.NET Core, .NET Framework, and ASP.NET may sound similar. However, all these technologies are interrelated. They are different platforms of a large ecosystem governed and managed by Microsoft. .NET was launched in 2002 and was earlier limited to Windows applications only. Microsoft released .NET Core in 2016 as an open-source platform for building cross-platform applications. It also supports multiple programming languages along with ample editors and libraries.
The .Net ecosystem has a huge active community across the globe and an extensive library of resources to overcome any issue during development. It is also currently the second-most used server-side programming language among high-traffic websites. So, choosing to develop a .NET project is certainly wise.
But, you must get acquainted with some critical factors before commencing your .NET project. This post discusses the top 10 useful aspects related to .NET framework so that you can comprehensively plan your development and yield fruitful results.
TABLE OF CONTENT
1 The Types of Applications You Can Develop with .NET
Web Applications
Windows Applications & Services
Mobile Applications
2 What Programming Languages Can be Used with .NET?
3 The On-boarding Process
4 .NET is Better & Secure than Java
5 .NET Core is a Cross-platform Framework
6 Interesting Facts About .NET Usage Worldwide
7 .NET 6 Is the Latest Version Launched by Microsoft
8 Determine the Files to be Deployed
9 .NET Comes with Comprehensive Tools Supporting Rapid Development
10 Congratulations! You have Opted for the Best Framework
Endnote
1. Types of Applications You Can Develop with .NET
First of all, you must know which types of business applications can be developed using the .NET framework so that you get a broader vision of its usage.
1. Web Applications:
You have options to develop an array of web applications ranging from simple websites to advanced enterprise applications using ASP.NET. These applications can run on both local and remote networks and offer components for data exchange with the help of XML.
2. Windows Applications & Services:
You can also develop Windows desktop applications with .NET Framework to streamline day-to-day tasks. This type of application will run in a Windows environment only, leveraging services provided by Windows OS.
3. Mobile Applications:
The .NET framework allows you to develop highly interactive cross-platform mobile apps making automatic changes in these applications to help them run on multiple browsers.
2. What Programming Languages Can be Used with .NET?
The .NET framework supports many languages used for different development environments with the help of Microsoft Intermediate Language (MSIL) or Common Language Infrastructure (CLI). Here is a list of some prominent pThe .NET framework supports a multitude of languages used for different development environments with the help of Microsoft Intermediate Language (MSIL) or through Common Language Infrastructure (CLI). Here is a list of some prominent programming languages that can be used with .NET:
- VB.NET
- C++
- C#
- Ada.Ada
- F#
- IronPython
- IronRuby
- JavaScript.NET
- PHP
- Visual COBOL.NET
Among all these languages, C# remains a top preference for most .NET developers to develop robust applications for businesses as it offers exceptional native support along with ample libraries, components, and UI class libraries.
3. The On-boarding Process
Before you finalize a web development company to hand over your project, you must discuss the onboarding process to avoid any inconvenience or delay with the project. Make sure that the company has an instant hiring model and it allows you to interview the developers that are going to work on your project. Ask them the right questions related to your project requirements and how they would cope with the resources. Choosing remote developers often proves to be much more advantageous and cost-effective without compromising on the quality of development.
Look for their experience (junior, mid-level, or senior developers) and discuss the type of responsibilities and tasks they will be accountable for. Remember, .NET developers are in great demand in the IT industry and to ensure a talented team for your project, you must consider hiring them from a trusted and reputed web development agency.
4. .NET is Better & Secure than Java
When it comes to programming, the first name that comes to our mind is Java. According to a recent study by the Department of Computer Science, the University of Virginia, the vulnerability density of Java is 30%, whereas that of .NET is 27%. As .NET is monitored by Microsoft, the security aspects are handled much more professionally in comparison to Java which is an open-source framework.
Apart from this, Language Integrated Query, LINQ allows C# developers to create inquiries legitimately inside their codes whereas Java developers use put-away strategies on the database server without any LINQ equal option. This gives C# developers an additional advantage over Java developers to query in-memory objects and eliminate the mismatch between programming language and database.
5. .NET Core is a Cross-platform Framework
It’s a common myth that .NET is an exclusive product of Microsoft and hence, can be used for developing Windows applications only. Instead, .NET Core was launched in 2016 and runs on multiple computer platforms, offering open-source and cross-platform frameworks advantages. It opens a whole new world of opportunities by including new platforms to your application. .NET Core perfectly supports applications compatible with MAC, Linux, Windows, IoT, and the cloud.
