.NET Core: A Beginner's Guide to the Fundamentals

.NET Core is a versatile and powerful framework that has taken the world of software development by storm. In our comprehensive beginner's guide, we'll unravel the fundamentals of .NET Core, providing you with a solid foundation to kickstart your journey in this dynamic technology. From understanding its architecture to exploring the key components and concepts, this blog will equip you with the essential knowledge you need to embark on your .NET Core adventure. Join us as we demystify this popular framework and set you on the path to becoming a .NET Core pro.

Must Know the .NET Framework vs. .NET Core

.NET Framework and .NET Core are both software development platforms created by Microsoft, but they have different goals, architecture, and use cases. Here's a comparison of the two.

1. Architecture
   • .NET Framework: It is a Windows-only framework designed for building Windows desktop applications, web applications, and services. It has a monolithic architecture.
   • .NET Core: It is designed as a cross-platform framework for building a variety of applications, including Windows, Linux, and macOS. It has a modular and lightweight architecture.
2. Cross-Platform Compatibility
   • .NET Framework: Limited to Windows operating systems.
   • .NET Core: Cross-platform, supporting Windows, Linux, and macOS.
3. Open Source
   • .NET Framework: Closed-source and primarily controlled by Microsoft.
   • .NET Core: Open-source and developed in collaboration with the community. It serves as the foundation for .NET 5 and later.
4. Development Model
   • .NET Framework: Uses the full .NET Framework libraries. Development typically involves Visual Studio.
   • .NET Core: Uses the .NET Core libraries. Development can be done using Visual Studio or Visual Studio Code, as well as on other platforms with various IDEs.
5. Application Types
   • .NET Framework: Primarily used for Windows desktop applications, ASP.NET web applications, and Windows services.
   • .NET Core: Supports a wider range of application types, including console applications, web applications (ASP.NET Core), and microservices.
6. Versioning
   • .NET Framework: Released in specific versions (e.g., 4.0, 4.5, 4.8).
   • .NET Core: Released in a more predictable and frequent manner, with version numbers like .NET Core 1.x, 2.x, and .NET 5, 6, etc.
7. Ecosystem
   • .NET Framework: Has a mature and established ecosystem with many libraries and third-party components.
   • .NET Core: While it had a growing ecosystem, it merged into .NET 5 and later, which includes a broader range of libraries and components.
8. Migration
   • .NET Framework: Migrating legacy applications to .NET Core or .NET 6+ may require significant effort due to architectural and API differences.
   • .NET Core: Applications built with .NET Core are easier to migrate to .NET 5+ since .NET Core is part of the .NET 5+ ecosystem.

In summary, if you are starting a new project or planning to port existing applications to a modern, cross-platform environment, .NET 6 (or later) or its successors under the ".NET" umbrella is the way to go. However, for maintaining legacy Windows applications, .NET Framework is still a valid choice.

.NET Core Version History

Here is a list of the major .NET Core versions, along with some key details about each version:

1. .NET Core 1.0 (Initial Release)
   • Released: June 2016
   • First official release of .NET Core.
   • Supported cross-platform development but was relatively limited in features compared to later versions.
2. .NET Core 1.1
   • Released: November 2016
   • Focused on performance improvements and bug fixes.
   • Maintained compatibility with .NET Standard 1.6.
3. .NET Core 2.0
   • Released: August 2017
   • Introduced many new features and improvements.
   • Expanded API coverage and added support for .NET Standard 2.0.
4. .NET Core 2.1
   • Released: May 2018
   • Focused on performance enhancements and improving existing features.
   • Long-Term Support (LTS) release.
5. .NET Core 2.2
   • Released: December 2018
   • Included some new features and updates.
   • Also, an LTS release, with support until December 2019.
6. .NET Core 3.0
   • Released: September 2019
   • Introduced significant improvements, including enhanced support for Windows Desktop applications.
   • Expanded platform support and the introduction of .NET Core 3.0 SDK.
7. .NET Core 3.1
   • Released: December 2019
   • Focused on performance improvements and bug fixes.
   • Long-Term Support (LTS) release with support until December 2022.
8. .NET 5
   • Released: November 2020
   • A major shift in branding, as it was the first version released under the ".NET" umbrella, merging .NET Core and .NET Framework features.
   • Not an LTS release, but it set the stage for future .NET releases.
9. .NET 6
   • Released: November 2021
   • A significant release that aimed to unify .NET development for various workloads.
   • Focused on enhancing performance, improving cloud-native capabilities, and expanding platform support.
   • An LTS release with support until November 2024.
10. .NET 7
    • Released: November 2022
    • Focused on Servers and Runtime, Minimal API, and Middleware Updates.
    • Breaking Changes
    • An STS release with support until May 14, 2024.
11. .NET 8
    • Announcing .NET 8 Release Candidate 2 - .NET Blog (microsoft.com) 

