Mental notes on architecture, learning by reading source, and what’s next.
OK — so it’s time for a new article. Lately, I’ve been diving deep into the Oqtane framework, and it’s been a beautiful journey. It reminds me of my early days with XAF from Developer Express—when I learned to think in software architecture and modern design patterns by simply reading the code.Back then, documentation was scarce. The advice was: “Look at the code.” I did—and that shaped a big part of my software education. It taught me that good source code is often self-explanatory.
Even though XAF is still our main tool at the office (Xari & BIT Frameworks), we’re expanding. We’re researching new divisions for Flutter and React, since some projects already use those fronts with an XAF backend. I also wanted to explore building client-server apps with a single .NET codebase that includes mobile—another reason Oqtane caught my eye.
Why Oqtane Caught My Attention
The Oqtane team is very responsive on GitHub. You can open a discussion and get thoughtful replies quickly. The source code is clean and educational—perfect for learning by reading. There are plenty of talks and videos on architecture and module development; some are a bit dated, but if you cross-check with the code, you’ll be fine.
I’ve learned there are two steps to mastering a framework: (1) immerse yourself in material (videos, code, docs), and (2) explain it to someone else. These notes do both—part research, part knowledge sharing.
There’s one clip I couldn’t locate where Shaun Walker explains that .NET already provides the pieces for modern, multi-platform, server-and-client applications—but the ecosystem is fragmented. Oqtane unifies those pieces into a single .NET codebase. If I find it, I’ll make a highlight and share it.
On Learning and Time
I’m trying to publish as much as I can now because I’m about to start a new chapter: I’ll be joining the University of St. Petersburg to learn Russian as my second language. It’s a tough language—very different from Spanish or Italian—so I’ll likely have less time to write for a while. Better to document these experiments now than let them sit in my notes for months.
I recently had the privilege of conducting a training session in Cairo, Egypt, focusing on modern application development approaches. The session covered two key areas that are transforming how we build business applications: application frameworks and AI integration.
Streamlining Development with Application Frameworks
One of the highlights was demonstrating DevExpress’s eXpressApp Framework (XAF). The students were particularly impressed by how quickly we could build fully-functional Line of Business (LOB) applications. XAF’s approach eliminates much of the repetitive coding typically associated with business application development:
Automatic CRUD operations
Built-in security system
Consistent UI across different platforms
Rapid prototyping capabilities
Seamless Integration: XAF Meets Microsoft Semantic Kernel
What made this training unique was demonstrating how XAF’s capabilities extend into AI territory. We built the entire AI interface using XAF itself, showcasing how a traditional LOB framework can seamlessly incorporate advanced AI features. The audience, coming primarily from JavaScript backgrounds with Angular and React experience, was particularly impressed by how this approach simplified the integration of AI into business applications.
During the demonstrations, we explored practical implementations using Microsoft Semantic Kernel. The students were fascinated by practical demonstrations of:
Natural language processing for document analysis
Automated content generation for business documentation
Intelligent decision support systems
Context-aware data processing
Student Engagement and Outcomes
The response from the students, most of whom came from JavaScript development backgrounds, was overwhelmingly positive. As experienced frontend developers using Angular and React, they were initially skeptical about a different approach to application development. However, their enthusiasm peaked when they saw how these technologies could solve real business challenges they face daily. The combination of XAF’s rapid development capabilities and Semantic Kernel’s AI features, all integrated into a cohesive development experience, opened their eyes to new possibilities in application development.
Looking Forward
This training session in Cairo demonstrated the growing appetite for modern development approaches in the region. The intersection of efficient application frameworks and AI capabilities is proving to be a powerful combination for next-generation business applications.
