Where should I start with CQRS in ASP.NET Core?

Ceremony vs delivery: MediatR and CQRS-lite. This page is the index.

Do I need a mediator for CQRS?

No — commands and queries as separate requests can be plain services. See the CQRS-lite article for when MediatR earns its keep.

Blog topic

CQRS and MediatR Articles for ASP.NET Core

Article index for CQRS-lite — when MediatR helps delivery, license vs Wolverine, and when a mediator is ceremony.

CQRS-lite on ASP.NET Core — start with MediatR and CQRS-lite, then the license vs Wolverine decision.

Introduction

This page is the article map for CQRS-lite and MediatR decisions.

You want…	Open
When MediatR helps delivery	MediatR and CQRS-lite
License vs Wolverine / stay / drop	MediatR license vs Wolverine

CQRS means separate paths for reads and writes — not necessarily event sourcing. MediatR is one dispatcher, not a requirement.

Related: C# Design Patterns · Architecture

Quick answers

Where should I start with CQRS in ASP.NET Core?: Ceremony vs delivery: MediatR and CQRS-lite. This page is the index.
Where is the MediatR license vs Wolverine guide?: MediatR commercial license vs Wolverine.
Do I need a mediator for CQRS?: No — commands and queries as separate requests can be plain services. See the CQRS-lite article for when MediatR earns its keep.

All CQRS articles

October 7, 202611 min read

Saga Pattern in .NET: Choreography vs Orchestration

Implement the Saga pattern in .NET for distributed transactions across microservices. Compare choreography vs orchestration with real C# examples.

August 15, 20266 min read

MediatR Commercial License vs Wolverine (and When to Stay)

A practical ASP.NET Core decision guide after MediatR’s commercial licensing: when I stay on MediatR, when I migrate to Wolverine, and when CQRS does not need a mediator at all.

Updated September 12, 2026Published April 28, 20269 min read

MediatR and CQRS-Lite in ASP.NET Core

MediatR in C# / ASP.NET Core — when CQRS-lite handlers and pipeline behaviors help a product team ship faster, and when extra folders slow healthcare and SaaS delivery down.