Play by Play: Converting Synchronous Calls to Asynchronous in ASP.NET Core and Entity Framework Core
Blocking calls are killing your application’s scalability—and you’re probably doing it without realising. This 56-minute masterclass walks you through real refactoring scenarios where John Papa and Dan Wahlin convert synchronous code to truly asynchronous patterns, showing you exactly where performance gains happen and where developers commonly stumble.
AIU.ac Verdict: Essential for any ASP.NET Core developer shipping production systems; you’ll see immediate performance improvements in I/O-bound operations. The play-by-play format is brilliant for learning, though it assumes solid C# fundamentals—if async/await syntax is new to you, you’ll want a primer first.
What This Course Covers
You’ll work through concrete refactoring examples: converting synchronous database queries to async Entity Framework Core calls, handling multiple concurrent operations without thread starvation, and restructuring controller actions for non-blocking execution. The course demonstrates common pitfalls like async void methods and improper task handling, showing you why they matter in high-throughput scenarios.
Beyond the mechanics, Papa and Wahlin reveal the architectural thinking behind async patterns—when to use ConfigureAwait, how to compose async operations efficiently, and debugging techniques for asynchronous code. You’ll see how these changes cascade through your application stack, from data access layers through to API endpoints, with practical guidance on testing async code.
Who Is This Course For?
Ideal for:
- ASP.NET Core developers: Shipping APIs or web applications where response time and throughput directly impact user experience and infrastructure costs.
- Backend engineers scaling systems: Managing applications hitting database or external service bottlenecks; async patterns unlock significant capacity gains without adding servers.
- Technical leads reviewing code: Need to understand async implementation deeply to mentor teams and spot synchronous anti-patterns during code review.
May not suit:
- C# beginners: Requires comfort with tasks, delegates, and lambda expressions; jump to fundamentals first if these feel unfamiliar.
- Frontend-only developers: Focused on server-side patterns; minimal relevance unless you’re building Node.js or similar async-first backends.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Play by Play: Converting Synchronous Calls to Asynchronous in ASP.NET Core and Entity Framework Core take?
56 minutes of video content. Plan for 90 minutes total if you’re coding along with the examples—which we recommend.
Will this course cover async patterns in other frameworks?
No—it’s ASP.NET Core and Entity Framework Core specific. The principles transfer, but syntax and APIs differ significantly in Node.js, Python, or Java.
Do I need Entity Framework Core experience?
Helpful but not essential. The course teaches async EF Core patterns in context, though familiarity with LINQ queries accelerates your learning.
Is this hands-on or lecture-only?
Play by Play format means you watch expert developers refactor real code live. Pluralsight’s sandbox labs let you try patterns yourself, though the course emphasises observation and understanding over building from scratch.
Course by John Papa, Dan Wahlin on Pluralsight. Duration: 0h 56m. Last verified by AIU.ac: March 2026.
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