Shiny Aspire Libraries

Zero-friction integration between .NET Aspire and Microsoft Orleans for ADO.NET storage backends. Automatically provisions Orleans database schemas and wires up clustering, grain persistence, and reminders from Aspire configuration — no manual SQL scripts or connection string plumbing required.

Also includes an Aspire hosting integration for Gluetun VPN containers.

Supported Databases

• PostgreSQL
• SQL Server
• MySQL

Packages

Package	NuGet	Usage
Shiny.Aspire.Orleans.Hosting		Aspire AppHost — auto-runs Orleans schema scripts when the database becomes ready
Shiny.Aspire.Orleans.Server		Orleans silo — registers ADO.NET providers for clustering, grain storage, and reminders
Shiny.Aspire.Orleans.Client		Orleans client — registers ADO.NET clustering provider
Shiny.Aspire.Hosting.Gluetun		Aspire AppHost — adds a Gluetun VPN container and routes other containers through it

Quick Start

1. AppHost (Aspire Orchestrator)

Install Shiny.Aspire.Orleans.Hosting in your AppHost project.

using Shiny.Aspire.Orleans.Hosting;

var builder = DistributedApplication.CreateBuilder(args);

var db = builder.AddPostgres("pg")
    .WithPgAdmin()
    .AddDatabase("orleans-db");

var orleans = builder.AddOrleans("cluster")
    .WithClustering(db)
    .WithGrainStorage("Default", db)
    .WithReminders(db)
    .WithDatabaseSetup(db); // <-- creates all Orleans tables automatically

builder.AddProject<Projects.MySilo>("silo")
    .WithReference(orleans)
    .WaitFor(db);

builder.AddProject<Projects.MyApi>("api")
    .WithReference(orleans.AsClient())
    .WaitFor(db);

builder.Build().Run();

WithDatabaseSetup subscribes to Aspire's ResourceReadyEvent for the database resource. When the database container is up and accepting connections, it automatically executes the Orleans SQL schema scripts (clustering tables, persistence tables, reminders tables, stored procedures, and query registrations).

2. Orleans Silo

Install Shiny.Aspire.Orleans.Server in your silo project. The package registers Orleans provider builders for all supported database types (PostgresDatabase, SqlServerDatabase, MySqlDatabase) via assembly-level [RegisterProvider] attributes. Orleans' ApplyConfiguration automatically resolves these providers from the Aspire-injected configuration.

Call silo.UseAdoNet() inside UseOrleans for discoverability — provider registration is automatic when the package is referenced.

using Shiny.Aspire.Orleans.Server;

var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);

builder.UseOrleans(silo =>
{
    silo.UseAdoNet();
});

var app = builder.Build();
app.Run();

Because the extension is on ISiloBuilder, you can compose it with other Orleans features:

using Shiny.Aspire.Orleans.Server;

builder.UseOrleans(silo =>
{
    silo.UseAdoNet();
    // add other silo configuration here
});

3. Orleans Client

Install Shiny.Aspire.Orleans.Client in your client project (e.g. an API gateway).

using Shiny.Aspire.Orleans.Client;

var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);

builder.UseOrleansClient(client =>
{
    client.UseAdoNetClient();
});

var app = builder.Build();

app.MapGet("/counter/{name}", async (string name, IClusterClient client) =>
{
    var grain = client.GetGrain<ICounterGrain>(name);
    var count = await grain.GetCount();
    return Results.Ok(new { name, count });
});

app.Run();

By default, WithDatabaseSetup creates schemas for all Orleans features. You can limit this using the OrleansFeature flags enum:

// Only set up clustering and persistence tables (no reminders)
orleans.WithDatabaseSetup(db, OrleansFeature.Clustering | OrleansFeature.Persistence);

// Only set up clustering
orleans.WithDatabaseSetup(db, OrleansFeature.Clustering);

Available flags:

Flag	Value	Description
Clustering	1	Membership tables for silo discovery
Persistence	2	Grain storage tables
Reminders	4	Reminder tables
All	7	All of the above (default)

Using Different Databases

The database type is auto-detected from the Aspire resource. Just swap the resource builder:

// PostgreSQL
var db = builder.AddPostgres("pg").AddDatabase("orleans-db");

// SQL Server
var db = builder.AddSqlServer("sql").AddDatabase("orleans-db");

// MySQL
var db = builder.AddMySql("mysql").AddDatabase("orleans-db");

Everything else stays the same — the correct SQL scripts, connection provider, and ADO.NET invariant are selected automatically.

