gaelic-ghost/socket/choose-fsharp-web-framework

Choose F# Web Framework

Choose the web surface before scaffolding. Keep the application's F# domain model, HTTP host, persistence, and deployment decision explicit instead of treating a framework DSL as the whole architecture.

Source Check

Inspect the repository and its locked packages first. When a current framework behavior matters, use its official documentation before generating code:

• ASP.NET Core Minimal APIs
• Giraffe
• Falco
• Oxpecker
• Saturn

Selection

Do not select from popularity alone. Check existing package choices, team experience, endpoint style, HTML/view needs, authentication, hosting, and how much framework-specific API the project is willing to own.

Workflow

1. Classify the application: API, HTML server app, webhook, internal tool,

background worker with health endpoints, or full-stack application.

1. Inspect its existing ASP.NET Core host, package versions, test harness,

configuration, and deployment files.

1. State the chosen framework and why the alternatives do not fit this project.
2. Keep domain operations in F# modules independent of HTTP handlers.
3. Use the matching framework skill for Giraffe, Falco, or Oxpecker. For Minimal

APIs use dotnet:aspnet-core-service-workflow; for Saturn, inspect its local conventions and official documentation before making framework-specific edits.

1. Select the smallest useful test level and run dotnet build plus the relevant

dotnet test command.

Boundaries

• SAFE Stack, Fable, Bolero, WebSharper, and browser-client architecture are

separate decisions; do not imply that a server framework selects a client.

• Keep F# compile order deliberate in .fsproj files.
• Do not introduce a repository, service, or view-model layer merely to mirror a

framework's API. Name the concrete external dependency or reuse boundary first.

• For Azure architecture, provisioning, diagnostics, or deployment, hand off to

the official Microsoft Azure Skills plugin through the cloud deployment routing workflow; do not duplicate its MCP or infrastructure guidance here.

Output

Return the application shape, selected framework, rejected alternatives, host and domain ownership, test approach, Azure handoff if applicable, and exact validation commands.