Skills you need to be a dot net developer
9 skills a hiring manager would actually test for, each with the level this role expects and what it is used for. Not a syllabus — the shape of the job.
Build my path to this roleUpskili checks what you can already do, then sequences only what is missing. No account needed.
What the role requires
Ordered by how much the job depends on it. The bar is the proficiency expected of a competent dot net developer — not mastery, and not a passing acquaintance.
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C#
Essential
Primary language for building .NET applications and services.
Strong -
ASP.NET Core
Essential
Develops RESTful APIs and web applications.
Strong -
Entity Framework Core
Essential
Maps objects to databases and manages data access.
Strong -
SQL Server
Important
Queries, designs schemas, and optimizes database performance.
Strong -
Azure DevOps
Important
Manages CI/CD pipelines, repos, and work items.
Working -
Docker
Important
Containerizes applications for consistent deployment.
Working -
Git
Important
Handles version control and collaborative branching.
Strong -
xUnit
Useful
Writes unit and integration tests for code quality.
Working -
Azure App Service
Useful
Deploys and scales web apps in the cloud.
Working
An order worth learning it in
A list of ten skills is the same unhelpful answer a catalogue gives, just sorted. This is where to actually start.
Start here
Essential to the role, and reachable from a standing start. Everything below rests on these.
- Entity Framework Core
- SQL Server
- Azure DevOps
- Docker
- Git
Then this
The rest of what the role is assessed on. Harder, and it builds on the foundation above.
- C#
- ASP.NET Core
What sets you apart
Not what gets you hired, but what separates doing the job from being trusted with it.
- xUnit
- Azure App Service
You almost certainly have some of this already.
That is the point of starting from the role rather than a course. Upskili checks what you can do, then builds a path across only the gap.
See my path to dot net developer