.NET SDK

.NET SDK is a free, cross-platform, and open-source software framework for Windows and other compatible platforms that enables software developers to develop and deploy managed software projects utilizing a wide set of editing, compiling, runtime, and deploying tools and services developed by Microsoft Corporation.

Originally released in 2016 as the successor of the legacy .Net Framework platform, the modern .NET SDK (also previously known as .NET Core) has received numerous upgrades over the years, culminating with the currently active version 7 that brings dramatic improvements over the previous .NET 6.0 platform released in late 2021.

.NET 7 consists of the latest version of Visual Studio 2022 programming editor, three separate runtime packs (.NET Runtime 7, ASP.NET Core Runtime 7, and .NET Desktop Runtime 7), and built-in support for the latest version of C#, F#, and Visual Basic programming languages.

Projects that are managed within .Net 7 can be deployed on a wide variety of target destinations, including PC, mobile, gaming consoles, VR, web, and distributed cloud platforms, with tools that allow streamlined porting, unified codebases, and the ability to create microservices that run on Docker containers.

The developers are also empowered to implement and manage all the latest technologies, such as machine learning algorithms, IoT services, AI processing, and more.

Compared to .Net 6, this latest framework introduced a professional set of performance enhancements, tools for cross-platform development, the introduction of a unified Base Class Library, built-in container support, enhanced Linux support, native support for ARM64 CPU instruction set, a new set of streamlined tools for the development of cloud-native apps, and much more.

.Net libraries have received numerous API enhancements, and developers are now capable of easier management of large projects with new Observability tools. C# 11 programming language has introduced support for generic math and many other enhancements.

What’s New in .NET 10

High-Performance Runtime

• JIT improvements: better inlining, method devirtualization, and loop inversion for faster code. 
• Stack allocation of small fixed-size arrays to reduce GC pressure. 
• Support for AVX 10.2 instructions to leverage modern CPU hardware. 

Native AOT Enhancements

• Smaller and faster ahead-of-time compiled apps for better startup and performance. 

New & Expanded Library APIs

• Cryptographic updates: expanded post-quantum cryptography support (ML-DSA, AES KeyWrap, Composite ML-DSA).
• Networking: a new WebSocketStream API and TLS 1.3 support on macOS. 
• JSON serialization: options for stricter behavior, duplicate property handling, and PipeReader support. 

SDK & Tooling Improvements

• Native shell tab-completion scripts for dotnet CLI (bash, zsh, PowerShell, etc.). 
• More consistent CLI command ordering (“noun-first” commands like dotnet package add). 
• Support for file-based apps: run single .cs files directly, with native AOT by default. 
• Pruning of unused framework-provided package references to reduce restore time and build size. 

ASP.NET Core Enhancements

• OpenAPI 3.1 support for better API schema generation. 
• Automatic memory pool eviction to improve long-running app efficiency. 
• Passkey authentication via WebAuthn/FIDO2 for more secure identity flows. 

Blazor Improvements

• Persistent state attribute ([PersistentState]) to preserve state more easily. 
• Better form validation, including nested object validation, via a source-generator architecture. 
• Support for automated testing with tools like Playwright, improving end-to-end testing workflows. 

C# 14 Language Features

• Field-backed properties make property declarations more concise and maintainable. 
• Implicit conversions for Span<T> and ReadOnlySpan<T>, improving working with memory-safe buffers. 
• Extension blocks for static and instance extension methods and properties. 
• New parameter modifiers (ref, in, out) allowed in lambdas without explicit types. 
• Null-conditional assignment using ?. and compound assignment operators like += / -=. 

F# 10 Enhancements

• Updated language features enabled via <LangVersion>preview</LangVersion>, including compiler and library improvements. 

.NET MAUI Updates

• MediaPicker supports selecting multiple files + image compression. 
• Support for Android API levels 35 & 36. 
• WebView request interception capability added. 

Entity Framework Core 10

• LINQ improvements, named query filters, and performance optimizations. 
• Better support for Azure Cosmos DB and more efficient query translation. 

Desktop UI Improvements (WPF / WinForms)

• WPF: performance optimizations (e.g., reduced allocations, better XAML parsing) and improved Fluent UI style support. 
• Clipboard API unified between WPF and WinForms, with safer serialization. 

FAQs

What is the .NET SDK and what does it include?
The .NET SDK is a set of libraries and tools (including the .NET CLI, the runtime, and the dotnet command) that developers use to create, build, and run .NET applications. 

Can I have multiple .NET SDK versions installed on the same machine?
Yes, the SDK installs side-by-side, so you can keep multiple versions on your system and choose which one to use for different projects. 

What is the difference between .NET SDK and the .NET Runtime?
The SDK includes the runtime plus additional tools and compilers needed for development, whereas the runtime alone only allows you to run already-built .NET applications. 

How often is the .NET SDK updated compared to the runtime?
The .NET SDK is updated more frequently than the runtime; it adds new features and minor versions faster, while the runtime receives updates on a different release schedule.

PROS

• Cross-platform and open-source
• A wide set of editing, compiling, runtime, and deploying tools
• Can be deployed on various platforms
• Built-in support for the latest programming languages and technologies
• Professional set of performance enhancements
• Streamlined tools for cloud-native app development

CONS

• None

.NET SDK has a separate installation package for all types of supported CPU architectures that can run Windows OS (x64, x86, arm64), as well as separate versions for Linux and macOS in both installer and command line instruction forms.