.NET Core and .NET Framework are both software development frameworks created by Microsoft for building applications on the Microsoft .NET platform. While they share similarities, they also have key differences.
Platform Support: .NET Core is a cross-platform framework that can run on Windows, Linux, and macOS, whereas .NET Framework is designed to run exclusively on Windows.
Open Source vs Proprietary: .NET Core is open source, which means its source code is freely available and can be modified and distributed by the community. .NET Framework, on the other hand, is proprietary software and its source code is not available for public modification.
Deployment Model: .NET Core applications are deployed as self-contained executables or as platform-dependent runtime-dependent applications (also known as "portable" applications), whereas .NET Framework applications require installation of the corresponding .NET Framework runtime on the target machine.
Versioning: .NET Core follows a more frequent release cycle with smaller, more frequent updates, while .NET Framework has a slower release cycle with larger updates. As of .NET Core 3.0, .NET Core and .NET Framework have different version numbers, with .NET Core starting at version 1.0 and .NET Framework starting at version 4.0.
Application Types: .NET Core is primarily designed for building modern, cloud-based, and cross-platform applications, such as web applications, microservices, and containerized applications. .NET Framework is typically used for building traditional Windows desktop applications, server-side applications, and enterprise applications.
In summary, .NET Core is a cross-platform, open-source framework designed for modern application development, while .NET Framework is a Windows-only, proprietary framework primarily used for traditional Windows desktop and server applications. Microsoft's focus is on .NET Core for future development, and .NET Framework is considered a legacy technology. When starting a new project, it's recommended to use .NET Core unless there are specific reasons to use .NET Framework for legacy applications or compatibility requirements.
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