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Reza
Reza

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Beyond MediatR: Why We Built ConduitR for the Next Generation of .NET

#dotnet #performance #opensource #architecture

ConduitR: Solving the "Black Box" of .NET Messaging

The Mediator pattern is a staple in .NET for decoupling logic, but traditional implementations often feel like a "Black Box" where you lose track of where a request actually goes. ConduitR was engineered to turn the lights on, providing high-performance messaging with total transparency and native cloud support.

Don't miss the introduction! If you are just starting your journey with ConduitR, check out my previous post: ConduitR: A fast, open-source alternative to MediatR for .NET.

🛠 The ConduitR Analyzer: Design-Time Intelligence

While traditional mediators only find errors at runtime, the ConduitR Roslyn Analyzer identifies them while you type.

  • Orphaned Request Detection: If an IRequest is defined without a corresponding IRequestHandler, the analyzer flags it in your IDE.
  • Performance Guardrails: The analyzer encourages the use of ValueTask for zero-allocation paths and ensures code is compatible with Native AOT trimming.
  • Ambiguity Prevention: It catches duplicate handler registrations before you even hit "Build". 
// The Analyzer flags this: "Request 'UpdateProfile' has no registered handler."
public record UpdateProfile(Guid UserId, string Bio) : IRequest<bool>;

public class UpdateProfileHandler : IRequestHandler<UpdateProfile, bool> 
{
    public async ValueTask<bool> Handle(UpdateProfile request, CancellationToken ct) 
    {
        // High-performance logic with zero allocations for synchronous paths
        return true;
    }
}
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🚀 The ConduitR CLI: Documentation as Code

ConduitR solves the "Documentation Debt" by making your architecture diagrams a reflection of your actual code.

The CLI scans your compiled assemblies to generate live diagrams:

  • Sequence Diagrams: Generates Mermaid.js or PlantUML flows showing how a request moves through validation, logging, and your handler.
  • Architecture Mapping: Provides a comprehensive map of your messaging infrastructure for easy auditing.

Example CLI Command:

# Generate a live flow diagram
conduitr doc --assembly ./bin/Debug/net9.0/MyApi.dll --output ./docs/architecture.md
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⚡ Built for the Cloud: Performance & Observability

ConduitR is optimized for modern environments like Azure Container Apps and high-scale APIs.

  • Cached Pipelines: Unlike reflection-heavy alternatives, ConduitR caches execution pipelines per request type, making hot paths incredibly fast.
  • Native OpenTelemetry: Features a built-in ActivitySource that automatically generates spans for distributed tracing.
  • Resilience Built-in: First-party support for Polly, allowing retries and circuit breakers to be added via simple behaviors. 
services.AddConduit(options => 
{
    options.RegisterServicesFromAssembly(typeof(Program).Assembly);
    options.AddOpenTelemetry(); // Instant tracing in Application Insights or Jaeger
    options.AddConduitValidation(); // Automatic FluentValidation support
});
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🗺️ Roadmap: What's Next?

ConduitR is evolving rapidly to bridge the remaining gaps in the .NET ecosystem.

  • Distributed Bridge: A feature to offload commands to Azure Service Bus or RabbitMQ without changing your _mediator.Send calls.
  • Native Idempotency: Automatically handle duplicate requests to prevent side effects in flaky network environments.
  • IDE Code Fixes: Interactive "Generate Handler" and "Jump to Handler" features directly within Visual Studio and Rider.

ConduitR remains 100% free and MIT-licensed, providing an enterprise-grade platform for teams that need transparency and scale.

GitHub: rezabazargan/ConduitR

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