What is .Net

.NET is a free, cross-platform, open-source developer platform for building many types of applications. It provides tools, libraries, and runtime that work across Windows, Linux, and macOS.

Evolution of .NET

• .NET Framework (Windows-only, legacy)
• .NET Core (cross-platform, modern)
• .NET 5, 6, 7, 8+ (unified platform)
• .NET Standard (API compatibility contract)

Key Features

• Automatic memory management (garbage collection)
• Language interoperability (C#, F#, VB.NET)
• Base class libraries for common tasks
• Multiple application models (web, desktop, mobile, cloud, games)

Related Topics

• 1.1.1 The .NET Framework Windows only legacy
• 1.1.2 The .NET Core cross platform modern
• 1.1.3 The .NET 5, 6, 7, 8 unified platform
• 1.1.4 The .NET Standard API compatibility contract