.NET is Microsoft’s comprehensive platform for developing and running a wide variety of applications. It provides developers with the necessary tools and libraries to create applications in different programming languages and for different platforms, including web, desktop, and mobile applications.
The main goals and applications of .NET are:
- Multi-platform: .NET supports application development for different operating systems including Windows, Linux, and macOS through .NET Core, a cross-platform implementation;
- Ease of development: The platform simplifies the development process with unified APIs, powerful libraries, and integrated development tools such as Visual Studio;
- Support for multiple programming languages: .NET supports multiple languages, including C#, F#, and VB.NET, giving developers the freedom to choose the language best suited for their project;
- Security and reliability: .NET provides a high level of security, including memory management and exception handling;
- Efficient data manipulation: .NET provides powerful database tools, including Entity Framework for object-relational mapping;
- Extensibility and flexibility: The platform allows you to integrate a variety of third-party libraries and services, increasing the flexibility and scalability of your applications;
- Support for cloud services: .NET is tightly integrated with cloud platforms, including Azure, making it easy to build, deploy, and manage cloud applications.
What are .NET implementations
.NET implementations refer to different versions and adaptations of the .NET platform, each optimized for different usage scenarios and platforms. The major implementations include:
- .NET Framework: This is the initial version of .NET, designed primarily for Windows applications. It includes a complete set of features for creating desktop applications, web services, and other server applications;
- .NET Core: This is a modern, cross-platform implementation of .NET designed for creating high-performance websites, services, and console applications. .NET Core supports Windows, Linux, and macOS;
- Xamarin/Mono: It is an implementation of .NET designed for creating mobile applications for iOS, Android, and other mobile platforms. Xamarin extends .NET with tools and libraries for mobile app development;
- ASP.NET: Although technically part of the .NET Framework and .NET Core, ASP.NET is often considered separately because of its specialization in web development. It provides rich capabilities for creating dynamic websites, web applications, and web services.
.NET Core (NET Core)
.NET Core, often referred to simply as “.NET Core”, is a cross-platform implementation of Microsoft’s .NET platform. It is a lighter and more modular version, designed with an emphasis on openness and flexibility. The main aspects of .NET Core:
- Cross-platform: One of the key features of .NET Core is its ability to run on different operating systems, including Windows, Linux, and macOS, making it ideal for developing web applications and microservices that are deployed on different platforms;
- High Performance: .NET Core is optimized for high performance and efficiency, which is especially important for cloud applications and microservices;
- Modularity: Unlike older versions of .NET, .NET Core offers a modular architecture that allows developers to include only the components and libraries needed for their application, thus reducing size and complexity;
- Open Source: .NET Core is completely open source, allowing the developer community to contribute to and extend the capabilities of the platform;
- Container Compatibility: .NET Core is well suited for containerization, allowing applications to be easily packaged and deployed in containers such as Docker.
