.NET 10 (Preview 7): Microsoft Unveils WebSocket Streaming and Passkey Support
Microsoft has released the seventh preview of .NET 10 (Preview 7), introducing updates to its runtime and frameworks. Among the most notable enhancements are a new wrapper that exposes WebSocket connections through a streaming interface, streamlined passkey authentication in ASP.NET Core, and expanded functionality with bug fixes in .NET MAUI (Multi-platform App UI).
The most significant innovation is the WebSocketStream library—an API that provides a streaming abstraction over WebSocket, dramatically simplifying development. Microsoft’s documentation illustrates a scenario where reading and deserializing a JSON message requires merely two lines of code.
ASP.NET Core has also improved support for passkey-based authentication. In new Blazor applications—Microsoft’s recommended framework for modern web development—passkey integration is now enabled automatically when individual authentication is selected during project setup. To create a Blazor project with passkey support, developers simply need to run:
dotnet new -au Individual
In .NET MAUI, Microsoft’s official cross-platform framework for macOS and mobile platforms, a strongly typed XAML source generator has been introduced. This addition promises faster build times and enhanced tooling experiences, such as IntelliSense. Developers had previously criticized MAUI’s XAML tooling, and expectations are high that these changes will significantly improve usability.
The control APIs have also been refined. New interfaces allow programmatic opening and closing of pickers (dropdown lists) and provide a public API for TabbedPageManager. Documentation highlights “numerous fixes and improvements across controls and layouts.” While MAUI’s reputation for stability has yet to solidify, these enhancements mark progress toward greater maturity—though skeptics point out that Microsoft itself rarely employs MAUI in its own flagship products.
.NET follows an annual release cycle, with even-numbered versions designated as LTS (long-term support) and maintained for three years. .NET 10 will be an LTS release, with general availability (GA) scheduled for mid-November, coinciding with the .NET Conf virtual event.
With just three months until GA, this preview release is likely the last to feature substantial innovations. If Microsoft adheres to its established cadence, the first release candidate should arrive in September, followed by the second RC in October.
Developers are encouraged to review the full documentation on .NET 10’s new features, which include C# 14, extended support for post-quantum cryptography (also highlighted in the forthcoming Java 25), major work on Blazor, and updates to Windows Forms and WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation). WPF now supports the Fluent design system of Windows 11, a timely update as the framework approaches its 20th anniversary next year.
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