As a result, they can push developers on the fence, one way or the other. After that, the developer can choose only modules they need for their chosen platform. Because it is a cross-platform framework, .NET Core works on Windows as well as Linux and Mac OS. In contrast, https://www.globalcloudteam.com/ .NET is truly compatible with Windows only, notwithstanding Mono, Silverlight, and Xamarin. Finally, Microsoft decided to start working on a reboot to .NET in 2014. They came up with .NET Core in 2016, designed specifically to support cross-platform runtimes.
When choosing the proper framework for your business applications, Microsoft offers two prominent options – .NET Core and .NET Framework. Simply put, it your application has to be built from scratch, opt for .Net Core as it is the future design. But, if it is already existent and you are planning to migrate to .Net Core, you must analyze all the libraries used and whether .Net Core supports them or not. Moreover, if your application is stable in the .Net Framework with no major upgrades planned, there seems little sense in migrating to .Net Core.
So let us learn more about .Net Core, how it differs from .Net Framework, and what are the key features. I have over 20 years of experience as a software engineer and technical author. Throughout my career, I’ve used several programming languages and technologies for the projects I was involved in, ranging from C# to JavaScript, ASP.NET to Node.js, Angular to React, SOAP to REST APIs, etc.
Choosing Between .NET Core and .NET Framework
So, if .NET Core and .NET have so much in common, why would a developer have to choose? Stackify’s APM tools are used by thousands of .NET, Java, PHP, Node.js, Python, & Ruby developers all over the world. C# is an object-oriented language similar to other C-style languages. The learning curve should not be a problem for developers already working with C and similar languages.
The main goal here is to offer all .NET developers the advantages of modern dev practices, cross-platform support, improved performance, and better cloud integration. Finally, the .NET Framework has a mature ecosystem and extensive third-party library support. So, if your project heavily relies on specific libraries, components, or tools that are unavailable or compatible with .NET Core, it might be convenient to stick with .NET Framework. Of course, when it comes to smaller applications, the additional overhead from the .NET Framework may seem trivial. Still, if you’re running hundreds of microservices across multiple machines or VMs, extra overhead can add up quickly, meaning that .NET Core can offer noticeable performance improvements for web or cloud services. If you’re a new developer and you’re wondering which framework to focus on, the answer is most likely .NET Core.
Or in more simple terms we can say that .Net Core is just a subset of .Net Framework. Wherein .Net Core is the most recent version of .Net Framework which is an open-source and cross-platform designed for modern apps. When looking to hire .NET Core developers, ensure they understand that .NET Core can run on any Linux, Windows, and macOS platform, whereas .NET Framework is only compatible with Windows OS. In addition, .NET Core aids in curating web-based and mobile apps.
The architecture of .NET Core is very different to that of .NET Framework. Because .NET Core is cross-platform, it’s essentially a complete rewrite of .NET. That said, it was designed with performance in mind via just-in-time (JIT) compilation and improved garbage collection. What’s more, .NET Core makes it easy to create microservices with different languages, where each service will be an independent, lightweight process that does its job with minimal overhead. These can then be turned into Docker containers that have a very small footprint. Because of this, Microsoft was able to focus on flexible tools for application models, microservices support, and cross-platform support, not to mention a simpler solution for containerization via Docker support.
Difference Between .NET Core and .NET Framework
Although, it was developed to support software and applications on all operating systems. C# is the major .NET language, but also VB.NET and F# are also .NET languages. You also get support for modern dev practices, including microservices, containerization, and DevOps.
Update or replace any dependencies or third-party libraries incompatible with the target framework. Evaluate the existing .NET Framework application to identify compatibility issues, dependencies, and potential challenges for migration. Migrating from .NET Framework to .NET Core involves a thoughtful approach.
- It may also be used in designing, coding, and executing a number of applications or software which may include desktop, mobile, machine learning, online, microservices, games, IoT, etc.
- In other words, it comes with all the components for developing for Windows.
- Therefore, if you need a desktop app only for Windows machines, then choose the .NET framework.
- But, if it is already existent and you are planning to migrate to .Net Core, you must analyze all the libraries used and whether .Net Core supports them or not.
In fact, .NET Core has built-in support for Docker, making it super-easy for devs to package and deploy applications as containers to a range of environments. The discussion on .NET and .NET Core shows the vital contrasts of the two stages. Consequently, its presentation settles many issues with the .NET environment. In addition, when you see a company offering .NET application development services with microservices, it’s referring to .NET Core. And you can opt for it, as it allows you to update a single application component without impacting the others in sync.
So from here, we have a crystal clear idea about the information, the difference, and the benefits of .Net Core and .Net Framework. However, the proliferation of different environments led to a fragmentation of the framework itself. That wasn’t much of a problem for those who were developing applications. In fact, a .NET assembly could theoretically be loaded in any .NET runtime. Unfortunately, it could break at any point if it calls an API that wasn’t supported by the platform it is running on.
They can additionally utilize the tools given by Xamarin to alter the mobile application for individual portable stages like iOS, Android and Windows Phone. While using web apps with the .NET Framework, the developers can use the robust web app framework such as ASP.NET. Now the developers can build both cloud and web applications with the .NET Core.
MVC can be used in designing software that can only run on Windows whereas considering .Net Core can be used in developing applications that can be executed on Windows, Mac OS, or Linux. So depending on these terms, we can clearly call out .Net Core the winner in these cases. We deploy software developers that work with multiple frameworks and platforms as well as professionals that can provide you with what you need in your business.
Akash is a highly skilled and experienced technologist passionate about building high-quality software. We offer services to design, build, and manage Azure cloud computing projects, focusing on enhancing employee collaboration, facilitating remote work, ensuring computer backups, and managing devices. Net Solutions is a team of experienced .NET developers with over 20 years of experience.
Enterprises are now better suited to migrate from .NET Framework to .NET Core. The popularity of cloud hosting has also created a seismic shift in the way that developers work. Rather than building monolithic apps, microservice-based architectures have become hugely popular, as they make it easier to update, test and scale applications.