What is the difference between C# and .NET?
Published: 2022-10-12 22:13:47

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title: What is the difference between C# and .NET?
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date: 2022-10-12 21:21:52 UTC
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C#, pronounced as C Sharp, is a programming language that is an equivalent of C, C++, Java, and many more. It is a simple, object-oriented, modern, and type-safe programming language that makes it similar to C or C++. Developed in 2000, C# is a high-level language that was licensed under the General Public License (GPL). The C# language has additional features of C++ and almost every Microsoft Technology associate or developer uses this language because it supports fast programming. The value of the C# language provides the C++ reusability that enhances the overall performance of the C# programming language.

### What Is C#?

C# is an elegant and typesafe object-oriented programming language that allows the developers to create powerful and secure applications supporting ASP.NET development services. Using this language developers can build Windows client applications, client-server applications, XML Web Services, etc. it also offers advanced code editors to support code editing in a user-friendly manner. It is a multi-paradigm language that has expressive syntax. C# language is developed by Microsoft Corporation and it is inclusive of the curly braces identical to C, C#, or Java. C# doesnt support closure script but it considers integer data type for building the applications. It is a compiled programming language that works best for desktop applications. The applications built using this language run on the dot net framework and it has rectified several complexities. The C# language provides advanced features such as enumerations, null value types, Lambda expressions, direct memory access, etc. The major advantages of this language are given below

- C# is statically typed
- This language has a conversion overloading and operator feature
- It supports XML documentation comments
- It supports inheritance, encapsulation, polymorphism due to its object-oriented feature

### The Features Of C

C# is undeniably one of the most versatile languages and it is ever-changing. Every version of the C# language comes with advanced features. For example, the recent versions of C# have introduced various specifications to relieve the developers. This language is specially designed to be productive i.e. to code faster and easier. This language is designed to be declarative, imperative, and generic. C# is a popular programming language in Microsoft or SharePoint development services. Its key features are

- It supports static typing and lambda
- It is a type-safe object-oriented programming language
- Limitation on platform
- It has great generic and language integrated query (LINQ) support
- C# has an automatic garbage collection feature
- It has incredible cross-platform support and consistent features
- It supports the Dotnet framework and it is flexible
- Front-end support
- It supports operator overloading.

### .Net

.Net is an open-source and cross-platform which is used for developing different types of applications. This platform allows using multiple editors, libraries, and languages to build mobile, desktop, or web applications. This platform is developed by Microsoft for building complex applications easily. .Net languages can be built in C# or the Visual Basic framework. It supports the cross-platform implementation of websites and servers on various operating systems.

### What Is The .Net Framework?

An experienced Microsoft web app development company never fails to understand the difference between ASP.NET and.Net. Whenever a developer is working on these platforms they certainly know that both of them are not the same. The .Net framework or software infrastructure is developed by Microsoft Corporation. It supports multiple languages and offers an ecosystem for developing other languages as well. The .Net framework has the Common Language Runtime and it provides security for a number of services. Any code that is written in this framework is known as the managed code. It supports web applications and console applications and its major component is the Common Language Runtime that offers a neutral platform for managing various tasks such as exception handling, memory management, debugging, code safety, compilation, etc. The library of this framework has several reusable classes, components, interfaces, etc. It is where the common system can be used to manage and declare various data types, classes, and functions.

### The Features Of The .Net Framework

The .Net framework supports cross-language integration which means that the framework is compatible with multi-language integration. All the source ports that are used here can be converted to any intermediate language and this language can be further converted into a machine language. Being a .Net framework it has a well-defined architecture with major components like the Common Language Runtime, Common Language Infrastructure, class library, CLI, etc. The Common Language Infrastructure represents an application development framework or SharePoint development services.

The Common Language Runtime represents the execution with app development services to offer features like garbage collection, debugging, exception handling, etc. The assemblies of the .Net framework are executable and portable whereas an assembly of one or more than one file can be shared. The library of this framework offers namespaces and APIs for supporting functions like XML document manipulation, reading, writing, etc.

- Net represents a software framework
- It supports developing various languages
- It has the Common Language Runtime and application for reference security
- Code written in .Net is known as managed code

Now that we hopefully have a better grasp on what runtime environments and core libraries are, lets revisit the original answer to our question.

_C# is a programming language, .NET is a blanket term that tends to cover both the .NET Framework (an application framework library) and the Common Language Runtime which is the runtime in which .NET assemblies are run._

C# is the **_language_**. Its the rules around what keywords are available (i.e. class, namespace, return, etc); where curly braces go; how classes and objects work; etc.

The .NET **_runtime_** is what actually knows how to execute our compiled code. .NET is also referred to as a Common Language Runtime (CLR). This is because in addition to the C# language, the .NET runtime can also execute compiled code written in F# and VisualBasic.

[_credits_](https://learn.nashvillesoftwareschool.com/blog/2091/07/18/the-difference-between-c-and-.net-through-the-lens-of-javascript#:~:text=C%23%20is%20a%20programming%20language,NET%20assemblies%20are%20run.)

#csharp #aspnet #dotnet