.Net Core vs .Net Framework – A Guide Defining Entire Comparison

The debate is still on to find the best runtime for developing software applications – .Net Core vs. .Net Framework.

Built by Microsoft, .Net is a software development platform for creating server-side applications. Under the umbrella of .Net, there consist of two different frameworks – .Net Core & .Net Framework. According to a survey by StackOverflow, both .Net Framework and .Net Core are the most used frameworks for business applications.

Is .Net Core the future of building software applications? Or nothing could be more potent than .Net Framework? Are these questions troubling you?

With this article, we will give you a complete overview of .Net Framework vs. .Net Core. The article will draw light on its functionalities and help you to quickly get the difference between Dot Net Core and Dot Net Framework. Keep reading to find the best suitable for your project. We assure you that by the end of this article you will be able to hire ASP.Net developers for your project with the most suitable framework.

Let’s start with a brief on .Net Framework & .Net Core development.

Glimpse on .Net Framework

Microsoft brings .Net as an open-source platform with the support of multiple languages. The first version of the .Net Framework was released in 2002, known as .Net Framework 1.0. The latest version of .Net Framework is 4.8 that comes with so many functionalities. Basically, you can create two types of applications using the .Net Framework.

• Web-Based Application
• Form-Based Application

The prime components of the .Net Framework are CLR (Common Language Runtime) and Extensive Class Library. Additionally, the Framework even supports C# programming language and visual studio to ease the work of developers.

The best part of the .Net Framework is it is compatible with almost every programming language—however, some limitations depending on your project requirements.

An Overview on .Net Core

The latest version of the .Net Framework is .Net Core that enables cross-platform software development. The first version of .Net Core came to the market in 2016. We can even say that .Net Core is a successor of .Net Framework. It removes all barriers that come across the .Net Framework while developing a flawless software application.

It aids in creating applications for all operating systems like Linux, Windows, and Mac. A few admirable features of .Net Core are high-performance web, various APIs & components, microservices, and so on.

You can build any type of mobile application using .Net Core like web, mobile, gaming, desktop, cloud, AI, and more.

Now you know got a brief idea of both these .Net frameworks. Before going to the comparison, let’s first look at what Google trends say about the .Net Core vs. .Net Framework.

Source: Google Trends

The graph shows that ASP.Net Core development is ruling over the internet. Though, the demand may change as per the project requirements. Have a look at the difference between the dot net core & dot net framework.

.Net Core Vs. .Net Framework: A Side-by-Side Comparison of Technical Aspects

Based on various functionalities, we have compared these two Microsoft frameworks. Let’s peep into it.

.Net Core vs .Net Framework: Performance & Optimization

Performance is one of the key things to take into consideration when it comes to choosing a framework. So who do you think wins the race in terms of performance?

With the launch of .Net Core 3, organizations have made new updates that make an application more secure. Thereupon, .Net core performance gives enhanced results when compared to .Net Framework.

But in some parts, it is found that the .Net Framework is better than its counterpart. However, the final output of any of these frameworks depends on your project requirements and complexity.

.Net Core vs .Net Framework: Compatibility for Cross-Platform Implementation

Cross-Platform development is trending in the market. The .Net Framework lets you build an application for Windows platforms. On the other hand, .Net Core comes with cross-platform compatibility that enables you to create an application for any platform.

The developers can compile any code written in the .Net Framework from one language to another. At the same time, the code written by the .Net Core developer is directly migrated from one application to another. As a result, we can say that .Net Core is more compatible than .Net Framework.

.NET Core is the foundation of all future .NET platforms
— Immo Landwerth, Principal Program Manager, Microsoft

.Net Core vs .Net Framework: Deployment and Best Practices

A flexible deployment model saves a lot of time and energy. On the same point, .Net Core comes with the most compliant deployment model. .Net Core has so many deployment features that make it most suitable for deployment. For instance, the latest version of .Net Core gets directly updated on the system without making any changes in the existing app.

On the other side, for .Net Framework, the application is deployed only through the Internet Information Server. Migrating complex applications in the .Net Framework seems quite a tedious task.

These were a few significant functionality comparisons among .Net Framework vs. .Net Core. The below-mentioned table gives you more glimpse of these frameworks.

SEE ALSO: PHP vs ASP.NET Performance

Which One is Suitable: .Net Core or .Net Framework?

Even after having all the information on the dot net core and dot net framework, choosing the most suitable one for your project may seem challenging. However, this part of the article will help you with the same.

When to choose .Net Framework,

.Net Framework is in the race of software development before .Net Core. You can prefer to use this in the following conditions,

• When you want to build applications that contain WCF and WWF service implementations.
• Use it for current applications. For example, if you have a complex app, there is no need to migrate the entire app to .Net Core. Continue to build new features in the .Net Framework.
• If your app needs NuGet packages or third-party libraries.
• You want to run your application on Windows only.
• For building programs that need enhanced language support.

When to choose .Net Core,

.Net Core works faster than .Net Framework and is compatible with the latest technologies. It is a suitable choice when,

• You are interested in building cross-platform applications that work across various platforms.
• If you want a high-speed and scalable application, then .Net Core’s new and improved library helps you best.
• .Net Core is an ideal choice when you focus on building microservices.
• Sometimes, your app may depend on many .Net versions; with .Net Core, you can work with all on the same server.

We hope now you can make an ideal choice for your software application development.

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The Final Thoughts: .Net Core vs. .Net Framework

.Net is one of the most appealing technologies that shaped the tech world. Choosing .Net technology lets you have an alluring and user-friendly application that ultimately grows the ROI of your business.

Now you know everything about .Net Framework and .Net Core. Based on your project requirements, choose the one that suits best for your application. Moreover, all you need to do here is choose the right Asp.Net development company to get better results.

You can hire ASP.Net developers from us where in the team works to bring best-in-class .Net solutions for your project needs. Get in touch with us for more details.

Article By

Mahil Jasani

Mahil Jasani began his career as a developer and progressed to become the COO of Excellent Webworld. He uses his technical experience to tackle any challenge that arises in any department, be it development, management, operations, or finance.