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.NET Framework vs .NET Core vs .NET 5/6/7/8+

Short Introduction​

The .NET ecosystem has evolved from the Windows-only .NET Framework to the cross-platform .NET Core, and finally unified under .NET 5+ (dropping "Core" from the name).

Official Definition​

  • .NET Framework: The original Windows-only implementation of .NET, first released in 2002
  • .NET Core: Cross-platform, open-source implementation of .NET, designed for modern cloud workloads
  • .NET 5+: The unified platform that combines .NET Framework and .NET Core into a single product

Usage​

// .NET 8 (latest) project file
<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk.Web">
  <PropertyGroup>
    <TargetFramework>net8.0</TargetFramework>
    <Nullable>enable</Nullable>
    <ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
  </PropertyGroup>
</Project>

Use Cases​

  • Web applications: ASP.NET Core for modern web apps
  • APIs: RESTful services and microservices
  • Desktop applications: WPF, WinUI, MAUI
  • Mobile applications: .NET MAUI
  • Cloud applications: Azure-native applications
  • IoT: Lightweight applications for edge devices

When to Use / When Not to Use​

Use .NET Core/.NET 5+ when:

  • Building new applications
  • Need cross-platform compatibility
  • Targeting cloud deployments
  • Require high performance
  • Want modern development practices

Use .NET Framework when:

  • Maintaining legacy applications
  • Heavily dependent on Windows-specific features
  • Using technologies not ported to .NET Core
  • Enterprise applications with specific Windows dependencies

Market Alternatives, Adaptation & Pros/Cons​

Alternatives​

  • Java Spring Boot
  • Node.js with Express
  • Python Django/Flask
  • Ruby on Rails
  • Go with Gin/Echo

Market Adoption​

  • High enterprise adoption
  • Strong cloud presence (especially Azure)
  • Growing open-source community
  • Microsoft's primary development platform

Pros​

  • Cross-platform compatibility
  • High performance
  • Strong type system
  • Excellent tooling (Visual Studio, VS Code)
  • Rich ecosystem
  • Strong Microsoft support

Cons​

  • Microsoft ecosystem lock-in (perceived)
  • Learning curve for new developers
  • Licensing costs for some Microsoft tools
  • Memory usage higher than some alternatives

Sample Usage​

// Program.cs - .NET 8 minimal API
var builder = WebApplication.CreateBuilder(args);

// Add services
builder.Services.AddControllers();
builder.Services.AddEndpointsApiExplorer();
builder.Services.AddSwaggerGen();

var app = builder.Build();

// Configure pipeline
if (app.Environment.IsDevelopment())
{
    app.UseSwagger();
    app.UseSwaggerUI();
}

app.UseHttpsRedirection();
app.MapControllers();

app.MapGet("/hello", () => "Hello World!");

app.Run();