It’s been a while so I thought I’d start my return to blogging on a happy note. Here’s a few products I’ve used lately that have made me happy.
Open Rasta
I’ve tried a couple of times to implement a simple REST API using WCF lately and it always frustrates me. It’s not really hard, it’s just harder than it needs to be. That’s why I ended up looking for alternatives.
OpenRasta is a resource-oriented framework for .NET enabling easy ReST-ful development of web sites and services.
If you’re a fan of simple convention based frameworks then this is one to keep an eye on. The framework is built around a customisable pipeline which allows you to easily drop in your own components using a simple fluent API and built in dependency injection.
It’s currently in it’s second beta and is still a bit rough around the edges but I had no problems putting together a simple API and customising it to suit. The documentation is still lacking but the driver behind the project, Sebastien Lambla, is active on the mailing list and has been a big help getting me off the ground.
The best thing about Open Rasta? It’s distributed under the very friendly MIT license.
ELMAH
I look after a lot of different ASP.Net web sites sites so it can be weeks before I discover problems with them on my own. ELMAH (Error Logging Modules and Handlers), has been a great tool for quickly and consistently setting up basic error handling.
Personally I just use it to send all errors as emails to myself but there’s all sorts of features to keep you busy if you have larger requirements. My favourite feature is the lovingly preserved Yellow Screen Of Death that arrives in my inbox full of details about the failed request.
Composite WPF (Prism)
Why do I like the Composite WPF library so much? Mostly because I am unfortunate enough that I have to work one of that teams previous products, the Composite Application Block. This time around the team have managed to present their concepts in a clear and understandable manner that doesn’t make my head hurt.
In particular the complex work items system of previous versions is gone and replaced with a simple application of their IoC container, Unity. Whether or not you actually need such a framework is up to you to decide but if you have been scared off by CAB in the past don’t be afraid to take another look.
Keep smiling until next time!
03/09/2009 02:29 AM (UTC -07:00)