People often assume that .NET Core and .NET Framework are the same, but let me burst that myth of yours today – they are not the same. Both have different features and are useful for different purposes. To clear the difference for you, I have listed down some of the features and differences. It would be best to start with an introduction to have more clarity.
What Is .NET Core
.NET Core is an open-source, free, and general-purpose development platform to develop modern cloud-based software applications on different operating systems such as Linux, Windows, and macOS. It was released under the MIT license and is one of Microsoft’s significant contributions. It has been revamped to make .NET fast, modern, and scalable. Its features include:
- Cross-platform
- High performance
- Common executive environment
- Multi-language support
- Common type system
- Automatic resource management
- Portability
- Simplified developments
- Framework class library
To develop your app with .NET Core, you can hire .NET Core developers to help you with the inclusion of all the desired features in your app.
What Is .NET Framework
.NET is a software having a framework designed and developed by Microsoft. The first version of this framework was 1.0 that launched in 2002. It is useful for developing web-based applications, form-based applications, and web services. This framework is a virtual machine that compiles and executes programs written in different languages like VB.NET, C#, etc.
.NET Framework supports 60+ programming languages. Microsoft developed these 11 programming languages from it. Below are some features of the .NET framework:
- Parallel Computing
- Common Mic Language Runtime
- Managed Extensibility Framework
- Covariance and Contravariance
- Expanded Base Class
- Interoperability
- Portability
- Simplified Deployment
What Is the Difference Between .NET Core And .NET Framework?
Type
.NET Core is entirely an open-source cross-platform software. And in the .NET framework, certain components are open source, but certain components are also a cross-platform that is compatible with various operating systems.
Application Models
.NET Core does not support any desktop application development. It only focuses on the web, Windows Store, and Windows mobile. Whereas you can use .NET Framework for the development of both web and desktop applications. Additionally, it supports WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation) applications and Windows forms.
Installation
.NET Core is installed independently of the underlying operating system. While .NET Framework is installed as a single package exclusively for Windows operating system.
Support for Microservices and REST Services
.NET Core supports the entire development and implementation process of micro-services. Users just need to create a REST API for the implementation of microservices.
.NET Framework does not support any development and implementation process of microservices. However, it supports the REST API services that are needed to implement microservices.
Performance and Scalability
.NET Core offers scalability and high performance. Whereas .NET Framework is less efficient in terms of performance and scalability of applications when compared to .NET Core.
Compatibility
.NET Core is compatible with many operating systems like Linux, Windows, and Mac OS. But .NET Framework is only compatible with the Windows operating system.
Mobile Development
Mobile development is crucial in this age for every business, and .NET Core uses Xamarin which makes it compatible with open-source mobile application platform. It uses the .NET Standard Library for it. Developers use the tools of Xamarin to configure the mobile app for specific operating systems like Windows, iOS, and Android phones. However, .NET Framework does not support any such framework for mobile application development.
Deployment Model
An updated version of .NET Core updates instantly on one machine at a time. It gets updated in different folders/new directories in the existing application itself without affecting the application. This way, .NET Core is a good and flexible deployment model. And when the new update version is released in .NET Framework, it is deployed first only on the Internet Information Server.
CLI (Command Line Interface) Tools
.NET Core delivers command-line tools and lightweight editors for all the supported platforms. And .NET Framework is heavy for Command Line Interface that developers usually prefer to work on.
Security
Both .NET Core and .NET Framework are secure to use. Privacy of data is secure with both of them. User data, codes, and other details pass through a security check to confirm that there is no wrong information.
To know about more differences, you can consult a .NET Core developer. They will guide you to what is best for you.
Conclusion
As you read in the article, there are some minor and significant differences between .NET Core and .NET Framework. Here, you can opt for .NET Core benefits for leveraging overall benefits. You can hire .NET Core developer to develop your apps in .NET Core. If you want to go for more features and benefits, you must choose .NET Core.
Summary:
Do you often get confused between .NET Core and .NET Framework? To clear that confusion, we have an article for you that explains features of both and comparison of them on various factors. Hope you find it helpful.
Author Bio:
Maulik Shah is the CEO of BiztechCS, a .Net Core Developer from India. Maulik likes to explore beyond his comfort zone. When it comes to writing for the blog, his contribution is priceless. No one else on the team can bring the deep industry knowledge to articles that he has. However, his door is always open and he is generous with sharing that knowledge.