DNN and Oqtane

I've been working with DNN Platform (DotNetNuke) since the very early versions – it's familiar, powerful, and "does everything." Recently, I've also spent a lot of time with Oqtane – the "spiritual successor" from the same creator, Shaun Walker. After multiple large and small projects, here are my honest, no-fluff thoughts to help those of you who are still deciding.

1. DNN: The Reliable "Big Brother" – Does Everything, Super Familiar

DNN really can handle almost anything. Modules? Thousands available – membership management, events, e-commerce, ERP integrations, industry-specific ones (real estate, hospitals, schools...). Skins? Ready-made, beautiful, responsive for years. The admin panel is so familiar that you know exactly what to do just by looking.

I used to think DNN was too legacy-heavy (WebForms, old postbacks, lower performance compared to modern stacks). But recent BuiltWith data (early 2026) shows ~48,000–49,000 live sites, with signs of slight growth again. Why?

• DNN 10.x updates (especially 10.0 to 10.2.x) have improved a lot: removed legacy APIs, better .NET Framework 4.8 support, JWT/API tokens, smoother content approval, constant security fixes.
• Many enterprise and government sites have run DNN stably for 10–15 years – low maintenance cost, familiar team.
• Commercial module ecosystem is still alive; many providers continue selling high-quality DNN modules.

In short: DNN isn't "Old guy" as some AIs think. It's like an old reliable truck that's been upgraded with a new engine – still great for long hauls.

2. Oqtane: Lightweight, Blazing Fast, Modern – But Ecosystem Still "Young"

Oqtane is completely different: full Blazor (.NET 8/9/10), SPA experience (no page reloads), incredibly fast page loads (especially Blazor Server + prerendering). Code is clean, modular just like old DNN philosophy: plug-and-play modules, multi-tenant, easy to extend.

I've tested small projects: really quick deploy and fast on same hosting account, I am sure it can work with any hosting providers, sql.. . The admin panel is simpler than DNN but get improved – true plug-and-play feel.

Real talk though:

• Available modules are still limited (mostly core + some high-quality community ones).
• Themes/skins aren't as rich or varied as DNN's.
  • Blazor is currently the best technology anounced by Microsoft --> that's why.
• For complex features right away (advanced membership, full e-commerce), you'll need to build or wait – more time than DNN.

3. Our Team's Conclusion: Run Both in Parallel – But With Eyes on the Future

After careful evaluation (and checking recent forum activity):

• DNN forums and community groups are noticeably quieter now – fewer interactions, smaller active groups compared to the golden years. It's not dead, but the energy has declined, which is understandable given the shift in .NET trends.
• Anything running well on DNN (large legacy sites, existing clients, ready modules) → keep maintaining normally. Upgrade to DNN 10.x for security and performance stability. No rush to migrate if there's no urgent reason.
• But for all new projects (2026 onward) → prioritize Oqtane. Reasons: modern tech, Blazor is hot and sound so promising, high performance, long-term future-proof (.NET 10 LTS until 2028). We're building shared core modules (auth, multi-tenant, content) to reuse across both, and migrate gradually when needed.

We still love DNN – deeply. It's given us so much over the years: stability, ecosystem, familiarity. But from what we've seen on the forums and in the broader .NET community, even though we love DNN, we also love Oqtane for carrying forward the same modular, developer-friendly spirit – just rebuilt for today's world (Blazor, SPA, cross-platform potential).

This dual approach lets us:

• Retain old flatform (stable).
• Prepare for the future (performance, mobile hybrid, cloud-native) and dont have to look elsewhere: WP, Umbraco....
• All tools we have.

Update 2026: What Our Team Is Actually Building to Bridge DNN and Oqtane

Many of you asked: "So what is your team concretely doing to support the transition?" Here's the real update (March 2026).

1. Tool to Convert DNN Skins for Use on Oqtane
   Our biggest (and most challenging) ongoing project. DNN skins are typically .ascx files with server controls, Token replacements, skin objects, and inline Razor/VB, C#, HTML/CSS mixes. Oqtane themes are pure Blazor Razor components (.razor files) + CSS/JS, using Layout.razor, Pane components, and dynamic rendering via Cascading parameters.
   Currently in internal beta. Goal: public release (low-cost) soon.
2. Form Module That Runs Seamlessly on Both Platforms
   We built an Advanced Form Builder from scratch.
   - Native on DNN and 100% on Oqtane.
   - Shared codebase: validation, submissions, emails, integrations.
   - Multi-tenant, conditional fields, file uploads, captcha, anti-spam.
   Already live for several clients; great feedback on speed and UX.
3. MegaMenu: About to Release!
   MegaMenu is essential for large sites.
   - Finalizing a MegaMenu module for Oqtane (with DNN compatible version).
   - Features: Drag-drop builder, icons support, mega dropdown columns, mobile responsive.
   - Planned: Q2 2026 (possibly sooner).
4. Our Iron Rule: 12+ High-Quality Modules per Year – No Junk
   Team commitment:
   - Only high-quality: clean code, documented, tested, secure.
   - No low-value or buggy modules.
   - Target: 12+ per year, focused on real enterprise needs.
   All aim for cross-compatibility between DNN & Oqtane.

Final Thoughts

We haven't abandoned DNN – we still maintain legacy sites and appreciate everything it has built. But with quieter forums and shifting community energy, we're excited to embrace Oqtane as the natural evolution.

If you're on DNN and worried about the future: Follow our skin converter tool and cross-platform modules. We're happy to share beta/tests (comment or DM me)!

What do you think of this direction? Which module would you like us to build next? 😊

#dotnet #blazor #oqtane #dnn #cms #aspnetcore #moduledevelopment #migration