Drop .NET 6 support and modernize dependencies

[Bernd Verst (berndverst)]

Summary

• raise the minimum modern runtime to .NET 8 and recommend .NET 10 while preserving .NET Framework 4.7.2+
• publish explicit net8.0/net472 assets, retaining net48 only where provider behavior differs
• modernize the dependency graph, including patched Framework-compatible overrides for legacy Service Bus and Storage paths
• update installation guidance, samples, official builds, CodeQL, MSTest usage, serialization compatibility, and W3C tracing behavior

Compatibility

• Core, Azure Storage, Application Insights: net8.0;net472
• Emulator, Service Bus: net8.0;net472;net48
• Azure Service Fabric: net472;net48
• Service Bus uses Azure.Messaging.ServiceBus on net8.0/net472 and preserves WindowsAzure.ServiceBus on net48

Validation

• full solution builds cleanly with SDK 8.0.300 and SDK 10.0.302
• Core and Emulator test matrices pass on net8.0 and net48
• Azure Storage targeted and isolated retry coverage passes on both runtime paths
• Service Bus infrastructure-independent tests pass on net8.0 and net48
• all 23 PackageReference projects report no vulnerable or deprecated direct/transitive packages
• all six shipping NuGet packages were packed and their target/dependency groups verified

[Copilot]

Pull request overview

This PR raises the minimum modern runtime baseline to .NET 8 (while retaining .NET Framework 4.7.2+) and updates the codebase, tests, docs, and CI to match the new multi-targeting and dependency graph.

Changes:

• Retargets core/providers/tests to net8.0 + net472 (with net48 retained where provider behavior differs, e.g., Service Bus).
• Modernizes dependencies, GitHub Actions/CodeQL, and build templates; updates docs and samples to .NET 8 prerequisites.
• Updates tracing (explicit W3C activity creation) and refactors tests/assertions (MSTest + JSON token comparisons).

