Cross-Platform Application Development through Microsoft’s .NET Core

schema1When web applications can be reached through various web browsers and operating systems, then they are said to be cross-platform compatible. To have a broader reach with potential customers, organizations from a small group to well-established enterprise go with this approach.

.NET Core, an Open-Source Platform

Developed by Microsoft, .Net Core is a software framework built for supporting the cross-platform applications. An open source derivative or subset of .Net, the .Net Core utilizes the same APIs as that of the former. We may have the question that what makes .Net Core different from other frameworks?

Following are few solid features of .NETCore, which ensure faster app development process.

  • CoreCLR- An open platform, CoreCLR is the execution engine of .NetCore. From garbage collection to compilation, all the functions are performed in this open source platform.
    The compilation to machine code is performed through RyuJIT, which is the just-in-time compiler present in CoreCLR.
  • CLI- Which stands for command-line interface or command language interpreter is a mode of establishing direct communication channel between the computer and user. This is achieved through typing instructions on the screen.
  • Code Reusability- .NetCore ensures that across Windows, Linux and macOS, the code structure will be same. Developers need not perform any kind of modification, thus can perform faster deployment process.
  • Modular- All the attributes in .NetCore are available as small packages to allow easier customization. This also avoids the latency that was involved in the traditional approach.
  • Deployment Process- The applications under .NetCore can be deployed in two different ways.
    Firstly FDD aka framework-dependent deployment is also considered as the default deployment model. Under this process only the applications and its third party dependencies are installed. Here, application can access only the version of .NetCore which is present on said target system. FDD supports reduced space and memory consumption on host systems.
    Secondly, it is the self-contained deployment where the overall disk space consumption is more. Unlike FDD, the .NetCore version is also included along with the application and its third party dependencies. This approach is made to ensure the compatibility of OS with the app.
  • Status- .NetCore is an open source platform, which makes it highly reliable and flexible for the overall development process.
  • Compatibility- This is nothing but cross-compatibility and completely relates to code-re usability. Developers will have an easier time in the deployment process.

Transition from .Net to .NetCore: The Gain

.NetCore is the refined version of .Net, where the former came to existence to support cross-platform developments. Here developers have various advantages as they are allowed to write code in according to their preferences including C#, C++, F#, and Visual Basic. Unlike .Net, the .NetCore has separate run time and library components which make it more superior.