Feature | .NET Framework | .NET Core SDK |
---|---|---|
Definition | A framework for building apps using. NET. It will, however, include the runtime, libraries, and tools. | Cross-platform development kit for. NET applications. Includes CLI tools, libraries, runtime, and compiler for. NET Core apps. |
Platform Support | Windows-only. | Cross-platform: (Windows, macOS, Linux). |
Use Cases | App-specific windows legacy applications WPF WINFORMS ASP. NET MVC. | Modern apps, cloud-native apps, microservices, containers. |
Performance | Few optimizations, better for traditional workloads. | Not just any object store but high-performance object storage designed to scale and handle modern workloads. |
Distribution | Part of Windows OS updates or standalone installer. | Distributed as part of the. This allows .NET Core SDK to be versioned independently. |
The .NET Core SDK — The .NET SDK (Software Development Kit) is one of them used to create, build and run. NET Core apps, whereas the. NET Framework is a framework for building Windows applications.
Feature | Visual Studio (IDE) | Visual Studio Code (Editor) |
---|---|---|
Definition | Complete IDE for full software development. | A small code editor with development extensions. |
Features | Powerful debugging, profiling, GUI designers, built-in templates, IntelliSense, etc. | Minimalistic and lightweight, but extensible with plugins (think C#, debugging tools, etc). |
Target Audience | Ideal for large-scale application development with sophisticated tools. | Great for quick edits, lightweight projects, or when switching between languages. |
Performance | Can be resource-hungry as it offers many features out of the box. | Light, fast, resource-friendly. |
Platform Support | For Windows (Mac for some editions) | Available on: Windows, macOS, and Linux. |
Customization | Very limited; only allows you to use preconfigured settings. | Very low-hanging-fruit with plug-ins and configurable settings. |
When to use Visual Studio: Use Visual Studio for "Enterprise"'s heavy-duty, when visual studio will support it. Use VS Code for when you need flexibility, lightweight setups, or cross-platform needs.
Yes, the. NET Core SDK includes the. NET Core runtime (framework). An SDK is a set of tools in one package containing:
So, when you install the. NET Core SDK, so when you install it, you automatically get the needed runtime (framework) for running. NET Core applications.
Yes, it is possible to develop a full ASP.NET Core MVC application using Visual Studio Code. However:
Run the dotnet CLI commands to create a new MVC project:
dotnet new mvc -n MyWebApp
cd MyWebApp
dotnet run
It also allows you to code in VS Code and build/run your application in an integrated terminal.
The C# extension provides debugging support.
VS Code is suitable for simple or non-enterprise. Use Visual Studio IDE for enterprise-level development with advanced debugging and design features.