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 79 out of 79 changed files in this pull request and generated 13 comments.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
test/DurableTask.Test.Orchestrations/SimpleOrchestrations.cs	Updates TaskCompletionSource construction for newer TFMs.
test/DurableTask.Test.Orchestrations/DurableTask.Test.Orchestrations.csproj	Retargets orchestrations test project to net8/net472/net48.
test/DurableTask.ServiceBus.Tests/ServiceBusOrchestrationServiceTests.cs	Adds JSON token assertions; updates output/input assertions.
test/DurableTask.ServiceBus.Tests/SampleScenarioTests.cs	Uses ThrowsExactlyAsync for stricter exception assertions.
test/DurableTask.ServiceBus.Tests/OrchestrationHubTableClientTests.cs	Normalizes Assert.AreEqual argument ordering / null assertions.
test/DurableTask.ServiceBus.Tests/InstanceStoreQueryTests.cs	Simplifies exception assertion helper using ThrowsExactly.
test/DurableTask.ServiceBus.Tests/ErrorHandlingTests.cs	Re-enables TestMethod attribute (still ignored).
test/DurableTask.Emulator.Tests/EmulatorFunctionalTests.cs	Uses ThrowsExactlyAsync for duplicate instance checks.
test/DurableTask.Core.Tests/WorkItemDispatcherTests.cs	Simplifies BeginScope implementation for newer TFMs.
test/DurableTask.Core.Tests/TraceContextBaseTest.cs	Uses ThrowsExactly for exception assertions.
test/DurableTask.Core.Tests/RetryInterceptorTests.cs	Updates assertions and (attempts to) adjust data-driven test attributes.
test/DurableTask.Core.Tests/ExceptionHandlingIntegrationTests.cs	Updates data-driven test attributes and logging/test behavior.
test/DurableTask.Core.Tests/DispatcherMiddlewareTests.cs	Updates data-driven test attributes for middleware test.
test/DurableTask.Core.Tests/ContinueAsNewTraceBehaviorTests.cs	Updates ActivityListener sampling; replaces ExpectedException with ThrowsExactly.
test/DurableTask.AzureStorage.Tests/TestTablePartitionManager.cs	Normalizes Assert.AreEqual argument ordering.
test/DurableTask.AzureStorage.Tests/StressTests.cs	Updates data-driven test attributes.
test/DurableTask.AzureStorage.Tests/Storage/TableDeleteBatchParallelTests.cs	Uses ThrowsExactlyAsync for cancellation behavior test.
Test/DurableTask.AzureStorage.Tests/Storage/DurableTaskStorageExceptionTests.cs	Updates data-driven test attributes in storage exception tests.
test/DurableTask.AzureStorage.Tests/Net/UriPathTests.cs	Updates data-driven test attributes for UriPath.Combine cases.
test/DurableTask.AzureStorage.Tests/MessageManagerTests.cs	Updates data-driven test attributes; tightens exception assertion.
test/DurableTask.AzureStorage.Tests/KeySanitationTests.cs	Updates data-driven test attributes for sanitization round-trips.
test/DurableTask.AzureStorage.Tests/DurableTask.AzureStorage.Tests.csproj	Adjusts framework-conditional package references for updated baseline.
test/DurableTask.AzureStorage.Tests/Correlation/StringExtensionsTest.cs	Uses ThrowsExactly for invalid traceparent parsing.
test/DurableTask.AzureStorage.Tests/Correlation/CorrelationScenarioTest.cs	Updates many data-driven test attributes across correlation scenarios.
test/DurableTask.AzureStorage.Tests/AzureTableQueryFilterTests.cs	Updates data-driven test attributes for filter formatting tests.
test/DurableTask.AzureStorage.Tests/AzureStorageScenarioTests.cs	Adds JSON token helpers; updates many asserts and data-driven attributes.
test/DurableTask.AzureStorage.Tests/AzureStorageScaleTests.cs	Updates data-driven test attributes; uses ThrowsExactlyAsync in scale tests.
test/DurableTask.AzureStorage.Tests/AsyncAutoResetEventTests.cs	Updates data-driven test attributes and assertion ordering.
test/DurableTask.AzureServiceFabric.Integration.Tests/DurableTask.AzureServiceFabric.Integration.Tests.csproj	Removes pinned System.Collections.Immutable override.
src/DurableTask.ServiceBus/Settings/ServiceBusConnectionSettings.cs	Switches conditional compilation to USE_AZURE_MESSAGING_SERVICEBUS.
src/DurableTask.ServiceBus/ServiceBusOrchestrationService.cs	Uses USE_AZURE_MESSAGING_SERVICEBUS to select SB SDK path.
src/DurableTask.ServiceBus/DurableTask.ServiceBus.csproj	Retargets to net8/net472/net48 and defines USE_AZURE_MESSAGING_SERVICEBUS.
src/DurableTask.ServiceBus/Common/ServiceBusUtils.cs	Updates conditional compilation for SB message body handling.
src/DurableTask.ServiceBus/Common/Abstraction/ServiceBusAbstraction.cs	Updates abstraction conditionals to USE_AZURE_MESSAGING_SERVICEBUS.
src/DurableTask.Emulator/DurableTask.Emulator.csproj	Retargets emulator package to net8/net472/net48.
src/DurableTask.Core/Tracing/TraceHelper.cs	Moves to CreateActivity + explicit W3C IDs and StartTime handling.
src/DurableTask.Core/TaskOrchestrationExecutor.cs	Nullability updates for SynchronizationContext and callback state.
