What is the difference between .NET Core and .NET Framework?

.NET Core and .NET Framework are both development frameworks created by Microsoft, but there are some key differences between them. Here's a breakdown of their differences:

Cross-Platform Compatibility: .NET Core was specifically designed to be cross-platform, supporting Windows, macOS, and Linux. It allows developers to build and run applications on different operating systems. On the other hand, .NET Framework is primarily designed for Windows and does not have native support for macOS and Linux.

Open Source: .NET Core is an open-source framework, which means its source code is available to the public and can be modified and extended by the community. This openness promotes collaboration and enables developers to contribute to the framework's development. In contrast, .NET Framework is not open source, and its development is solely managed by Microsoft.

Versioning: .NET Core follows a versioning scheme that uses a year-based numbering system, such as .NET Core 1.0, 2.0, 3.1, etc. Each release of .NET Core is considered a separate and independent version. In contrast, .NET Framework uses a more traditional versioning approach with numbers like 4.0, 4.5, 4.7, etc. Each version of .NET Framework is considered an incremental update of the framework.

Compatibility and Dependencies: .NET Core is a lightweight framework with a modular design. It allows developers to include only the necessary components, resulting in smaller application sizes and reduced dependencies. On the other hand, .NET Framework is a more comprehensive framework with a larger set of libraries and dependencies. This can result in larger application sizes and potentially more complex deployment scenarios.

Future Development: Microsoft's focus has shifted towards .NET Core and its evolution into the unified ".NET" platform. Going forward, .NET 5 and later versions will be the primary focus of Microsoft's development efforts. As a result, .NET Framework is in maintenance mode, receiving only critical bug fixes and security updates. Microsoft encourages new applications and projects to use .NET Core instead of .NET Framework.

It's important to note that both frameworks share many common features and use the same base class libraries, syntax, and programming languages like C# and Visual Basic. However, the differences lie in their platform support, openness, versioning, and future development path. The choice between .NET Core and .NET Framework depends on factors such as platform requirements, project needs, and the desired level of cross-platform compatibility.

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