Moreover, ASP.NET Core is the latest version of the .NET stack that offers exceptional capabilities to developers that were not experienced earlier with the .NET framework. .NET Core can be deployed flexibly and is evolving as the most secure and trusted cross-platform framework.
6. The Kind of Popularity .NET Has Worldwide
- According to Statista, .NET is the most utilized framework used by over 34.5% of worldwide developers, with NumPy being the second largest used framework used by 28.6% of developers.
- W3Tech also states that ASP.NET is used by 7.6% of all global websites, and its version 1.1 is used by 99.5% of all websites using ASP.NET.
- A survey by Stack Overflow on worldwide developers revealed that .NET Core has emerged as the most preferred framework, with 71.5% votes by professional developers.
- Moreover, Google Trends search data recently reported that ASP.NET Core and related topics were the most searched frameworks and terms on the internet which simply depicts that more and more enterprises are switching to this evolving framework.
- On the other hand, Microsoft has also been constantly working on improving the security, flexibility, and performance of .NET technology to enable businesses to leverage their fullest potential.
These stats will certainly make you proud if you have chosen the .NET framework or .NET Core to develop a business application.
7. .NET 6 Is the Latest Version Launched by Microsoft
.NET 6 was released in November 2021 and comes in handy with a complete unification plan, including SDKs, base libraries, and runtime across mobile, computer, and cloud applications. In addition to this, .NET 6 offers much-simplified development with C# programming language, ensuring reduced coding and minimal investments in APIs.
To ensure optimum performance from this fastest full-stack web framework, it is advisable to run it in the cloud, which will reduce your computing cost to a great extent. The combination of .NET 6 and Visual Studio 2022 offers new GIT tooling, smart code editing, comprehensive diagnostic & testing tools, and enhanced team collaboration. However, its upcoming updated version will also be launched soon, in November 2022. Hopefully, Microsoft will leave no stone unturned to make it a more competent version.
8. Determine the Files to be Deployed
ASP.NET supports automatic compilation for developing a website, but this is not the case when developing a web app. So, in case of explicit compilation, it will be better to compile source code into an assembly and keep a copy of it for the production environment. Suppose you want to deploy a web application using a website project model with ASP.NET. You must copy suitable files to the production environment and make sure that there are no compile-time errors before doing so.
9. .NET Comes with Comprehensive Tools Supporting Rapid Development
Developers get ample sophisticated development tools with the .NET framework, which allows them to assure on-time delivery. These tools add versatility and agility to the process and make maintenance of the app much more cost-effective. .NET offers Windows-based software programs with multi-platform support for desktops and mobile devices. Here are some effective tools that you will find in .NET to enhance performance and productivity through a website or an app on it:
- Visual Studio
- NuGet
- LINQ Pad
- ReSharper
- Chocolatey
- Postman
- NDepend
- SQL Complete
- NCrunch
10. Congratulations! You have Opted for the Best Framework
.NET framework has a complete package of tools to support streamlined and simplified development. It offers great business value and allows teams to integrate systems efficiently for a time & cost-saving development. .NET is a highly scalable framework that is rising in popularity year by year. It’s a great choice for startups and enterprise-level organizations to develop applications that support the extra load without interruptions.
The framework lowers the ownership cost of an application and ensures the availability of vital components before the application executes. It is widely preferred around the globe, supporting an array of applications that can be developed with it.
Endnote
Having discussed these critical aspects of .NET, you can plan & organize your project strategically. To assure professional .NET application development, hire a trusted outsourcing partner who will prove to be cost-effective and deliver a secure solution for your business to elevate performance.
Besides all this, make sure you plan your project requirements and be as specific as you can to help your developers develop the best suitable development strategy. Ask them for regular reporting regarding the smallest accomplishments and discuss the project timeline and payment procedure to avoid any inconvenience. Hope this information will help you to get started with your .NET project in a well-planned way.
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Author Bio: Nathan Smith is a Web & App Developer and the current Practice Head at TechnoScore- a leading .NET development company India. He constantly brings updated information on the latest tech trends. His passion for transforming technologies encourages him to inform and educate people through his write-ups.