src/DurableTask.Core/TaskOrchestrationDispatcher.cs	Tightens null handling around trace context and emit calls.
src/DurableTask.Core/Serializing/JsonDataConverter.cs	Unifies on SerializationBinder usage.
src/DurableTask.Core/ISupportsDurableTraceContext.cs	Simplifies ActivityContext->traceparent assignment.
src/DurableTask.Core/FailureDetails.cs	Improves serialization null handling and error type extraction.
src/DurableTask.Core/Exceptions/TypeMissingException.cs	Marks formatter-serialization ctor obsolete on NET8+.
src/DurableTask.Core/Exceptions/TaskFailureException.cs	Marks formatter serialization APIs obsolete on NET8+.
src/DurableTask.Core/Exceptions/TaskFailedExceptionDeserializationException.cs	Marks formatter-serialization ctor obsolete on NET8+.
src/DurableTask.Core/Exceptions/TaskFailedException.cs	Marks formatter serialization APIs obsolete on NET8+.
src/DurableTask.Core/Exceptions/SubOrchestrationFailedException.cs	Marks formatter serialization APIs obsolete on NET8+.
src/DurableTask.Core/Exceptions/SessionAbortedException.cs	Marks formatter-serialization ctor obsolete on NET8+.
src/DurableTask.Core/Exceptions/OrchestrationFrameworkException.cs	Marks formatter-serialization ctor obsolete on NET8+.
src/DurableTask.Core/Exceptions/OrchestrationFailureException.cs	Marks formatter serialization APIs obsolete on NET8+.
src/DurableTask.Core/Exceptions/OrchestrationException.cs	Marks formatter serialization APIs obsolete on NET8+; null-safe FailureDetails read.
src/DurableTask.Core/Exceptions/OrchestrationAlreadyExistsException.cs	Marks formatter-serialization ctor obsolete on NET8+.
src/DurableTask.Core/Exceptions/NonDeterministicOrchestrationException.cs	Marks formatter-serialization ctor obsolete on NET8+.
src/DurableTask.Core/Exceptions/EntitySchedulerException.cs	Marks formatter-serialization ctor obsolete on NET8+.
src/DurableTask.Core/Entities/OrchestrationEntityContext.cs	Adds explicit guardrails around lock-state nullability.
src/DurableTask.Core/Entities/EntityId.cs	Improves null safety in Equals/CompareTo.
src/DurableTask.Core/DurableTask.Core.csproj	Retargets core library to net8.0/net472.
src/DurableTask.Core/Common/Utils.cs	Unifies SerializationBinder usage and adds minor null-safety improvements.
src/DurableTask.AzureStorage/Tracking/TableEntityConverter.cs	Suppresses SYSLIB0050 for legacy formatter-based materialization.
src/DurableTask.AzureStorage/Tracking/AzureTableTrackingStore.cs	Suppresses SYSLIB0050 for history event materialization; gates Nagle tweak to NETFRAMEWORK.
src/DurableTask.AzureStorage/Storage/BlobContainer.cs	Nullability annotation for blob metadata read.
src/DurableTask.AzureStorage/Partitioning/TablePartitionManager.cs	Adds nullable annotation to TryGetValue out var.
src/DurableTask.AzureStorage/Partitioning/LeaseLostException.cs	Marks formatter serialization APIs obsolete on NET8+.
src/DurableTask.AzureStorage/OrchestrationSessionManager.cs	Adds nullability annotations for session/queue lookups.
src/DurableTask.AzureStorage/Messaging/TaskHubQueue.cs	Simplifies reflection-based name lookup with null-safe patterns.
src/DurableTask.AzureStorage/Messaging/ControlQueue.cs	Makes comparer null-safe for MessageData comparisons.
src/DurableTask.AzureStorage/MessageManager.cs	Unifies SerializationBinder implementation; removes netstandard conditional binder variants.
src/DurableTask.AzureStorage/DurableTask.AzureStorage.csproj	Retargets Azure Storage provider to net8.0/net472.
src/DurableTask.AzureStorage/AzureStorageOrchestrationService.cs	Gates Nagle tweak to NETFRAMEWORK; refactors control-queue caching logic.
src/DurableTask.AzureServiceFabric/README.md	Updates stated .NET Framework support level.
src/DurableTask.AzureServiceFabric/DurableTask.AzureServiceFabric.csproj	Removes unused netstandard2.0-specific package block.
src/DurableTask.ApplicationInsights/DurableTask.ApplicationInsights.csproj	Retargets ApplicationInsights integration to net8.0/net472.
samples/DistributedTraceSample/README.md	Updates sample prerequisites to .NET 8+.
samples/DistributedTraceSample/ApplicationInsights/README.md	Updates sample prerequisites to .NET 8+.
samples/Correlation.Samples/docs/getting-started.md	Updates Visual Studio prerequisite to VS 2022 17.8+.
eng/templates/build.yml	Pins .NET 8 SDK usage and updates Visual Studio version to 17.0.
docs/providers/service-bus.md	Updates managed identity guidance to .NET 8+/net472 targets.
docs/getting-started/installation.md	Updates prerequisites to .NET 8+ (recommending .NET 10).
Directory.Packages.props	Updates and rebalances PackageVersion graph for modern TFMs.
.github/workflows/codeQL.yml	Updates CodeQL and Actions versions; simplifies .NET setup to .NET 8.

