SkyNet, a server-driven framework for ASP.NET Core

Get started

An empty ASP.NET Core project, one NuGet package and six short steps. After that you write C# for the logic and let your AI assistant write the pages.

1. Create an empty project and add application.cfg

   In Visual Studio, create an ASP.NET Core Empty project. Add an appConfig folder at the project root and put application.cfg inside it. SkyNet reads it on startup. At minimum change app.app.name, app.app.startup (the class name of your first page) and the app.sqldb values.

   appConfig/application.cfgCopy

   ****************************************************
   ***** 1.System Configuration: These values can be changed but Do Not Delete
   ***** 2. app.app.runningmode : 0.Demo, 1.Production
   ****************************************************
   app.app.name | MyApp
   app.app.version | 1.0
   app.app.releasedate | 10/22/2026
   app.app.runmode | 0
   app.app.startup | Home
   app.app.regno | 00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000
   app.Settings.encryptkey | %SYSTEM_PASSWORD%
   app.Settings.isocode | en-US
   app.Settings.pagetimeout | 300
   app.Settings.waitimage | ani_wait.gif
   app.folders.code | codes
   app.folders.html | htmls
   app.folders.script | scripts
   app.folders.style | styles
   app.folders.image | images
   app.folders.temp | temp
   app.folders.data | data
   app.folders.log | logs
   app.folders.bin | bin
   app.mail.server | smtp.office365.com
   app.mail.port | 587
   app.mail.addr | noreply@email.com
   app.mail.id | noreply@email.com
   app.mail.password | 1234
   app.mail.title | Notification_Center
   app.mail.credentials | 0
   app.sqldb.source | (local)
   app.sqldb.catalog | MyApp
   app.sqldb.id | sa
   app.sqldb.password | 1111
   app.sqldb.timeout | 3600
   ****************************************************

2. Install the SkyNet package

   One package. Run either line from the Package Manager Console or a terminal.

   NuGetCopy

   Install-Package TheSkyLite.SkyNet
   dotnet add package TheSkyLite.SkyNet

3. Turn off hot reload

   In Properties/launchSettings.json, set hotReloadEnabled to false in each profile. Left on, it can interrupt the page while you are developing.

   launchSettings.json, in each profileCopy

   "hotReloadEnabled": false

4. Wire up Program.cs

   Three lines turn a bare ASP.NET Core app into a SkyNet app: the HttpContext service, the SkyNet handler as middleware, and the static HTTP accessor.

   Program.csCopy

   using SkyNet;
   
   var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);
   builder.Services.AddHttpContextAccessor();
   
   var app = builder.Build();
   app.UseMiddleware<IHandler>();
   app.UseStaticHttpCurrent();
   
   app.Run();

5. Copy the content folders on build

   SkyNet serves assets from root folders rather than wwwroot, so the project file carries them to the output and publish folders. JSON files in data need the Exclude and Update pair, because the Web SDK already includes them.

   YourProject.csprojCopy

   <Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk.Web">
   
     <PropertyGroup>
       <TargetFramework>net10.0</TargetFramework>
       <Nullable>enable</Nullable>
       <ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
       <SatelliteResourceLanguages>es</SatelliteResourceLanguages>
     </PropertyGroup>
   
     <ItemGroup>
       <PackageReference Include="TheSkyLite.SkyNet" Version="1.0.8" />
     </ItemGroup>
   
     <ItemGroup>
       <Content Include="appConfig\**">
         <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
         <CopyToPublishDirectory>Always</CopyToPublishDirectory>
       </Content>
       <Content Include="htmls\**">
         <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
         <CopyToPublishDirectory>Always</CopyToPublishDirectory>
       </Content>
       <Content Include="images\**">
         <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
         <CopyToPublishDirectory>Always</CopyToPublishDirectory>
       </Content>
       <Content Include="logs\**">
         <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
         <CopyToPublishDirectory>Always</CopyToPublishDirectory>
       </Content>
       <Content Include="scripts\**">
         <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
         <CopyToPublishDirectory>Always</CopyToPublishDirectory>
       </Content>
       <Content Include="styles\**">
         <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
         <CopyToPublishDirectory>Always</CopyToPublishDirectory>
       </Content>
       <Content Include="temp\**">
         <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
         <CopyToPublishDirectory>Always</CopyToPublishDirectory>
       </Content>
       <Content Include="data\**" Exclude="data\**\*.json">
         <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
         <CopyToPublishDirectory>Always</CopyToPublishDirectory>
       </Content>
       <Content Update="data\**\*.json">
         <CopyToOutputDirectory>PreserveNewest</CopyToOutputDirectory>
         <CopyToPublishDirectory>Always</CopyToPublishDirectory>
       </Content>
     </ItemGroup>
   
   </Project>

6. Add anything else you need

   SkyNet does not restrict what else you reference. Add a mail library, a payment SDK or anything else the project calls for, then press F5.