dotInsights May 2026: Key Takeaways & Q&A on C#, AI, and .NET

Welcome to the May 2026 edition of dotInsights by JetBrains! This newsletter brings you a curated selection of .NET and software development resources, from advanced C# features to AI-assisted coding and practical .NET tips. In this Q&A, we explore the most noteworthy topics covered, including the power of reference returns in C#, the latest AI productivity hacks, optimizing Entity Framework Core, and more. Dive in to get a quick yet comprehensive overview of what's new and noteworthy for the .NET community.

1. What is the May 2026 dotInsights newsletter about?

The May 2026 dotInsights edition is a monthly roundup from JetBrains, packed with links to articles, videos, and community posts relevant to .NET developers. It covers a wide range of topics including C# language features, AI integration in development workflows, performance optimization, security best practices, and practical guidance for frameworks like ASP.NET Core, Entity Framework Core, and .NET MAUI. The newsletter also includes fun social media highlights and the latest JetBrains announcements, making it a one-stop shop for staying updated in the .NET ecosystem.

2. What is the 'ref return and ref local' feature in C# highlighted in the newsletter?

The newsletter kicks off by asking, “Did you know? C# supports ref return and ref local”. These features allow you to return and work with references to variables instead of copies of their values. In practice, ref return enables methods to return a reference to a variable, and ref local lets you declare a local variable that is an alias to another variable. This can significantly improve performance in scenarios where large structs or arrays are involved, because it avoids unnecessary copying. It’s a powerful tool for advanced scenarios like implementing custom collections or performance-critical algorithms. The full range of code examples and best practices can be explored in the linked resources within the newsletter.

3. What are the top AI-related resources featured in this issue?

This month’s newsletter includes several AI-focused links. Notably, Gui Ferreira discusses “Stop Writing Specs. Let AI Interrogate You Instead” – a video that proposes flipping the spec process by letting AI ask questions to clarify requirements. Nick Chapsas shares “Speed Up Your AI Development Workflow by 2x”, offering practical tips for faster prototyping. Addy Osmani explores “Comprehension Debt: The Hidden Cost of AI-Generated Code”, a thought piece on the long-term maintainability challenges when developers rely heavily on AI. Other entries cover LLM Chat in .NET with IChatClient, multi-agent workflows, and agent skills, providing a rich set of resources for anyone looking to integrate AI into their .NET stack.

4. What practical Entity Framework Core tips are included?

The newsletter provides several EF Core insights. Chris Woodruff explains “How to Delete and Update Millions of Rows in EF Core Without Loading a Single Entity”, a must-read for bulk operations. David Grace covers “Why your Entity Framework Core app needs query filters”, highlighting how global query filters can simplify multi-tenant or soft-delete scenarios. Ali Hamza Ansari dives into “EF Core query translation: Why does some LINQ never become SQL?”, demystifying common pitfalls. These resources help developers write more efficient and maintainable data access code, whether they're dealing with large datasets or complex queries.

5. How does the newsletter address .NET MAUI development?

Two posts focus on .NET MAUI. Leomaris Reyes shows “Building an Instagram-Style Like Animation in .NET MAUI”, a fun, hands-on tutorial for creating smooth UI interactions. Héctor Pérez provides “Getting Started with the .NET MAUI Speech-to-Text Button Control”, a guide for adding voice input capabilities to mobile apps. These resources are ideal for developers looking to enhance user experience with custom animations and modern input methods. The newsletter also links to a post about the MAUI Speech-to-Text Button from the Syncfusion blog, offering additional code samples and integration tips.

6. What security and performance advice can be found in this edition?

Security is addressed by Adrian Bailador in “What Your .NET Exceptions Are Telling Attackers (And How to Stop It)”, which warns against leaking sensitive information through exception messages and stack traces. For performance, Andrew Lock explains “Removing byte[] allocations in .NET Framework using ReadOnlySpan<T>” – a classic example of reducing memory pressure. David McCarter shares “String Performance: Avoid Unnecessary Conversions with StringBuilder”, reminding developers of best practices for string concatenation. Additionally, Gérald Barré covers “URL Pattern Matching in .NET”, a feature that can improve routing performance. These articles together provide actionable advice for writing faster and safer .NET applications.

7. Are there any updates from JetBrains or fun social posts?

Yes! The newsletter includes a “JetBrains News” section with announcements (not detailed in the text but referenced as “⛓️‍💥 Bre” and other items). The “Coffee Break ☕” section rounds up fun social media posts from the community. While the specific social content isn't listed, it's a good reminder to check the full newsletter online for a lighthearted break. JetBrains also highlights new features and tools in their ecosystem, so developers can stay informed about updates to ReSharper, Rider, and other products.