Difference between .NET 7 and .NET 8

Introduction

Comparing .NET 7 and .NET 8 sheds light on their distinct performance, integration capabilities, diagnostic tools, and compatibility aspects. Additionally, delving into the new features introduced in .NET 8 and contrasting them with those of .NET 7 helps in gaining a comprehensive understanding of these frameworks. Exploring these details will assist in determining the superior version within the Microsoft .NET framework.

The advancements within .NET 8 represent a significant milestone for Microsoft, encompassing a comprehensive suite of features aimed at bolstering security, optimizing performance, facilitating seamless integration, and simplifying maintenance. However, there's ongoing debate regarding whether the new features in .NET 8 surpass those in .NET 7.

To gain clarity and make informed decisions regarding a potential upgrade from .NET 7 to .NET 8, it's crucial to explore the key differences between these versions. This article will provide clarity, enabling a more informed understanding of the benefits and enhancements introduced in .NET 8.

Although both were developed by Microsoft, .NET 8 and .NET 7 exhibit notable distinctions. We've categorized their differences across several key aspects including performance, diagnostics, observability, cross-platform compatibility, support offerings, language enhancements, and integration capabilities. It will help you thoroughly understand the difference between the two.

1. Performance Improvements

When developers evaluate technologies for software development, performance stands out as a crucial factor. Notably, in terms of speed and efficiency, .NET 8 demonstrates superior optimization compared to .NET 7. Both versions of the Microsoft .NET framework employ a JIT (Just-In-Time) compiler, but in .NET 8, significant enhancements have been made to expedite code processing, resulting in reduced loading times and quicker process execution.

Moreover, notable advancements in the garbage collector and runtime environment within .NET 8 contribute to heightened efficiency. These enhancements enable businesses to conserve resources significantly, ensuring consistent high performance, even during peak operational hours.

2. Cross-Platform Development

Compared to .NET 7, .NET 8 excels in supporting the creation of cross-platform compatible applications. Notably, .NET 8 surpasses .NET 7 in enabling the development of applications tailored for various hardware intrinsics.

• AVX-512
• Vector 512
• Optimized support for ARM64 and WebAssembly

These improvements broaden your application's accessibility, extending its reach to a wide array of users on both desktop and mobile devices, encompassing various operating systems like Windows, Linux, macOS, and other diverse platforms.

3. Platform Support

Microsoft provides distinct support periods for each .NET version based on two primary policies: LTS (Long Term Support) and STS (Short Term Support). The .NET 8 version is backed by LTS (Long Term Support), guaranteeing Microsoft's support from November 14th, 2023, to November 10th, 2026. On the contrary, support for the dotnet 7 version is scheduled to conclude on May 14th, 2024. Opting for .NET 8 ensures better maintenance and longevity for your application's health.

Version	Latest patch version	Patch release date	Release type	Support phase	End of support
.NET 8	8.0.0	November 14, 2023	LTS	Active	November 10, 2026
.NET 7	7.0.14	November 14, 2023	STS	Active	May 14, 2024

4. Integration

Unlike .NET 7, which requires developers to craft custom codes for integrating with APIs and other components, .NET 8 offers enhanced convenience. It comes equipped with built-in support for major integrated development environments, APIs, and services. Moreover, the debugging functionalities have been significantly advanced, allowing for quicker error resolution and improved process execution with minimal time investment.

.NET 8 New Features

Now that we've understood the superiority of .NET 8 over .NET 7, it’s essential that you know all its major features. Understanding these core functionalities of .NET 8 is crucial as it solidifies its position as a dependable technology for application development, surpassing the capabilities of .NET 7.

1. Better Source Generator

The source generator introduced in .NET 8 represents a significant advancement compared to previous versions. Microsoft has notably enhanced System.Text.Json, aligning its capabilities closely with the reflection-based serializer. The enhancements introduced in .NET 8 include:

• Support for 'init' and 'required' properties when serializing types using the source generator.
• Structured and cleaner formatting of source-generated code.
• Addition of two new diagnostics: SYSLIB1034 and SYSLIB1039.
• Integration of support for JsonStringEnumConverter<TEnum> within .NET 8.

2. Native AOT

Through the use of native AOT (Ahead-of-Time) compilation, .NET 8 applications optimize code usage by compiling only the necessary portions rather than the entire codebase.

For example, when a user logs into the system using the .NET 8 application, only the specific code responsible for the login functionality will be utilized, while the remainder of the codebase retains its current state. Thus this approach offers several advantages.

• Elimination of the need for a Just-In-Time compiler.
• It increased the loading speed.
• Conservation of network and memory resources.
• Reduced execution time and resource costs.
• Improved user experience and satisfaction.

3. Advanced AI Capabilities

With .NET 8, AI integration has become more seamless, faster, and stable. The AI components within .NET 8 are the result of collaboration among various technologies such as Microsoft Teams, Azure OpenAI, Milvus, Azure Cognitive Search, and Qdrant. These diverse technological contributions collectively empower .NET 8 applications to harness advanced AI capabilities, delivering precise and accurate outputs.

4. Improved Blazor

Within .NET 8, Blazor has evolved into a comprehensive full-stack web UI development technology. Its unique capability to manage both client and server aspects concurrently contributes to minimizing page loading times. The latest enhancements to Blazor within .NET 8 include.

• Implementation of Static server rendering
• Introduction of Streaming rendering
• Data presentation facilitated through QuickGrid
• Integration of Identity Authentication
• Runtime-based Auto-select rendering
• Improved Form handling and enhanced per-component interactivity

5. Elevated .NET MAUI

.NET 8 brings significant enhancements to .NET MAUI. Now, a single codebase caters to API 34 and XCode 15, enabling seamless operation of your .NET MAUI application across WinUI, iOS, Android, and Mac Catalyst systems.

6. SHA-3 Hashing Primitives

Compared to .NET 7, the security enhancements in .NET 8 are notably robust. It introduces support for configuring the SHA-3 hashing algorithm, ensuring compatibility with APIs that complement SHA-3 within your .NET 8 applications. The SHA-3 cryptography algorithms available in .NET 8 include.

• SHA3_256, SHA3_384, and SHA3_512 (for Hashing purposes)
• HMACSHA3_256, HMACSHA3_384, and HMACSHA3_512 (for HMAC usage)
• HashAlgorithmName.SHA3_256, HashAlgorithmName.SHA3_384, and HashAlgorithmName.SHA3_512 (for developer-configurable algorithm settings)
• RSAEncryptionPadding.OaepSHA3_256, RSAEncryptionPadding.OaepSHA3_384, and RSAEncryptionPadding.OaepSHA3_512 (for RSA OAEP encryption)

7. HTTPS Proxy Support

.NET 8 introduces HTTPS proxy support, enhancing client connections' security by preventing man-in-the-middle attacks. This feature establishes encrypted communication channels, ensuring both data integrity and confidentiality.

Should you upgrade from .NET 7 to .NET 8?

Considering the analysis of various factors, .NET 8 is more advanced and proficient than .NET 7. So, you should upgrade your application to .NET 8.

Conclusion

.NET 8 stands out as a remarkable software development technology by Microsoft, surpassing .NET 7 in every aspect. From performance and integration to C# code compilation, observability, and support, .NET 8 excels in every aspect when compared. Moreover, .NET experts and professionals widely endorse .NET 8 for their projects.

Reference: What's new in .NET 8