to take advantage of new performance, security, and development features that the latest versions of .NET offer. 

When you have a legacy software system that is used frequently in your business, a modernization project is a great option. You can use what you’ve learned from the legacy system, plan a roadmap that lets you capture the biggest opportunities fast, and start to use the new features offered in updated releases. 

We love modernization projects at Far Reach. You get to take something that you know works and adds value to the business—and rebuild it to make it even better. 

See why .NET is a great option for modernizing legacy systems—no matter what framework they were originally built on.

Pretty much any platform can be hosted in Azure Cloud storage, but using the .NET framework together with the Azure Cloud gives our clients additional benefits from the ecosystem. 

For example, we can:

• Optimize performance and load speeds with Blob Storage
• Use AI to process images with Azure Computer Vision
• Monitor for errors using Azure Application Insights
• Reduce downtime during deployment with Slot Swapping
• Maintain high levels of security 

We continue to add new Microsoft Azure and .NET ecosystem tools to our toolbelts to continually raise the already high-quality custom software systems we develop.

There are several situations where outsourcing development makes sense: 

• You don’t have an in-house development team

• Your in-house development team doesn’t have capacity 

• You needs skills that your in-house team doesn’t have

And there are several different options for finding an outsourced development partner:

• Independent contractors

• Staff augmentation contracts

• Working with a development partner (like Far Reach)

If you need someone to do well-defined work, and simply need more capacity on your existing projects, contractors and staff aug help are great options. But if you’re looking for guidance, strategic assistance, and a true partner, a development company like Far Reach is likely the better route. We pride ourselves on being true partners with our clients—we treat each custom software system as if it were our own.

While we build a lot of custom software systems in .NET, we’re not one-trick ponies. We work with each client to build a system using a tech stack that meets their needs. We can integrate other languages, frameworks, and platforms to build systems not restricted by language limitations. 

We’re able to build new systems using the best frameworks for the job. And we can support and modernize legacy systems that were built in old .NET versions or other frameworks. 

The framework you use for your custom software is one of the early and important decisions you’ll make in the process. It helps to have a development partner to sift through the pros and cons of that decision.

What is .NET, and why should I use it for my project?

.NET is an open-source development platform created by Microsoft. It supports building web, desktop, mobile, cloud, and IoT applications. It’s known for performance, scalability, and cross-platform application support—making it a solid choice for long-term software solutions.

Is .NET only for Windows applications?

Not anymore. With modern .NET (version 9.0+), you can build cross-platform apps that run on browsers, Windows, macOS, and more. .NET MAUI also lets you build native mobile and desktop apps from a single codebase.

Can .NET integrate with my existing software?

Yes. One of .NET’s strengths is its ability to integrate with a wide variety of systems, from legacy software to modern SaaS tools. Whether you're using SQL Server, Salesforce, or custom APIs, .NET can bridge the gap.

Is .NET secure?

Very secure. .NET includes built-in security features like data protection, authentication, and role-based access control. Microsoft also actively maintains and updates the framework with regular security patches.

How does .NET compare to other platforms like Java or Node.js?

.NET is known for its performance, especially for enterprise-grade applications. It’s backed by Microsoft, widely adopted, and has a rich ecosystem of libraries and tools. While Java and Node.js are also powerful, .NET is often preferred for Windows-based environments and integrated tooling via Visual Studio.

Can you help modernize a legacy .NET application?

Absolutely. We specialize in assessing legacy systems (even old .NET Framework apps) and updating them to modern .NET versions for better performance, scalability, and maintainability.

What types of applications can you build with .NET?

With .NET, we can build web apps, custom APIs, mobile apps, desktop software, cloud services, and more. It’s highly versatile—great for everything from internal tools to customer-facing platforms.

Want to dive deeper into .NET development? Read some of our blog posts on the topic.

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  ASP.NET Boilerplate

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  READ

  Cross-platform Development

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  READ

  5 Benefits of .NET

Here’s how we’ve helped clients build custom software systems with .NET development.

Custom software is complex, especially when you aren’t entrenched in it daily as we are. A consultation session with our experts can shed light on any questions you may have about what tech stack to use and how custom software could help your business.

We can help you plan a custom software roadmap that meets your company’s goals. Let’s talk. No obligations and no strings attached.