.NET Core: Setting Up Your Development Environment

Configuring a .NET Core development environment on Windows, Linux, and Mac involves a series of steps to ensure you have the necessary tools and components. Here's a general guide for each platform:

Windows

1. Install Visual Studio: Download and install Visual Studio, which is the official integrated development environment (IDE) for .NET development on Windows. Make sure to select the ".NET Core" workload during installation.
2. Install .NET Core SDK: Download and install the .NET Core SDK for Windows. You can find the installer on the official .NET website. This SDK includes the necessary tools to build and run .NET Core applications.
3. Set up an Editor: While Visual Studio is the primary choice, you can also use Visual Studio Code, a lightweight code editor, for .NET Core development. Install Visual Studio Code and add relevant extensions for .NET Core.

Linux

1. Install .NET Core SDK: On Linux, you can install the .NET Core SDK using package managers like APT or YUM or by downloading the official installer from the .NET website. The installation method depends on your specific Linux distribution.
2. Set Up an Editor: You can use a code editor of your choice, such as Visual Studio Code or JetBrains Rider, for .NET Core development. Install the editor and the necessary extensions.

Mac

1. Install .NET Core SDK: On a Mac, you can download and install the .NET Core SDK directly from the official .NET website.
2. Set Up an Editor: Similar to Linux, you can choose your preferred code editor, like Visual Studio Code or JetBrains Rider, for .NET Core development. Install the editor and relevant extensions.
3. Optional: Homebrew (macOS): If you're using macOS, you can use Homebrew to install the .NET Core SDK. Install Homebrew if you haven't already, and then run the command brew install --cask dotnet-sdk to install the .NET Core SDK.
4. Verify Installation: After installation, open a terminal and run the dotnet --version to ensure that the .NET Core SDK is correctly installed.
5. Create and Build Projects: You can now create and build .NET Core projects using the dotnet new and dotnet build commands.

Remember to refer to the official documentation and installation guides provided by Microsoft for the most up-to-date instructions. Additionally, it's essential to keep your development environment updated with the latest SDK and tooling versions to take advantage of new features and improvements.

.NET Core: Essential Command Line Operations for Developers

Here are some useful commands for working with .NET Core from the command line.

1. Creating a New .NET Core Project
   To create a new console application: dotnet new console -n YourProjectName
   To create a new ASP.NET Core web application: dotnet new web -n YourWebProjectName
    
2. Restoring Dependencies
   To restore project dependencies (e.g., NuGet packages): dotnet restore
    
3. Building a .NET Core Project
   To build a project: dotnet build
    
4. Running a .NET Core Application
   To run the application: dotnet run
    
5. Creating a New Solution
   To create a new solution: dotnet new sln -n YourSolutionName
    
6. Adding a Project to a Solution
   To add a project to a solution: dotnet sln YourSolutionName.sln add YourProjectName/Path.csproj
    
7. Publishing an Application
   To publish a self-contained application (including runtime): dotnet publish -c Release -r win-x64
    
8. Managing NuGet Packages
   To add a NuGet package to a project: dotnet add package PackageName
   To remove a NuGet package from a project: dotnet remove package PackageName
    
9. Managing Entity Framework Migrations (for Database)
   To create a new migration: dotnet ef migrations add MigrationName
   To apply pending migrations to the database: dotnet ef database update
    
10. Running Tests
    To run unit tests using xUnit or other testing frameworks: the dotnet test
     
11. Publishing as a Single Executable (with .NET 6 and later)
    To publish as a single executable: dotnet publish -r os-x64 -p:PublishSingleFile=true
     
12. Creating a New Worker Service
    To create a new worker service: dotnet new worker -n YourWorkerServiceName
     
13. Managing Entity Framework Database Context
    To generate code for the DbContext and entities from the database: dotnet ef dbcontext scaffold "Connection_String" Microsoft.EntityFrameworkCore.SqlServer -o OutputFolder

These are some of the fundamental commands for working with .NET Core. Depending on your project and requirements, you may use additional commands and options. You can always get more information about a specific command by running dotnet command --help, such as dotnet build --help or dotnet run --help, to see the available options and parameters for that command.

In the upcoming blog, we'll explore running a sample application and uncovering the hidden treasures within .NET Core.