As the demand for cross-platform applications grows, the developers need to write reusable code that works across different .NET implementations. This is where .NET Standard helps.
It unites the .NET ecosystem together by offering an API specification. It ensures compatibility across .NET Framework, .NET Core, and Xamarin. If a business is looking to modernize applications, .NET migration services can help. They simplify the transition to a more flexible and future-proof architecture.
In this article, we explore what .NET Standard is, why it matters, and how it differs from the .NET Framework and .NET Core.
What is .NET Standard?
It is a specification. It defines a set of APIs that all .NET implementations should provide. It is a standardized base for .NET APIs across different platforms and runtimes.
Its purpose is to arrange code sharing between different .NET runtimes. It creates uniformity and portability across various .NET implementations. This allows developers to write libraries for many platforms without recompilation.
.NET Standard Compared to Portable Class Library (PCL)
.NET Standard can be considered the next generation of Portable Class Libraries (PCLs). They both aim to enable cross-platform development. However, there are some key differences:
| .NET Standard | PCL profiles |
| a set of APIs | defined by intersections of existing platforms. |
| uses linear versioning | Don’t use linear versioning |
| not limited to a specific platform | provides represent specific Microsoft platforms. |
Why is .NET Standard Necessary?
.NET Standard addresses multiple challenges in the .NET ecosystem:
- Cross-platform development. .NET Standard allows developers to create libraries. They work across various .NET implementations and platforms. For example, Windows, iOS, Android, and Linux.
- Unified API set. It provides a set of APIs across different .NET flavors. This allows developers to avoid learning multiple base libraries.
- Simplified versioning. It uses a straightforward versioning system. It makes it easier to determine compatibility across different platforms.
- Improved portability. .NET Standard allows developers to build more portable applications and libraries. As a result, the time and cost of development is reduced.
- Replacement for PCLs. It is more effective for building multi-platform .NET libraries compared to PCL.
To sum up, .NET Standard simplifies the development of cross-platform applications in the .NET ecosystem.
.NET Standard Versions
Let’s talk a bit about .NET Standard versions. Each version contains a certain set of APIs, and each new version adds new ones. This allows libraries to take advantage of more features and maintain compatibility across different .NET runtimes.
There are no breaking changes between versions. After it is publicly released, its content is frozen and does not change. This allows developers to rely on the API specification of that particular version.
| .NET Standard Version | Release Date | Specification |
| 1.0 | 01.08.2016 | Basic API set for .NET Core, .NET Framework 4.5+, Mono, Xamarin |
| 1.1 | 16.11.2016 | Added support for System.Collections and System.Linq |
| 1.2 | 01.12.2016 | Added more APIs for networking and cryptography |
| 1.3 | 01.12.2016 | Added support for additional file I/O APIs, reflection improvements |
| 1.4 | 10.05.2017 | Added APIs for networking, diagnostics, and more |
| 1.5 | 09.08.2017 | Added support for HTTPClient, further reflection improvements |
| 2.0 | 14.08.2017 | Major expansion with APIs for ASP.NET Core, JSON serialization, System.Net.Http |
| 2.1 | 27.06.2018 | Fixes and enhancements to existing APIs, adding more platform support |
| 2.2 | 04.12.2018 | Added new APIs for diagnostics, performance, and more |
| 2.3 | 22.01.2019 | The final version before .NET Standard 2.0 becomes the baseline for compatibility |
| 3.0 | 23.09.2019 | Not compatible with older .NET versions. It focuses on .NET Core 3.x+ and .NET Framework 4.8+ |
Difference Between .NET Framework, .NET Core, and .NET Standard
Let’s break down the .NET Framework, .NET Core, and .NET Standard. These components are all part of the .NET ecosystem. Each of them serves different purposes and offers unique features.
.NET Framework
.NET Framework is the original implementation of .NET. It is designed by Microsoft for only applications based on Windows. It allows developers to write applications in C#, F#, and Visual Basic.
.NET Framework provides a library and multiple services to its running applications. This includes memory management, a common type system, and also language interoperability. The .NET Framework consists of two components:
- Common language runtime (CLR) handles the application execution.
- Base class library (BCL) provides a library of code for developers.
.NET Core
But users now use devices with various operating systems (OS) which influences the development trends. The software and applications should work across multiple platforms to meet the growing user needs. For this reason, Microsoft developed a new framework called .NET Core.
.NET Core is a modern, cross-platform implementation of .NET. It is compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux. .NET Core provides high performance and scalability to applications. It supports microservices, cloud, IoT, and gaming development.
With .NET Core, applications will run faster and handle more users or requests. This is possible without needing significant infrastructure upgrades. It lowers costs and provides a better user experience. The support of microservice architecture allows developers to easily scale and maintain applications without affecting the whole system.
.NET Standard
Unlike the other two, .NET Standard is not an implementation. It is a specification of APIs that all .NET platforms (like .NET Framework, .NET Core, and Xamarin) must support. It allows libraries built on .NET Standard to work across multiple .NET implementations without modification.
.NET Standard serves as a base class library (BCL) for all .NET implementations. It means that developers don’t have to rewrite functionality for different .NET versions. Furthermore, it ensures that a library can run on Windows, macOS, Linux, mobile, and even IoT devices without code changes.
Many developers migrate from .NET Framework to .NET Standard to improve cross-platform compatibility and future-proof their applications.
Conclusion
.NET Standard provides an API specification across different implementations. This helps it unify the .NET ecosystem. It ensures cross-platform compatibility and code reusability.
Using it, developers create libraries that work across various .NET platforms. This reduces duplication and maintenance efforts. It also simplifies the versioning and improves portability.
The .NET ecosystem evolves. And .NET 5 and later versions unite .NET Framework, .NET Core, and .NET Standard into a single platform. But the .NET Standard remains valuable for maintaining legacy applications and ensuring compatibility.
