ASP.NET vs. ASP.NET Core – What is the difference between them
ASP.NET vs. ASP.NET Core
.NET Core
It is a free open source, a general-purpose development platform for developing modern cloud-based software applications on Windows, Linux, and macOS operating systems. It operates across several platforms and has been improved to make .NET fast, scalable, and modern. .NET Core is one of Microsoft’s big contributions and released under the MIT License. It offers the following features:
- Cross-Platform
- Open Source
- High Performance
- Multiple environments and development mode etc.
.NET is a software framework that is designed and developed by Microsoft. The first version of the .Net framework was 1.0 which came in the year 2002. In easy words, it is a virtual machine for compiling and executing programs written in different languages like C#, VB.Net, etc. It is used to develop form-based applications, web-based applications, and web services. There is a variety of programming languages available on the .Net platform, VB.Net, and C# being the most common ones. It is used to build applications for Windows, mobile, web, etc. It provides a lot of functionalities and also supports industry standards.
While they share many similarities, there are also significant differences between them. Here’s a breakdown:
| ASP.NET | ASP.NET Core | |
| Architecture: | built on the .NET Framework, which is Windows-only | is a cross-platform framework built on top of the .NET Core runtime. It’s a complete rewrite of ASP.NET |
| Cross-Platform Support | Limited cross-platform support. It primarily targets Windows-based servers. | supporting Windows, macOS, and Linux. |
| Development Environment: | Visual Studio on Windows. | Visual Studio on Windows, but it also supports development on macOS and Linux using Visual Studio Code or other text editors. |
| Dependency Injection: | added in later versions but wasn’t as deeply ingrained into the framework. | s a first-class citizen and is deeply integrated into the framework. |
| Performance: | Generally good performance but not as lightweight as ASP.NET Core. | high performance and scalability. It’s lightweight and optimized for modern web development practices. |
| Modularity: | Monolithic architecture with less flexibility in terms of selecting components. | Modular architecture where components can be added or removed as needed. |
| Hosting: | Typically hosted on IIS (Internet Information Services) on Windows servers. | Can be hosted on various servers including IIS, Apache, Nginx, or self-hosted in a custom process. |
| NuGet Packages: | dding functionality. Packages may not always be compatible across different versions. | Embraces NuGet packages and provides better package management |
What to use .NET Framework or .NET Core?
.NET Core is to be used for the server application when –
- There is cross-platform need.
- Targeting microservices or using Docker containers.
- Need of high performance and scalable systems.
- Side by side need of .NET versions per application.
.NET Framework is to be used for the server application when –
- Application is to be built to run only on Windows.
- If application uses .NET framework technologies not available for .NET Core.
- Applications that are already running on .NET Framework.
In summary, ASP.NET Core is a more modern, cross-platform, and lightweight framework compared to ASP.NET. It offers better performance, flexibility, and modularity, making it a preferred choice for building modern web applications. However, the choice between ASP.NET and ASP.NET Core depends on factors such as project requirements, existing infrastructure, and team expertise.
Conclusion-
If the application has to be built from scratch, choose .Net Core but, if it is already existing good in the .Net Framework and you are not planning to migrate it, then it is a better one.
