Table of Contents

Use .NET libraries from Raven

Raven programs compile to .NET assemblies and use framework and package APIs directly. Interoperability is an everyday programming model, not a separate foreign-function layer.

Import a namespace

Import members from a namespace with .*:

import System.*
import System.Collections.Generic.*

let names = List<string>()
names.Add("Raven")

Console.WriteLine(names.Count)

You can also keep a type qualified when that makes the boundary clearer.

Use NuGet packages and framework references

A .rvnproj is an SDK-style .NET project. Add PackageReference and FrameworkReference items in the same way as other .NET projects. Raven code then imports and calls the exposed namespaces and types.

The Web API guide demonstrates ASP.NET Core routing, dependency injection, JSON, OpenAPI, tasks, and async streams from a Raven project.

Keep boundaries recognizable

Framework-facing functions should normally use the types expected by the framework. Translate into richer Raven domain shapes behind that boundary:

  • accept nullable values where a .NET API is nullable
  • use Option when absence becomes a domain state
  • accept or return tasks for asynchronous .NET APIs
  • use records and unions for application models where serializers and framework integration support them

This keeps interop straightforward without allowing framework storage shapes to dictate the whole domain model.

Continue with asynchronous code or the project-system guide.

Edit this page