Microsoft .NET 9 first preview is here; promises easier access to OpenAI and other AI models

Microsoft announced the availability of the first preview version of .NET 9, its open-source development platform. This follows the release of .NET 8 just three months prior. This preview offers an early look at upcoming features focused on cloud development, developer tools, and artificial intelligence integration.

What is .NET?

.NET is an open-source development platform for building various desktop, web, and mobile applications. It is designed to create modern, scalable, and high-performance software.

.NET 9 continues Microsoft’s emphasis on cloud adoption. Developers can expect improved integration with popular cloud infrastructures like Kubernetes and managed services like Redis. Additionally, Azure Container Apps will gain multi-instance support within Kubernetes environments.

Visual Studio and Visual Studio Code users will benefit from new features introduced through the .NET Aspire initiative.

Microsoft is expanding access to AI capabilities within .NET 9. Developers will have easier access to OpenAI and other AI models and comprehensive documentation and libraries to simplify project integration.

It is now available for download on GitHub. The company seems committed to open collaboration with this release and has provided a public roadmap outlining planned features. This allows developers to keep track of the progress and provide feedback.

The new features can be explored by developers, who can also contribute to shaping the platform’s future. The final release is expected to be launched in November 2024.

More here.