Suppressed comments (3)

test/DurableTask.Core.Tests/RetryInterceptorTests.cs:62

• This test uses [DataRow] and has a parameter (maxAttempts), which requires [DataTestMethod] for MSTest to discover/execute the data-driven cases. With [TestMethod], the method is an invalid test and the DataRow cases won’t run.
  test/DurableTask.Core.Tests/ExceptionHandlingIntegrationTests.cs:126
• This test is parameterized via [DataRow] and has a parameter (mode), which requires [DataTestMethod]. With [TestMethod], MSTest won’t run the data-driven cases (and may not discover the test correctly).
  test/DurableTask.AzureStorage.Tests/MessageManagerTests.cs:72
• This test is data-driven ([DataRow] + parameters blob/blobUrl). MSTest requires [DataTestMethod] for parameterized tests; with [TestMethod] the DataRow cases won’t run.

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[Copilot]

Pull request overview

Copilot reviewed 79 out of 79 changed files in this pull request and generated no new comments.

Suppressed comments (15)

test/DurableTask.Core.Tests/RetryInterceptorTests.cs:38

• This is a parameterized MSTest using [DataRow]. With [TestMethod] the test will not be discovered/executed correctly (MSTest requires [DataTestMethod] or another data-driven attribute for parameterized tests).
  test/DurableTask.Core.Tests/RetryInterceptorTests.cs:66
• This is a parameterized MSTest using [DataRow]. With [TestMethod] the test will not be discovered/executed correctly (MSTest requires [DataTestMethod] or another data-driven attribute for parameterized tests).
  test/DurableTask.Core.Tests/ExceptionHandlingIntegrationTests.cs:55
• This test uses [DataRow] and has a parameter. MSTest requires [DataTestMethod] (or [DynamicData]) for data-driven tests; [TestMethod] will cause discovery/execution failures.
  test/DurableTask.Core.Tests/DispatcherMiddlewareTests.cs:346
• This test uses [DataRow] and has a parameter. MSTest requires [DataTestMethod] (or [DynamicData]) for data-driven tests; [TestMethod] will cause discovery/execution failures.
  test/DurableTask.AzureStorage.Tests/AsyncAutoResetEventTests.cs:27
• This is a parameterized MSTest using [DataRow]. With [TestMethod] the test will not be discovered/executed correctly; use [DataTestMethod].
  test/DurableTask.AzureStorage.Tests/Net/UriPathTests.cs:24
• This is a parameterized MSTest using [DataRow]. With [TestMethod] the test will not be discovered/executed correctly; use [DataTestMethod].
  test/DurableTask.AzureStorage.Tests/MessageManagerTests.cs:29
• This is a parameterized MSTest using [DataRow]. With [TestMethod] the test will not be discovered/executed correctly; use [DataTestMethod].
  test/DurableTask.AzureStorage.Tests/MessageManagerTests.cs:76
• This is a parameterized MSTest using [DataRow]. With [TestMethod] the test will not be discovered/executed correctly; use [DataTestMethod].
  test/DurableTask.AzureStorage.Tests/KeySanitationTests.cs:31
• This test uses [DataRow] and has a parameter. MSTest requires [DataTestMethod] (or [DynamicData]) for data-driven tests; [TestMethod] will cause discovery/execution failures.
  test/DurableTask.AzureStorage.Tests/AzureTableQueryFilterTests.cs:28
• These tests use [DataRow] and have parameters. MSTest requires [DataTestMethod] (or [DynamicData]) for data-driven tests; [TestMethod] will cause discovery/execution failures. (This applies to the other [TestMethod]+[DataRow] blocks in this file as well.)
  test/DurableTask.AzureStorage.Tests/Correlation/CorrelationScenarioTest.cs:39
• This test uses [DataRow] and has parameters. MSTest requires [DataTestMethod] (or [DynamicData]) for data-driven tests; [TestMethod] will cause discovery/execution failures.
  test/DurableTask.AzureStorage.Tests/StressTests.cs:55
• This is a parameterized MSTest using [DataRow]. With [TestMethod] the test will not be discovered/executed correctly; use [DataTestMethod].
  test/DurableTask.AzureStorage.Tests/AzureStorageScenarioTests.cs:72
• This is a parameterized MSTest using [DataRow]. With [TestMethod] the test will not be discovered/executed correctly; use [DataTestMethod].
  test/DurableTask.AzureStorage.Tests/AzureStorageScaleTests.cs:216
• This test uses [DataRow] and has parameters. MSTest requires [DataTestMethod] (or [DynamicData]) for data-driven tests; [TestMethod] will cause discovery/execution failures.
  Test/DurableTask.AzureStorage.Tests/Storage/DurableTaskStorageExceptionTests.cs:37
• This test uses [DataRow] and has parameters. MSTest requires [DataTestMethod] (or [DynamicData]) for data-driven tests; [TestMethod] will cause discovery/execution failures.

 [TestMethod]
[DataRow(true, HttpStatusCode.Conflict, nameof(BlobErrorCode.LeaseLost))]
[DataRow(false, HttpStatusCode.Conflict, nameof(BlobErrorCode.LeaseNotPresentWithBlobOperation))]
[DataRow(false, HttpStatusCode.NotFound, nameof(BlobErrorCode.BlobNotFound))]
public void ValidRequestFailedException(bool expectedLease, HttpStatusCode statusCode, string errorCode)