Full-Stack ASP.NET Core, Next.js and SQL Server

Section 1: How Web Applications Work and Setting Up Tools

• How a web application works: the front end, the API (back end) and the database

• Meet SupplyDesk, the project you will build over all 5 days

• Install the .NET 10 SDK and Visual Studio Code with C# Dev Kit, or Visual Studio 2026

• Lab: create your first project with dotnet new console and dotnet run

Section 2: Variables, Data Types and Operators

• Basic data types: int, decimal, string, bool and DateTime

• Reading input and showing output, type conversion and string interpolation

• Arithmetic and comparison operators

• Lab: calculate the value of stock on hand from quantity and unit price

Section 3: Conditions and Loops

• Making decisions with if, else and switch

• Repeating work with for, foreach and while

• Building a menu that keeps taking commands from the user

• Lab: the SupplyDesk main menu that runs until the user exits

Section 4: Methods, Classes and Objects

• Splitting code into methods with parameters and return values

• Classes, properties and constructors to represent real data such as supplies and requests

• Object concepts you will reuse when writing the API

• Lab: create the SupplyDesk Item and Request classes

Section 5: Lists and Working with Data in LINQ

• Storing many records in a List

• Searching, filtering, sorting and totalling with basic LINQ (Where, OrderBy, Sum)

• Handling errors with try and catch

• Lab: search supplies by name and total stock by category

Section 6: Workshop Day 1: SupplyDesk Console Program

• Keep supplies and requests in lists in memory

• Menu options to add supplies, search supplies and submit a request

• Stop requests that exceed the stock on hand and show clear error messages

• Workshop: show stock totals and all requests on the console screen

Section 7: Getting Started with SQL Server 2025

• Install SQL Server 2025 Express Edition and SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)

• Databases, tables, columns and common data types

• Create a database and tables both through the interface and with CREATE TABLE

• Lab: create the SupplyDesk database and its first table

Section 8: Designing Tables from a Real Business Case

• Splitting an Excel sheet into several related tables

• Primary keys, foreign keys and identity columns

• Design tables for supplies, categories, departments, users, requests and request lines

• Lab: draw the relationship diagram for all tables in SSMS

Section 9: Working with Data in SQL

• Add, change and remove data with INSERT, UPDATE and DELETE

• Retrieve data with SELECT, WHERE, ORDER BY and TOP

• Bring Excel data into the database with the Import Wizard

• Lab: import a sample supply list from an Excel file

Section 10: Joining Tables and Summarising Data

• Joining tables with INNER JOIN and LEFT JOIN

• Summarising with GROUP BY, COUNT, SUM and HAVING

• Creating views for frequently used reports

• Lab: a request report with requester, department and supply items

Section 11: Data Integrity and Safety

• Constraints: NOT NULL, UNIQUE, CHECK and default values

• Transactions when saving to several tables at once

• Basic database backup and restore

• Lab: prevent negative stock with CHECK and try a rollback

Section 12: Workshop Day 2: The SupplyDesk Database

• Build every SupplyDesk table with its relationships

• Add sample data for supplies, departments, users and requests

• Queries for requests by department and supplies running low

• Workshop: create report views and back up the database before day three

Section 13: REST API and ASP.NET Core Basics

• HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE), status codes and JSON

• Create a controller-based project with dotnet new webapi and explore its files

• Controllers and routing

• The OpenAPI document ASP.NET Core generates, plus an API test page such as Swagger UI or Scalar

• Lab: a first endpoint that returns the supply list as JSON

Section 14: Connecting to SQL Server with Entity Framework Core 10

• Install the packages and set up the connection string

• Create models and a DbContext that match the database tables

• Use migrations to create and change tables

• Lab: connect the API to the SupplyDesk database

Section 15: Building a CRUD API

• Read lists and single records, with search and paging

• Create, update and delete data through the API

• Load related data with Include

• Lab: a CRUD API for supplies with search and paging

Section 16: DTOs and Validation

• Separate DTOs from models to control what is received and returned

• Validate input with data annotations

• Return error messages in one consistent format across the system

• Lab: DTOs and validation rules for supply requests

Section 17: Code That Is Easy to Maintain

• Put business logic in services and use dependency injection

• Write async methods with async and await

• Log events to help track down problems

• Lab: move request logic from the controller into a service

Section 18: Workshop Day 3: The SupplyDesk API

• APIs for supplies, departments and requests that read and write SQL Server

• Validate data before saving and return the correct status codes

• Save a request with several supply lines in one call

• Workshop: test every endpoint through the OpenAPI test page

Section 19: Web Basics You Need

• HTML structure and page layout with Tailwind CSS

• JavaScript basics: variables, functions, arrays and objects

• TypeScript basics: types that match the API DTOs

• Lab: an HTML supply list page styled with Tailwind CSS

Section 20: Getting Started with Next.js 16

• Create a project with create-next-app and get to know the App Router

• React components, props and splitting pages into smaller parts

• Build the pages and navigation menu of the system

• Lab: the SupplyDesk layout and main menu

Section 21: Fetching Data from the API

• Call the API with fetch in a Server Component

• Show the supply list with search and paging

• Handle loading and error states

• Lab: a supply list page that reads live data from the API

Section 22: Forms and Sending Data

• Client Components and state with useState

• Build the request form, check input before sending and post it to the API

• Edit and cancel requests and show the result to the user

• Lab: a request form that can include several supply items

Section 23: Connecting the Web Pages to the API Properly

• Configure CORS in ASP.NET Core so the web pages can call the API

• Keep the API URL in an environment variable

• Put all API calls in one file so they are easy to change

• Lab: fix common CORS problems between the web pages and the API

Section 24: Workshop Day 4: The SupplyDesk Web Pages

• A page that lists and searches supplies

• A request page that checks input before sending

• A page where users see the status of their own requests

• Workshop: test the whole system against the live API and database

Section 25: Login with JWT

• Store passwords safely by hashing them

• Create a login endpoint that issues a JWT

• Protect the API with the Authorize attribute and send the token from the web pages

• Lab: a SupplyDesk login page that can call the protected API

Section 26: Role-Based Access

• Define requester and approver roles

• Restrict API and page access by role

• Hide menus and buttons the user is not allowed to use

• Lab: test with users in two roles and confirm they see and do different things

Section 27: Real Business Logic

• Approve or reject a request and deduct stock together in one transaction

• Prevent requests that exceed the stock on hand

• A summary page of requests by department for approvers

• Record approval history, the approver and the time of each action

• Lab: test simultaneous approvals and insufficient stock

Section 28: Source Control and Deployment

• Keep code in Git and separate settings by environment

• Publish ASP.NET Core to IIS or run it with Docker

• Build and deploy Next.js for production use

• Keep production connection strings and secrets out of the code

• Lab: publish the whole system on the learner's own machine

Section 29: Master Workshop: SupplyDesk End to End

• Add login and separate requester and approver permissions

• An approval step that deducts stock automatically

• Deploy the whole system and present your own work

• How to adapt the SupplyDesk structure to other department systems, such as leave requests or repair tickets

• What to learn next: deeper EF Core, advanced Next.js and testing