Some time ago, many professionals forecasted that .NET Core would be the upcoming successful thing, which would give an opportunity to developers for a large number of ideas/options in application development. Wherein, developers with good skills have a massive demand in this profession! So let us learn more about .Net Core, how it differs from .Net Framework, and what are the key features.
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What is .NET Core?
ASP.NET also known as .NET (pronounced as dot net) is a free open-source, high-performance, mainstream objective build out platform that is maintained by Microsoft. It offers a cross-platform framework for creating modern, internet-connected, cloud-enabled applications which can run on Mac OS, Linux, and Windows Operating systems. Also .Net Core put forwards stability improvement and remarkable performance over Mono that is extracted from a shared cross-platform code base and held by an active, responsive, and well-resourced crew.
.Net Core is coded from scratch which makes it a fast, lightweight, and also modular framework. It allows us to experience an exciting period of .Net Web and Server App development, a kind of .Net that has not been seen before. Also, this application speeds up the execution are easy to maintain and in addition, it reduces the memory footprint. Through this, its flexibility increases the value of the current .Net stake but also it makes it appeal to the broad and highly productive environment which has been previously overlooked .Net as an option.
Here are some key aspects of .NET Core:
- Cross-platform compatibility: .NET Core is designed to be platform-agnostic, meaning it can run on various operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux. This allows developers to write applications targeting different platforms using the same codebase.
- Open-source: Unlike the traditional .NET Framework, which was primarily developed by Microsoft as a closed-source framework, .NET Core is fully open-source. This means that its source code is freely available for anyone to view, modify, and contribute to.
- Modular design: .NET Core is modular, meaning it’s composed of smaller, more focused components. This allows developers to include only the specific parts of the framework that are necessary for their application, resulting in smaller and more efficient deployments.
- Performance: .NET Core is optimized for performance and scalability. It includes features such as Just-In-Time (JIT) compilation and a high-performance garbage collector, making it suitable for building high-performance applications, including web applications, microservices, and cloud-native applications.
- Support for modern development practices: .NET Core supports modern development practices and technologies such as containerization (e.g., Docker), microservices architecture, and cloud-native development. It also integrates with popular development tools and frameworks such as Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code, and ASP.NET Core.
- Compatibility with existing .NET code: While .NET Core is a new framework, Microsoft has ensured that it maintains compatibility with existing .NET codebases. This allows developers to migrate their applications gradually to .NET Core while leveraging their existing code and investments.
What is .NET Framework?
ASP.NET Framework is a development framework used to build and run software applications on Windows. It consists of tools, programming languages, and libraries. It is designed and managed by Microsoft and was first released in 2002. It allows .NET code to run on various platforms, including Windows, Linux, Mac OS, Android, and iOS. It is used to design applications for Windows, phones, and the web, and acts as a virtual machine for executing code written in languages like C# and VB.NET.
.Net Framework has various applications which allow .Net code to run on a number of other platforms or we can say it is a cross-platform software that works on Windows, Linux, Mac OS, Android, iOS and many more. Which again gives an edge over other Mono platform software. It is also used to design applications for Windows, phones, or the web. To put it in easy words we can say that is some kind of virtual machine for compiling and executing the codes that are coded in different languages such as C#, VB.Net, or others.
Here are some key aspects of .NET Framework:
- Windows-focused: .NET Framework is primarily designed for the Microsoft Windows operating system. While it’s possible to run .NET Framework applications on other platforms using compatibility layers like Mono or through virtualization, its primary target is Windows.
- Rich class library: .NET Framework includes a vast class library known as the Base Class Library (BCL). This library provides a wide range of pre-built functionality for common tasks such as file I/O, networking, database access, and user interface development.
- Common Language Runtime (CLR): .NET Framework applications are executed by the Common Language Runtime (CLR), which provides features such as memory management, exception handling, and garbage collection. The CLR also enables interoperability between different .NET languages, allowing developers to use multiple languages within the same application.
- Integrated development environment (IDE): Microsoft Visual Studio is the primary integrated development environment (IDE) used for developing .NET Framework applications. Visual Studio provides tools for designing, coding, debugging, and deploying .NET applications.
- ASP.NET: .NET Framework includes ASP.NET, a web development framework for building web applications and services. ASP.NET supports various technologies such as Web Forms, MVC (Model-View-Controller), Web API, and SignalR for real-time web applications.
- Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF): .NET Framework includes Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), a framework for building desktop applications with rich user interfaces. WPF applications can leverage hardware acceleration and advanced graphics capabilities for creating visually appealing applications.
- Windows Communication Foundation (WCF): .NET Framework includes Windows Communication Foundation (WCF), a framework for building distributed and interoperable applications using various communication protocols such as HTTP, TCP, and MSMQ.
Difference Between .NET Core and .NET Framework
.NET Core and .NET Framework are both frameworks developed by Microsoft for building different types of applications. While they share some similarities, they also have significant differences:
- Cross-platform compatibility:
- .NET Core: Designed to be cross-platform from the ground up, .NET Core can run on Windows, macOS, and various Linux distributions.
- .NET Framework: Primarily targeted at the Windows operating system, .NET Framework applications typically run only on Windows machines.
- Open-source:
- .NET Core: Fully open-source, with its development being driven by both Microsoft and the community.
- .NET Framework: Historically, .NET Framework was primarily developed by Microsoft as a closed-source framework.
- Modularity:
- .NET Core: Designed with a modular approach, allowing developers to include only the necessary components in their applications, resulting in smaller and more efficient deployments.
- .NET Framework: A monolithic framework with a larger footprint, where all components are bundled together.
- Performance:
- .NET Core: Optimized for performance, with features such as Just-In-Time (JIT) compilation and a high-performance garbage collector.
- .NET Framework: While performance has been improved over time, .NET Core generally offers better performance and scalability.
- Tooling:
- .NET Core: Integrates well with modern development tools such as Visual Studio Code and supports command-line interface (CLI) tools for development and deployment.
- .NET Framework: Historically, Visual Studio has been the primary development environment for .NET Framework applications.
- Compatibility:
- .NET Core: Designed to be compatible with existing .NET Framework codebases, with migration paths provided by Microsoft.
- .NET Framework: While it’s possible to port .NET Framework applications to .NET Core, it may require modifications due to differences in APIs and runtime behavior.
- Supported application types:
- .NET Core: Suitable for building a wide range of applications, including web applications, microservices, cloud-native applications, and cross-platform desktop applications using frameworks like Xamarin.Forms.
- .NET Framework: Historically used for building Windows desktop applications, web applications using ASP.NET, and services using technologies like Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) and Windows Forms.
Which is better: .Net Core vs .Net Framework
Determining whether .NET Core or .NET Framework is better depends on various factors such as the specific requirements of your project, your target platforms, and your development team’s preferences and expertise. Here are some considerations to help you decide:
- Cross-platform Compatibility:
- If you need your application to run on multiple platforms such as Windows, macOS, and Linux, .NET Core is the better choice as it was designed with cross-platform support from the beginning.
- Performance:
- .NET Core generally offers better performance and scalability compared to .NET Framework due to optimizations and improvements in its runtime and libraries.
- Development Environment:
- If you’re comfortable with Visual Studio and your project primarily targets Windows, .NET Framework might be more convenient as it integrates seamlessly with Visual Studio. However, .NET Core also works well with Visual Studio, and it offers support for cross-platform development using Visual Studio Code and other editors.
- Ecosystem and Libraries:
- .NET Framework has been around longer and has a larger ecosystem of third-party libraries and tools. However, .NET Core has been rapidly growing its ecosystem, and many popular libraries and frameworks now support both .NET Core and .NET Framework.
- Future-Proofing:
- Microsoft has been investing heavily in .NET Core and its successor, .NET 5 and .NET 6 (which unifies .NET Core with .NET Framework). Going forward, .NET 5 and .NET 6 will be the primary focus for new features and improvements, making them a better choice for future-proofing your applications.
- Migration Considerations:
- If you have existing .NET Framework applications, consider the effort required to migrate them to .NET Core or .NET 5/6. While Microsoft provides migration tools and guidance, the process may require modifications to your codebase.
Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer, and the best choice depends on your specific project requirements, target platforms, and considerations such as performance, ecosystem, and future-proofing. However, given Microsoft’s focus on .NET Core and .NET 5/6 for future development, starting new projects with .NET Core or migrating existing projects to .NET Core or .NET 5/6 is generally recommended for long-term sustainability and cross-platform compatibility.
