Episode

Modernizing your desktop: From WinForms to Blazor, Azure, and AI

with Santiago Arango Toro

.NET Conf: Focus on Modernization 2025

Got an older tech stack that's about as fresh as last week's leftovers? Fear not-modernizing your desktop apps is easier than you think! In this session, we'll show you how to shift from WinForms to Blazor using .NET, land your apps in Azure for simpler, cloud-based maintenance, and even sprinkle in some AI magic to future-proof your solutions. We'll share practical tips, real-world examples, and a few cautionary tales-no stale code left behind! Join us for a lively exploration of how to bring your legacy applications roaring into the future.

Chapters

  • 00:00 - Why Modernize Legacy WinForms Apps
  • 01:18 - Upgrade Plan: .NET 4.8 to .NET 9 to Aspire
  • 05:02 - Migration Report & Code Assessment in Visual Studio
  • 09:20 - Creating an Aspire Starter App
  • 15:03 - Converting WinForms UI to Blazor with Copilot
  • 20:02 - Deploying with Azure Developer CLI
  • 25:00 - Observability & Cost Estimation with OpenTelemetry
  • 33:28 - Adding AI Functions & Database Access
  • 51:39 - Feedback, Survey & Next Steps

Connect

Azure
Blazor
.NET