.NET Core - Version History


In this article, I will explain the ASP.NET Core web API Versions and new features. The American multinational technology corporation Microsoft recently announced the latest version of .NET, which is .NET 7.

.NET Core Web API Introduction

.NET Core is a free, open-source, cross-platform framework developed by Microsoft for building modern applications. It is a modular and lightweight platform that allows developers to build applications that run on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Here are some key Characteristics or features of .NET Core.

  1. Cross-platform - .NET Core is designed to be cross-platform, meaning you can develop and run applications on multiple operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. This allows for greater flexibility and reach for your applications.
  2. Open-source - .NET Core is an open-source framework and is developed in collaboration with the .NET community. This means that developers have access to the source code, can contribute to the framework, and benefit from community-driven enhancements and bug fixes.
  3. Modular and Lightweight - .NET Core follows a modular design, with its functionality split into smaller packages called NuGet packages. This modular approach allows developers to include only the necessary components in their applications, resulting in smaller and more efficient deployments.
  4. High Performance - .NET Core is optimized for performance and is known for its fast startup times and efficient resource utilization. It includes features such as Just-in-Time (JIT) compilation, which dynamically compiles code for execution, and Ahead-of-Time (AOT) compilation, which pre-compiles code for even faster startup.
  5. Language Support - .NET Core supports multiple programming languages, including C#, F#, and Visual Basic. This allows developers to choose their preferred language for application development while leveraging the power and capabilities of the .NET platform.
  6. Integration with Visual Studio - .NET Core integrates seamlessly with Microsoft's popular integrated development environment (IDE), Visual Studio. Developers can leverage Visual Studio's rich set of tools and features for code editing, debugging, testing, and deployment of .NET Core applications.
  7. Long-Term Support (LTS) Versions - Starting with .NET Core 3.1, Microsoft introduced Long-Term Support (LTS) versions of .NET Core. These LTS versions receive three years of support and are recommended for applications that require stability and long-term maintenance.
  8. Migration Path from .NET Framework - For developers with existing .NET Framework applications, Microsoft provides tools and guidance for migrating to .NET Core. This allows you to modernize your applications and take advantage of the benefits and features offered by .NET Core.

.NET Core Version History 

Here is the version history of .NET Core from starting release date.

Version Visual Studio Release Date Key Features
.NET 7 - Latest Version Visual Studio 2022 v17.4 Nov 8, 2022
  • Expand the reach of your gRPC services by also exposing them as JSON-based APIs
  • Some regular expression improvements which make them a bit better in .NET 7.
  • Nullable page and view models are now supported to improve the experience using null state checking.
  • Trim libraries that you don’t need or are not necessary for you.
  • Build standard HTML custom elements with Blazor to integrate Blazor components with any JavaScript-based application.
  • Simplified LINQ Ordering
.NET 6 (LTS) Visual Studio 2022 Nov 9, 2021
  • Introduced significant performance improvements and new features.
  • Included support for MAUI (Multi-platform App UI), enabling the development of cross-platform UI applications.
  • Introduced Hot Reload, allowing developers to make changes to their code and see them immediately applied without restarting the application.
.NET 5 Visual Studio 2019 Nov 10, 2020
  • Unified the .NET platform, combining .NET Core, .NET Framework, and Xamarin into a single product.
  • Introduced many new features, performance improvements, and increased compatibility.
  • Removed the "Core" from the name, making it simply ".NET".
.NET Core 3.1 (LTS) Visual Studio 2019 Dec 3, 2019
  • Focused on stability and performance improvements.
  • Included long-term support (LTS) for three years.
  • Added support for ARM64 architecture.
.NET Core 3.0 Visual Studio 2019 Sep 23, 2019
  • Introduced support for Windows Desktop applications, including Windows Forms and WPF.
  • Added support for C# 8.0 language features.
  • Introduced Blazor, a new web framework for building client-side web UI using C#.
.NET Core 2.1 (LTS) Visual Studio 2017, 2019 May 30, 2018
  • Added support for SignalR, a real-time communication framework.
  • Introduced improvements in performance, tooling, and diagnostics.
  • Included support for running ASP.NET Core apps as Windows services.
.NET Core 2.0 Visual Studio 2017, 2019 Aug 14, 2017
  • Added support for .NET Standard 2.0.
  • Introduced Razor Pages, a new page-based programming model for building web UI.
  • Improved performance and added new features.
.NET Core 1.0 Visual Studio 2017 Jun 27, 2016
  • Initial release of .NET Core.
  • Supported development on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
  • Included a subset of the .NET Framework libraries.

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