This article was written in 2023. Versions, tools and recommendations may have changed since then. Newer posts are collected under .NET.
.NET and C# (CSharp ) are two closely related technologies, but they are not the same thing. Understanding the difference between the two can be confusing, especially for those new to programming. Here’s a quick breakdown of what each technology is and how they relate to one another.
.NET is a software framework developed by Microsoft. It provides a runtime environment for executing code written in various languages, including C#, F# and VB.NET. The .NET framework includes a large library of pre-built code that developers can use to build their own applications. It also includes a common language runtime (CLR), which is responsible for managing the execution of .NET code.
C#, on the other hand, is a programming language. It was developed by Microsoft as part of its .NET initiative and is designed to be a simple, modern and object-oriented language. C# is used to write code that can run on the .NET framework and make use of the tools and libraries provided by the framework.
In short, .NET is a framework that provides a runtime environment and a library of code for building applications, while C# is a programming language that can be used to write code that runs on the .NET framework.
It’s worth noting that while C# was developed by Microsoft and is closely tied to the .NET framework, it is not limited to running on Windows. Thanks to the open source .NET Core, C# can now be used to build applications that run on multiple platforms, including Windows, Linux and macOS.
I hope this helps clear up any confusion you might have had about the difference between .NET and C#.
Related articles
- 16 min read
Production Rate Limiting in ASP.NET Core
Most ASP.NET Core rate-limiting examples stop after registering a fixed window. That is enough to demonstrate the middleware, but it is not …
- 11 min read
The Big Decimal Bugfix with .NET 11
For more than two decades, (decimal)1.23 returned 1.23m. It looked correct, it passed every test and it was a polite lie.
- 10 min read
Distroless, Chiseled or Alpine: Choosing a .NET Base Image
Distroless, Chiseled and Alpine are often compared as three equivalent Linux distributions. They are not. Alpine is a distribution built …
BEN ABT
Ben is Chief Engineering Officer and Principal Software Engineer at Medialesson.de, with a strong focus on .NET and Microsoft Azure. In his professional role, he designs and builds highly scalable platforms for hybrid and cloud-based scenarios. He also advises companies and C-levels on migrating to the sovereign cloud.
He runs myCSharp.de, the largest and most active German-speaking C# community forum, actively contributes to both his own and external open-source projects and regularly shares his knowledge through his blog, at community events, conferences and as a writer for technical magazines.
Let's Work Together
Looking for an experienced Platform Architect or Engineer for your next project? Whether it's cloud migration, platform modernization or building new solutions from scratch - I'm here to help you succeed.