PushSharp
A server-side .NET library for sending push notifications to iOS (APNS), Android (GCM/FCM), Windows (WNS), Amazon (ADM), and Blackberry devices.
What is PushSharp?
PushSharp is a server-side .NET library that simplifies sending push notifications to multiple mobile and desktop platforms. It provides a unified interface for developers to reach iOS, Android, Windows, Amazon, and Blackberry devices without managing the low-level complexities of each platform's notification service. The library handles transport reliability and platform-specific quirks internally, allowing developers to focus on payload construction and business logic.
.NET developers building server-side applications that need to send push notifications to a variety of mobile and desktop platforms, including iOS, Android, Windows, Amazon, and Blackberry. It is particularly useful for teams managing cross-platform notification systems in C# environments.
Developers choose PushSharp for its comprehensive multi-platform support and modern async architecture, which simplifies notification delivery across different services. Its event-driven error handling and broker-based queuing provide reliable, scalable notification management without requiring deep integration with each platform's APIs.
Overview
A server-side library for sending Push Notifications to iOS (iPhone/iPad APNS), Android (C2DM and GCM - Google Cloud Message), Windows Phone, Windows 8, Amazon, Blackberry, and (soon) FirefoxOS devices!
Use Cases
Best For
- Sending push notifications from .NET applications to multiple platforms (APNS, GCM/FCM, WNS, ADM, Blackberry) through a single library.
- Building scalable server-side notification systems with async/await and HttpClient for efficient delivery.
- Handling platform-specific notification failures and errors, such as rate limiting or expired device tokens, via event-driven error handling.
- Managing connection pooling and queuing for reliable, batched notification sending using service brokers.
- Integrating with Apple's APNS feedback service to check for and handle expired device tokens automatically.
- Migrating from PushSharp 2.x to a modern, rewritten version with improved infrastructure and semver versioning.
Not Ideal For
- Projects targeting only a single mobile platform where a simpler, platform-specific SDK would suffice.
- Applications requiring the latest APNS HTTP/2 protocol, as support is still in development per the roadmap.
- Non-.NET environments, since the library is designed exclusively for server-side .NET applications.
- Teams seeking a fully managed, cloud-based notification service without server maintenance and configuration overhead.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Unifies notification sending across iOS, Android, Windows, Amazon, and Blackberry through a single interface, reducing integration complexity with multiple SDKs.
Built with async/await and HttpClient, enabling efficient, non-blocking notification delivery suitable for scalable server applications.
Event-driven system provides granular control over notification failures, including platform-specific exceptions like rate limiting or expired tokens, as shown in sample code.
Broker-based design handles connection pooling and queuing automatically, ensuring reliable batch processing and reducing manual implementation effort.
Cons
Key features like HTTP/2 for APNS and XMPP transport for GCM are listed as in development on the roadmap, limiting access to modern protocols.
Migration from v2.x to v3.x requires significant code updates, as highlighted in the README, which can disrupt existing implementations and increase maintenance.
Each platform requires separate setup with certificates or API keys (e.g., .p12 files for APNS), adding overhead compared to more integrated solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
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