How It Works

Provider Registration

The Server and Client packages register Orleans provider builders via [assembly: RegisterProvider] attributes. When Orleans calls ApplyConfiguration, it reads the Aspire-injected configuration (e.g. Orleans:Clustering:ProviderType = "PostgresDatabase") and resolves the matching provider builder automatically. The provider builder maps the database type to the correct ADO.NET invariant and connection string.

Registered provider names:

ProviderType	Invariant	Kinds
PostgresDatabase	Npgsql	Clustering, GrainStorage, Reminders
SqlServerDatabase	Microsoft.Data.SqlClient	Clustering, GrainStorage, Reminders
MySqlDatabase	MySql.Data.MySqlClient	Clustering, GrainStorage, Reminders

Configuration Flow

Aspire automatically injects configuration into your silo and client projects when you use .WithReference(orleans). The injected configuration looks like:

Orleans:Clustering:ProviderType = "PostgresDatabase"
Orleans:Clustering:ServiceKey   = "orleans-db"
Orleans:GrainStorage:Default:ProviderType = "PostgresDatabase"
Orleans:GrainStorage:Default:ServiceKey   = "orleans-db"
Orleans:Reminders:ProviderType  = "PostgresDatabase"
Orleans:Reminders:ServiceKey    = "orleans-db"
ConnectionStrings:orleans-db    = "Host=...;Database=..."

Orleans' ApplyConfiguration reads these sections and delegates to the registered provider builders, which configure the ADO.NET providers (Npgsql, Microsoft.Data.SqlClient, or MySqlConnector) with the correct connection strings and invariants.

Schema Provisioning

WithDatabaseSetup runs embedded SQL scripts in order:

1. Main — creates the OrleansQuery table (Orleans' query registry)
2. Clustering — creates OrleansMembershipVersionTable, OrleansMembershipTable, and related stored procedures/functions
3. Persistence — creates the OrleansStorage table and related stored procedures/functions
4. Reminders — creates OrleansRemindersTable and related stored procedures/functions

Scripts are executed when Aspire raises the ResourceReadyEvent for the database, ensuring the database is accepting connections before any schema setup runs.

Multiple Grain Storage Providers

The server package supports multiple named grain storage providers:

// AppHost
var orleans = builder.AddOrleans("cluster")
    .WithClustering(db)
    .WithGrainStorage("Default", db)
    .WithGrainStorage("Archive", archiveDb)
    .WithDatabaseSetup(db);

// Grain
public class MyGrain(
    [PersistentState("state", "Default")] IPersistentState<MyState> state,
    [PersistentState("archive", "Archive")] IPersistentState<ArchiveState> archive
) : Grain, IMyGrain { }

Sample

The samples/ directory contains a complete working example:

Project	Description
Sample.AppHost	Aspire orchestrator wiring PostgreSQL + PgAdmin, Orleans cluster, API, Gluetun VPN
Sample.Silo	Orleans silo with ADO.NET providers
Sample.Api	HTTP API with counter and reminder endpoints via IClusterClient
Sample.GrainInterfaces	ICounterGrain and IReminderGrain interfaces
Sample.Grains	CounterGrain (persistent state) and ReminderGrain (ADO.NET reminders)

Run the sample:

dotnet run --project samples/Sample.AppHost

---

Shiny.Aspire.Hosting.Gluetun

Aspire hosting integration for Gluetun, a lightweight VPN client container supporting multiple providers. Models Gluetun as a first-class Aspire resource and lets other containers route their traffic through the VPN tunnel.

