Azure Functions vs .NET Core Minimal API Showdown

Emer Kurbegovic
2 min readDec 15, 2023

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Developers find themselves at a crossroads when it comes to choosing the right tools for building simple yet powerful applications. Enter Azure Functions and .NET Core Minimal API, two contenders vying for the spotlight in the world of lightweight solutions. Picture this: you’re a developer tasked with crafting a straightforward, no-frills functionality that just needs to get the job done. The question arises — do you embrace the serverless elegance of Azure Functions or dive into the flexibility of .NET Core Minimal API?

Azure Functions, with its serverless architecture, offers a compelling proposition for rapid deployment of event-driven functions. Imagine effortlessly scaling your application in response to demand, only paying for the compute power you consume. However, there’s a catch. The siren song of simplicity may come at the cost of vendor lock-in. Once you dance with Azure Functions, you’re committed to the Azure ball — a dazzling ball, yes, but one that may not be the right fit if you dream of cloud agnosticism.

On the other side of the ring stands .NET Core Minimal API, a nimble and lightweight framework that whispers sweet promises of simplicity. With the ability to deploy your .NET Core Minimal API in a container, you’re granted the golden ticket to cloud agnosticism. Imagine the freedom to choose any cloud provider that suits your needs, unchained from the shackles of vendor-specific quirks. The allure of being able to package your application and sail it across the cloudy seas, docking it wherever your heart desires, is a tantalizing prospect indeed.

As the battle unfolds, the key lies in understanding the nuances of your project. Are you captivated by the allure of Azure Functions, eager to embrace the ease of serverless? Or does the prospect of cloud agnosticism, the ability to deploy your .NET Core Minimal API in a container and navigate the cloud ecosystem freely, beckon you like a distant adventure?

The choice between Azure Functions and .NET Core Minimal API is a tale of simplicity versus sovereignty. Azure Functions may seduce you with its serverless simplicity, but beware the vendor lock-in embrace. Meanwhile, .NET Core Minimal API tempts you with the promise of freedom, allowing you to sail the clouds in a container of your choosing. The decision ultimately hinges on your appetite for adventure and your vision for the future. Choose wisely, for in the world of cloud development, simplicity and sovereignty are the currencies of innovation.

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