Validate structured model output before using it
Treat deserialized model output as untrusted data and apply normal business validation before it drives application behavior.
Csharp
Use PeriodicTimer for cancellable asynchronous loops
Use PeriodicTimer when a background loop needs an awaitable cadence, cooperative shutdown, and sequential executions.
Testing Microsoft Agent Framework Applications
How to test Microsoft Agent Framework applications with fake model clients, tool contract tests, structured output tests, routing tests, workflow tests, and eval-style regression checks.
Use TimeProvider instead of DateTime.UtcNow in testable code
Inject TimeProvider when business logic depends on the current time, then control that time in tests.
Validate required options at startup
Fail during application startup when required configuration is missing or invalid instead of waiting for the first request.
Use HybridCache for expensive AI work in .NET
Use HybridCache to avoid duplicate AI model calls, with a cached summarization example and deliberate cache-key design.
AsNoTracking belongs on read paths
Skip EF Core change tracking for queries that only read entity data, but keep tracking for load-change-save updates.
Use idempotency keys for retryable writes
Make a retried write replay the same operation instead of creating a duplicate side effect.
Generate Useful Test Data in .NET with Bogus
How to use the Bogus library to generate realistic, repeatable, and domain-shaped test data in .NET, including faker rules, related objects, seeds, and practical boundaries.
Use ValueTask only when you know why
Prefer Task unless you have a measured allocation reason and a simple consumption contract.