The.NET Framework,.NET Native, and.NET Core are three distinct technologies that make up the Microsoft.NET ecosystem, each of which serves a particular purpose.
Here is a brief breakdown of their differences:
.NET Framework 4.6:
.NET Framework 4.6 is for software development that has been around for many years developed by Microsoft . It offers a significant collection of libraries and a runtime environment for creating Windows desktop, online, and service applications. It has significant support for several Windows technologies and uses the Common Language Runtime (CLR) to run code. Given that this is the whole framework, you receive WCF, WPF, and all features. You can consider this to be similar to the.NET Windows development that you're likely already doing. It does contain SignalR, MVC, Core, and ASP.NET WebForms. This is the logical next step in your upgrade route if you are currently using.NET 4.5.
.NET Native:
Microsoft developed .NET Native as a technology to enhance the performance of.NET apps. Before the programme is deployed, ahead-of-time (AOT) compilation can translate .NET bytecode into machine code. By doing away with just-in-time (JIT) compilation during runtime, this method reduces startup times and boosts performance in general. However, .NET Native is primarily developed for creating Universal Windows Platform (UWP) and Windows Store applications.
.NET Core:
A framework that is a subset and doesn't contain the entirety of the 4.6 Framework. WCF and WPF are among the capabilities that are lost, but due to its cross-platform compatibility, it can be used on Windows, Macs, and Linux. It was developed by Microsoft to overcome the drawbacks of the .NET Framework and offer a fast, lightweight, and modular replacement. Building applications that work across many operating systems is possible because to .NET Core's support for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Additionally, it offers improved performance, scalability, and flexibility as compared to the traditional.NET Framework. Application deployment options for.NET Core include framework-dependent executables and self-contained executables.
As a whole, the.NET Framework provides a complete Windows development platform,.NET Native improves the performance of particular classes of Windows apps, and.NET Core is a cross-platform framework created for the creation of contemporary applications. The decision depends on the particular requirements of your application because each technology has different use cases and benefits.