ASP.NET Core Setup - Create Your First Project

Level: Beginner

ℹ️ Where This Fits

Use this page to prepare your machine and run your first ASP.NET Core app. Do not skip setup, because every later article assumes you can create, run, stop, and modify a local project.

ℹ️ What You'll Learn

Install the .NET SDK
Check whether .NET is installed correctly
Choose Visual Studio or VS Code
Create your first ASP.NET Core project
Understand the first project files
Run the app on localhost
Modify routes and test them in the browser
Fix common beginner setup issues

What You Need

You need two things:

Tool	Why You Need It
.NET SDK	Creates, builds, and runs .NET/ASP.NET Core projects
Code editor	Lets you write and edit C# code

The SDK is different from the runtime.

Term	Meaning
SDK	Developer tools: create, build, run projects
Runtime	Only runs already-built apps

For learning, install the SDK, not only the runtime.

Step 1: Install .NET SDK

Windows

Go to dotnet.microsoft.com/download
Download the latest LTS SDK. In 2026, that is .NET 10 LTS.
Run the installer.
Finish installation and restart your terminal.

Verify in PowerShell:

dotnet --version

You should see a version such as:

10.0.x

If your class or company uses .NET 8, that is also okay. The fundamentals are the same.

macOS

Use the installer from Microsoft or Homebrew:

brew install dotnet
dotnet --version

Linux

Package names differ by distro. On Ubuntu/Debian style systems:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y dotnet-sdk-10.0
dotnet --version

If your package source does not provide .NET 10 yet, install the latest LTS SDK available for your operating system.

Step 2: Choose an Editor

Option A: Visual Studio

Best for beginners on Windows.

Install workload:

ASP.NET and web development

Good for:

Debugging
IntelliSense
Project templates
Beginners who prefer buttons and UI

Option B: Visual Studio Code

Lightweight and fast.

Install extensions:

C# Dev Kit
C#
.NET Install Tool

Good for:

Smaller machines
Terminal-based learning
Cross-platform development

Step 3: Create Your First Project

Open terminal and run:

dotnet new web -n SchoolPortal
cd SchoolPortal

Meaning:

Command	Meaning
`dotnet new web`	Create a minimal ASP.NET Core web project
`-n SchoolPortal`	Project/folder name
`cd SchoolPortal`	Move into the project folder

Project Files

After creating the project:

SchoolPortal/
+-- Program.cs           <- Where the app starts
+-- appsettings.json     <- App settings
+-- SchoolPortal.csproj  <- Project file
+-- Properties/
    +-- launchSettings.json

What Each File Means

File	Beginner Meaning
`Program.cs`	Main startup file for the web app
`appsettings.json`	Stores configuration such as logging and connection strings
`.csproj` file	Tells .NET project name, target framework, and packages
`launchSettings.json`	Local run settings like ports and browser launch behavior

Do not memorize everything now. Just know where the app starts: Program.cs.

Step 4: Run the App

Run:

dotnet run

You may see:

Now listening on: http://localhost:5000

or:

Now listening on: https://localhost:7001

Open the URL shown in your terminal.

If the app says Hello World!, your setup works.

What is localhost?

localhost means this computer.

When you open:

http://localhost:5000

you are not visiting an internet website. You are calling the ASP.NET Core app running on your own machine.

What is a port?

A port is like a door number.

localhost:5000

means:

Computer: this machine
Door: 5000

If another app already uses port 5000, ASP.NET Core may choose another port or show an error.

Step 5: Modify Program.cs

Open Program.cs.

Replace the default route with this:

💻 Try It — Console App

💡 Paste into Program.cs and run dotnet run again if hot reload does not update.⌥ GitHub

var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);
var app = builder.Build();

app.MapGet("/", () => "Welcome to School Management System");

app.MapGet("/students", () => "All students will be shown here");

app.MapGet("/students/{id}", (int id) =>
{
    return $"Student details for id: {id}";
});

app.MapGet("/teachers/{id}", (int id) =>
{
    return $"Teacher details for id: {id}";
});

app.Run();

Test these URLs:

URL	Expected Output
`/`	Welcome to School Management System
`/students`	All students will be shown here
`/students/101`	Student details for id: 101
`/teachers/5`	Teacher details for id: 5

Now you have started building the School Management System backend.

Stop the App

In terminal:

Ctrl + C

This stops the local web server.

Common Setup Problems

Problem	Why It Happens	Fix
`dotnet` is not recognized	SDK not installed or terminal not restarted	Install SDK, close terminal, open again
Browser says site cannot be reached	App is not running	Run `dotnet run`
Address already in use	Another app is using same port	Stop that app or use another port
Changes not showing	App did not reload	Stop with Ctrl+C and run again
Wrong folder	Command is run outside project	Run `cd SchoolPortal`
HTTPS warning	Local development certificate	Trust dev certificate or use HTTP for now

Useful Commands

Command	Use
`dotnet --version`	Check installed SDK
`dotnet --info`	Show detailed .NET info
`dotnet new web -n SchoolPortal`	Create minimal web app
`dotnet run`	Run app
`dotnet build`	Compile app without running
`dotnet watch run`	Run with auto-reload

Beginner Checklist

[OK] Installed .NET SDK
[OK] Chose editor
[OK] Created SchoolPortal
[OK] Ran the app locally
[OK] Opened localhost URL
[OK] Modified Program.cs
[OK] Tested routes in browser

ℹ️ Keep This Project

Do not delete the SchoolPortal folder. In the next articles, you will use the same idea to understand Program.cs, request pipeline, middleware, routing, dependency injection, and controllers.

🎯 Interview Favourite

Q: How do you create and run an ASP.NET Core project?

Good Answer: "I install the .NET SDK, then use dotnet new web -n ProjectName to create a minimal ASP.NET Core project. I move into the folder with cd ProjectName and run it using dotnet run. The app starts a local server, usually on localhost with a port. I can then open that URL in the browser and test routes defined in Program.cs."

Practice Before Next Article

Create a new project named SchoolPortal.
Add routes for /students, /teachers, and /fees.
Run the app and test all routes.
Stop the app using Ctrl + C.
Explain what localhost means.

🤖Use AI to Learn Faster

Use ChatGPT, Claude, or Copilot to go deeper on ASP.NET Core setup. Try these prompts:

"Why do I need the .NET SDK instead of only runtime?"
"Explain localhost and port in simple words"
"Give me 5 practice routes for a School Management System"
"What should I do if dotnet command is not recognized?"

💡 Tip: After reading this article, paste your own code into AI and ask "What could go wrong here and why?" — fastest way to find edge cases and deepen understanding.

ASP.NET Core Section Links

Use these links to continue the full Backend > ASP.NET Core Fundamentals topic from the top menu:

Target search terms for this lesson: asp.net core setup, create asp.net core project, dotnet new webapi, visual studio asp.net core setup.

-> Program.cs and the Host Builder

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What You Need​

Step 1: Install .NET SDK​

Windows​

macOS​

Linux​

Step 2: Choose an Editor​

Option A: Visual Studio​

Option B: Visual Studio Code​

Step 3: Create Your First Project​

Project Files​

What Each File Means​

Step 4: Run the App​

What is localhost?​

What is a port?​

Step 5: Modify Program.cs​

Stop the App​

Common Setup Problems​

Useful Commands​

Beginner Checklist​

Practice Before Next Article​

ASP.NET Core Section Links​

Next Article​