This article is for developers who already know DynamicWeb 9, .NET Framework, or older ASP.NET patterns and need to understand what changed in DynamicWeb 10.
If you are completely new to .NET development, start with New to .NET development first. Then come back to this article for the platform-specific differences.
What changed in DynamicWeb 10
All DynamicWeb versions before DynamicWeb 10 were built on Microsoft .NET Framework 4.
DynamicWeb 10 runs on modern .NET and ASP.NET Core. This is a major platform shift, and it affects how you develop, host, extend, and deploy DynamicWeb solutions.
The core product areas and many extension concepts are still recognizable if you come from DynamicWeb 9. However, the runtime environment and a number of implementation patterns have changed.
For a broader overview of product areas and development options, see New to DynamicWeb.
Key differences compared to DynamicWeb 9
The move from .NET Framework to modern .NET introduces several practical differences:
- The administration UI is different. DynamicWeb 9 relied on older ASP.NET Web Forms-based patterns. DynamicWeb 10 uses a new UI built for the current platform
- The frontend execution model is different. Concepts such as
System.Web,Global.asax,Default.aspx, andweb.configare not part of ASP.NET Core application flow in the same way - Customization and deployment are different. Custom projects no longer extend the solution by taking over files such as
Default.aspxor by placing custom.aspxpages in the application - Add-ins are distributed differently. In DynamicWeb 10, many integrations and add-ins are delivered as packages and installed through the App Store
- Automation options are broader. DynamicWeb 10 includes a Management API that can be used for orchestration and automation scenarios
- Hosting is more flexible. DynamicWeb 10 can run on Windows, macOS, and Linux because modern .NET is cross-platform
If your main concern is upgrade impact, also read Upgrading from DynamicWeb 9.
What old .NET Framework patterns no longer apply
If you have worked with older ASP.NET applications, these are the most important mindset changes:
- Do not expect
System.Web-based request handling - Do not expect application startup to revolve around
Global.asax - Do not expect site behavior to be configured primarily through
web.config - Do not expect frontend customization to be based on
.aspxpages - Do not expect custom assemblies to be installed in the same way as in older solutions
Instead, you should become familiar with:
- ASP.NET Core middleware
- The modern hosting model in .NET
- Environment-based configuration
- Package-based customization and deployment patterns
What stays familiar
Not everything changes when you move from DynamicWeb 9 to DynamicWeb 10.
Many of the core ideas behind DynamicWeb extensibility are still relevant, including:
- Extending platform behavior through supported extension points
- Writing custom code in C#
- Integrating with external systems
- Adapting templates and frontend output to match project requirements
That means experience from earlier versions is still valuable, but it needs to be applied in a modern .NET hosting and deployment model.
What to learn in modern .NET
If you want to work effectively in DynamicWeb 10, focus on these areas:
- ASP.NET Core fundamentals
- Middleware in ASP.NET Core
- Dependency injection in ASP.NET Core
- Configuration and environments in ASP.NET Core
- Generic Host in .NET
- .NET Framework to modern .NET migration guidance
These topics explain the execution environment that DynamicWeb 10 runs inside.
Tools you should expect to use
Modern .NET development is more command-line oriented than many older DynamicWeb 9 workflows.
The most relevant tools are:
- The .NET CLI for running, building, and working with .NET projects
- DynamicWeb CLI for working with DynamicWeb environments, files, automation, and installation tasks
- Visual Studio Code or Visual Studio for editing and debugging
- Git support in Visual Studio Code or equivalent source control tooling
If you are setting up a local development environment, also see:
Hosting and deployment differences
Running DynamicWeb locally or in hosted environments is also different from older .NET Framework projects.
You should become familiar with:
This matters when you are troubleshooting local environments, configuring hosting, or moving solutions through CI/CD pipelines.
Continue learning with hands-on examples
If you want a better feel for how modern .NET applications are structured, these Microsoft tutorials are useful:
You do not need to become an ASP.NET Core specialist before working in DynamicWeb 10. The goal is to understand the platform well enough that the surrounding DynamicWeb documentation, project templates, and extension guidance make sense.
Related articles
To continue, read these articles in this order: