.NET Core vs. .NET Framework

There are two ways Microsoft supports the building of server-side apps: the traditional .NET Framework and the more recent .NET Core. As the shared names suggest, these two share plenty of similarities and you can even share code between them.

Nevertheless, there are several fundamental differences between .NET Core and .NET Framework that will determine which one you’ll use depending on what it is you hope to accomplish. The following is a look at situations where you should opt for .NET Core and when you should go with .NET Framework – for a more detailed explanation on the differences, see what is the difference.

A.    When .NET Core is Best

1.    Need for Cross-Platform Abilities

.NET Framework can only build applications for the Windows platform. However, if you are developing web or service applications that you intend to run on more than one operating system, then .NET Core, is your best bet. Unlike the .NET Framework, .NET Core supports not just Windows but other major platforms like Linux and MacOS.

Microsoft’s Visual Studio serves up an IDE (Integrated Development Environment) for MacOS and Windows. Alternatively, use Visual Studio Code, which runs on Windows, Linux, and MacOS and supports the .NET Core environment including debugging and IntelliSense.

The majority of third-party editors such as VI, Emacs, and Sublime are compatible with .NET Core. The third-party editors access IntelliSense editor via Omnisharp. In addition, you can bypass code editors and proceed to use .NET Core’s CLI tools directly as they are available on all platforms.

2.    Microservices Architecture

Microservices development architecture facilitates the blending of technologies across service boundaries. It allows a systematic adoption of .NET Core for newer microservices that already work with other services or microservices. For instance, you can integrate services or microservices built with Ruby, Java, .NET Framework and other more monolithic technologies.

There are numerous infrastructure environments available for .NET Core. If you opt to go with Microsoft Azure’s cloud infrastructure, Azure App Service is ideal for formless microservices while Azure Service Fabric is best suited for complex and large microservice systems. All of these support .NET Core.

3.    Containers

Containers are frequently used together with microservices architecture. You can also use containers to compartmentalize web services or apps that adhere to any structural pattern. You can use .NET Framework on Windows containers. However, the lightweight and modular nature of .NET Core gives it a distinctive advantage for containerization.

When building and running containers, the container image is considerably smaller if you use .NET Core compared with an identical container build in .NET Framework. And since .NET Core is a cross-platform development environment, the server apps can be deployed to Linux Docker. Docker containers may be hosted in the cloud (on Azure or AWS) or on on-premises Windows or Linux servers.

Source: Pixabay.com

4.    Scalability and High-performance

If your goal is to build a scalable and high-performance application, .NET Core will be better suited for you than .NET Framework. Scalability and performance considerations are especially important when it comes to microservices architecture since you may have dozens or even hundreds of microservices running simultaneously.

.NET Core systems require a much lower number of virtual machines or servers. This not only enables faster speeds but also reduces the costs of hosting and infrastructure.

5.    Running Applications on Different .NET Versions

If you intend to install applications built around different .NET versions, .NET Core is better suited than .NET Framework. .NET Core allows the coexistence of different .NET Core runtime versions on one server.

This allows the installation of multiples services running different versions of .NET Core thus lowering the risk of system conflicts, cutting down the need for application upgrades and reducing overall technology costs.

B.    When .NET Framework is Best

.NET Core provides numerous advantages for new applications and application patterns. Nevertheless, it’s the success of the .NET Framework that created the basis for .NET Core to thrive. It, therefore, has something to offer and in fact is the choice of many developers. Here’s why.

1.    Existing .NET Framework Applications

If all or most of your current applications are already in the .NET Framework, you don’t have to immediately migrate them to .NET Core. Instead, you could employ .NET Core whenever you need to extend an application (e.g. coding a new service with ASP.NET Core).

2.    Libraries and Packages Unavailable on .NET Core

As the original .NET environment, third-party libraries have long embraced the .NET Framework. This gives it a significant advantage over .NET Core. What’s more, libraries available on .NET Framework can be shared with all other .NET implementations thanks to an added compatibility functionality.

3.    Technologies Unavailable on .NET Core

.NET Core may have come after .NET Framework but there are still technologies in the latter that aren’t available in the former. While some may become available in future .NET Core releases, there are those that are inconsistent with the application patterns of .NET Core and may therefore never be available.

Examples of technologies on .NET Framework and not on .NET Core include ASP.NET Web Forms, ASP.NET Web Pages, WCF server implementation, workflow services, and language support.

Source: Pixabay.com

4.    Using Platforms that Don’t Support .NET Core

Some third-party and even Microsoft platforms are incompatible with .NET Core. For instance, certain services on Azure must run on .NET Framework. There are also SDK services that aren’t available on .NET Core.

.NET Core is referred to as ‘core’ because it contains all the fundamental features of the standard .NET Framework. That includes both framework and runtime libraries. In this sense, .NET Core is a subset of the .NET Framework. Both have advantages and you should choose the one that best meets your need.