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Updated: Aug 20, 2024
.NET Core vs .NET Framework: Which Beats the Other in App Development?
Verified Expert in Engineering
Jitendra Prasad is a dynamic Technical Innovator with a decade of experience under his belt. He has a proven record of delivering exceptional customer experiences.
Let’s suppose you are new to the .NET world. You get caught up in the excitement, proceed to check out Microsoft’s website, and find out the following description:
Free. Cross-platform. Open source. A developer platform for building all your apps.
Great! The platform looks promising that allows you to create any kind of software app by using C# or other .NET compatible programming languages.
However, you are likely to face some problems around the corner.
For example, you might discover an amazing library on NuGet but realize that it’s for the .NET framework. Until you port your project with a particular set of APIs or run your app on .NET Core, you cannot use the library.
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Really now? Are not the .NET framework and .NET the same? And what is even .NET Core? It seems like Microsoft intentionally tried to confuse us by creating loads of technologies and giving them synonymous names, right?
Well, say hello to the .NET maze where you need Ariadne’s thread if you don’t wish to get lost in it.
So, what’s all the talk about .NET Core vs .NET Framework? Which one is the best for developing robust apps in today's world?
Let's find out through a head-to-head comparison of these two so that you don't come to a dead-end while using them. Starting with a quick history lesson!
P.S. Radixweb has an extensive history of a number of powerful web apps under its belt. Connect with our experts for dynamic web app development.
It All Started with the .NET Framework
We know everyone does not like history, but the past inspires the present as well as the future. Hence, let's travel back in time and trace the history to understand .NET vs .NET Core.
Back in 2002, Microsoft released one framework that would rule all the programming languages for creating apps. It was the first .NET framework that granted interoperability with other non-.NET apps and the operating system, language independence, and many other exciting features.
However, while developers were able to use more than 60 languages, including C# (born for that moment), Visual Basic, and F#, the framework could only run on Windows.
It was still not much of a big deal breaker for programmers, though. Microsoft went on improving .NET and making it an efficient cross-platform app development framework. This led to the creation of .NET Core.
The Rise of .NET Core
2014 was the year when the riddle of .NET Core vs .NET Framework first surfaced as Microsoft pursued the vision of creating a true cross-platform environment and started working on a reboot from scratch.
They came up with .NET core and released this new framework in 2016. It was a complete resketch that was capable of running on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Unlike the .NET framework, .NET Core did not have the constraints for backward compatibility.
Due to its modular architecture, it has lighter versions of core framework components. This gives developers the option to choose modules and add them by downloading from the NuGet repository. All these result in streamlined deployment and portability.
Now that we know the context behind .NET and .NET Core, let’s go through the definition of these two technologies and recognize them with better insights.
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Understanding .NET Core vs .NET Framework
The .NET framework helps you build web apps, desktop apps, and web services. It works only on the Windows operating system. On the other hand, .NET core is for creating cross-platform cloud apps that run on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Perhaps the biggest reason people tend to get confused between the .NET Framework vs .NET Core is the common first name. But they have more than that to share.
For instance, both are the products of Microsoft, both use FCL (framework class library) to run apps, and both are open source (some .NET components, at least). Moreover, they also utilize the .NET Standard, defining the available application program interfaces.
The Big Difference Between .NET vs .NET Core
Based on the history, you might think that there is no substantial difference between .NET vs .NET Core, except the latter is a better version. But that's really not the case. The 'Core' in .NET Core refers to the assimilation of all the core features of the .NET Framework – both framework libraries and the runtime.
For a better understanding, let's go through the gulfing areas that differentiate .NET from .NET Core.
1. .NET Core vs .NET Framework: Platform Compatibility and Open Source
| .NET Framework | .NET Core |
|---|---|
| The dot net framework allows developers to create applications on a single platform, i.e., Windows. It has language compilers to help you write code in one language and compile and access it with other languages. In the beginning, Microsoft released it as a proprietary and licensed framework, but soon they added new components and made the .NET Framework open source. | .NET CORE, on the contrary of the dot net core vs dot net framework discussion, has cross-platform compatibility. This helps developers follow the “build once, run everywhere” approach as well as migrate apps to various platforms. .NET Core is an excellent choice for enterprise app development as you can use a wide array of productive features like tasting, debugging, project management, source control, etc. |
2. .NET Core vs .NET Framework: Performance and Scalability
| .NET Framework | .NET Core |
|---|---|
| The .NET Framework trails behind in performance. It does not come up with much flexibility, security, and speed. While first launching the app, it compiles the CIL code into executable code and then caches it into Native Image Cache. However, you can use the Native Image Generator to boost the first launch by manually compiling caching your .NET app. | In terms of performance and scalability between .NET Core vs .NET Framework, the former is the winner. It allows you to seamlessly enhance app performance without any hardware. .NET has a recompilation feature, meaning you can automatically optimize the compiled code without making any changes. It also enables developers to create, test, and deploy apps directly on the cloud infrastructure. |
3. .NET Core vs .NET Framework: Installation
| .NET Framework | .NET Core |
|---|---|
| The .NET Framework is basically a single package. It provides you with a runtime environment containing everything you may need for development in a Windows environment. In other words, it comes with all the components required to develop a Windows app. You have no choice in what you get. | .NET Core is a cross-platform framework, and hence, it requires development modules and standard features. You can install it on any operating system and add modules as per your platform needs. Note that .NET Core needs NuGet packages that you can compile or put in a file within the app. |
4. .NET Core vs .NET Framework: Applications Types
| .NET Framework | .NET Core |
|---|---|
| When comparing .NET and .NET Core in terms of the scope of app models, the .NET framework supports building Windows Presentation Foundation, Windows Forms, and ASP.NET. | Except for desktop apps, which is a disadvantage, .NET Core is highly useful for building web apps, ASP.NET Core apps, and Universal Windows Platform apps. |
5. .NET Core vs .NET Framework: Deployment Model
| .NET Framework | .NET Core |
|---|---|
| The .NET Framework allows you to deploy apps only on the Internet Information Center. Developers can also copy the files into the directory where they’re ready for execution using Xcopy deployment. While this works fine with small-scale apps, deploying large apps on the server can be very complex. | .NET Core is a lot more flexible when it comes to deployment. Developers can instantly update the existing version to the latest one with new directories without any disturbance. Most importantly, you can self-host the .NET Core app by creating a private hosting process or deploy it directly on the loud. |
6. .NET Core vs .NET Framework: Library Collection
| .NET Framework | .NET Core |
|---|---|
| In dot net vs dot net Core, apps created with the .NET Framework are able to utilize in-built class libraries that can facilitate basic functions like DB interaction, XML doc manipulation, graphic rendering, and file writing/reading. | Apart from the class libraries, .NET comes with CoreCLR – the rebuilt common language runtime. It gives developers the freedom to choose and use only the needed libraries for their respective apps. |
7. .NET Core vs .NET Framework: Mobile App Development
| .NET Framework | .NET Core |
|---|---|
| The .NET Framework is of no use for building mobile apps. Considering the growing importance of mobile apps in today’s business, it’s the biggest drawback of this framework, | .NET Core supports all the essential stages of mobile app development. You can use Xamarin for building cross-platform apps in C# and also make the most of Xamarin tools to customize your apps for various platforms. |
8. .NET Core vs .NET Framework: Microservices and Rest Services
| .NET Framework | .NET Core |
|---|---|
| Microservices play a great role in .NET Framework vs .NET Core. This framework does not support the development and deployment of microservices. However, it fully supports REST API services. | .NET Core supports both. Developers can implement microservices by creating a REST API. They can also personalize microservices with different technologies and programming languages. |
9. .NET Core vs .NET Framework: CLI Tools
| .NET Framework | .NET Core |
|---|---|
| It’s quite heavy for CLI (Command Line Interface). There are many developers who prefer working on CLI instead of IDE. | .NET Core offers developers a pretty lightweight CLI. You will have the option to switch to an IDE. |
.NET Framework vs .NET Core: Which Should You Pick, and When?
After comparing .NET and .NET Core side by side, you might think that you should know how to hire ASP.NET developers as soon as possible. .NET Core definitely seems to have a great edge over the .NET Framework by saving developers’ resources and time.
But in reality, both platforms are distinctive in their own ways, and deciding which is the better one depends on your project requirements.
Nonetheless, let us figure out what sort of apps you will be able to create with both these technologies.
Go for the .NET Framework when the app:
- Is for large-scale enterprise or desktop use
- Runs only on the Windows platform
- Is already running on .NET Framework
- Uses third-party libraries
- Needs technologies like WCF, webforms, or workflow that are not compatible with .NET Core
- Deploys on non-.NET Core cloud services like Azure App Service
Give .NET Core a shot when the app:
- Required to be cross-platform compatible
- Needs to be highly scalable and performance-oriented
- Uses microservices or container technologies like Kubernetes and Docker
- Depends heavily on CLI control
- Executes several .NET versions on the same server
- Needs developers who are okay with an extensive learning curve
Final Thoughts on .NET vs .NET Core
Without any doubt, the debate about .NET Core vs .NET Framework is here to stay. Both are progressive solutions and unique in their exclusive fields. That being said, Microsoft is continuously innovating to upgrade both platforms, so while choosing one, you may find yourself on the fence.
Regardless of all the nos, ifs, and buts, the future of the .NET world is more promising than ever. We suggest that you make the decision based on your project scope, development needs, and budget.
Radixweb can help you discuss the possibilities. Join hands with our seasoned .NET developers who can bring out the best application suitable for your business goals. The aim is to create an experience that yields substantial results!
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About the Author
Jitendra Prasad is a tech-savvy individual and works as a Technical Innovator at Radixweb. His expertise spans across various next-gen technologies, such as Angular, MVC, .NET/C#, .Net Core, Testcase, and Entity Framework. At Radixweb, he is known for his informed decision-making, practical solutions, and excellent problem-solving capabilities. His thorough understanding of software development and meticulous approach to testing helps us deliver unmatchable client experiences.
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