Quick Start

Install Shiny.Aspire.Hosting.Gluetun in your AppHost project.

var builder = DistributedApplication.CreateBuilder(args);

var vpn = builder.AddGluetun("vpn")
    .WithVpnProvider("mullvad")
    .WithWireGuard(builder.AddParameter("wireguard-key", secret: true))
    .WithServerCountries("US", "Canada");

var scraper = builder.AddContainer("scraper", "my-scraper")
    .WithHttpEndpoint(targetPort: 8080);

vpn.WithRoutedContainer(scraper);

builder.Build().Run();

This creates a Gluetun VPN container with Mullvad WireGuard, then routes the scraper container's traffic through it. At runtime the scraper joins the Gluetun network namespace (--network container:vpn). On Docker Compose publish, routed containers get network_mode: "service:vpn" and their ports are transferred to the Gluetun service.

API Reference

AddGluetun

Creates a Gluetun container resource with NET_ADMIN capability and /dev/net/tun device access.

IResourceBuilder<GluetunResource> AddGluetun(
    this IDistributedApplicationBuilder builder,
    string name,
    int? httpProxyPort = null,
    int? shadowsocksPort = null)

The optional port parameters expose Gluetun's built-in HTTP proxy (default target 8888) and Shadowsocks proxy (default target 8388) endpoints.

VPN Provider Configuration

// Set the VPN service provider (required)
vpn.WithVpnProvider("mullvad");

// OpenVPN — string credentials
vpn.WithOpenVpn("username", "password");

// OpenVPN — Aspire parameter resources (recommended for secrets)
vpn.WithOpenVpn(
    builder.AddParameter("openvpn-user"),
    builder.AddParameter("openvpn-pass", secret: true));

// WireGuard — string key
vpn.WithWireGuard("my-private-key");

// WireGuard — Aspire parameter resource (recommended for secrets)
vpn.WithWireGuard(builder.AddParameter("wireguard-key", secret: true));

Server Selection

vpn.WithServerCountries("US", "Canada", "Germany");
vpn.WithServerCities("New York", "Toronto");

Values are comma-joined and set as SERVER_COUNTRIES / SERVER_CITIES environment variables.

Proxy Features

vpn.WithHttpProxy();           // enables Gluetun's built-in HTTP proxy (HTTPPROXY=on)
vpn.WithHttpProxy(false);      // disables it (HTTPPROXY=off)
vpn.WithShadowsocks();         // enables Shadowsocks proxy (SHADOWSOCKS=on)
vpn.WithShadowsocks(false);    // disables it (SHADOWSOCKS=off)

Network & Firewall

vpn.WithFirewallOutboundSubnets("10.0.0.0/8", "192.168.0.0/16");
vpn.WithTimezone("America/New_York");

Generic Environment Variables

Pass any Gluetun environment variable not covered by the typed methods:

vpn.WithGluetunEnvironment("DNS_ADDRESS", "1.1.1.1");
vpn.WithGluetunEnvironment("UPDATER_PERIOD", builder.AddParameter("updater-period"));

Routing Containers Through the VPN

vpn.WithRoutedContainer(scraper);
vpn.WithRoutedContainer(downloader);

Each call:

1. Adds a GluetunRoutedResourceAnnotation to the Gluetun resource
2. Sets --network container:<vpn-name> runtime args on the routed container
3. On Docker Compose publish, sets network_mode: "service:<vpn-name>" on the routed container and transfers its port mappings to the Gluetun service

You can route multiple containers through the same VPN.

Docker Compose Publish

When you publish with dotnet run --publisher manifest or Docker Compose, routed containers automatically get:

services:
  vpn:
    image: qmcgaw/gluetun:latest
    cap_add:
      - NET_ADMIN
    devices:
      - /dev/net/tun
    environment:
      - VPN_SERVICE_PROVIDER=mullvad
      - VPN_TYPE=wireguard
      - WIREGUARD_PRIVATE_KEY=${wireguard-key}
      - SERVER_COUNTRIES=US,Canada
    ports:
      - "8080:8080"    # forwarded from scraper
  scraper:
    image: my-scraper
    network_mode: "service:vpn"
    # ports moved to vpn service

Supported VPN Providers

Gluetun supports 30+ VPN providers. See the Gluetun wiki for the full list and provider-specific environment variables. Use WithGluetunEnvironment for any provider-specific settings not covered by the typed methods.

Requirements

• .NET 10
• .NET Aspire 13.1+
• Microsoft Orleans 10.0+ (for Orleans packages only)