Why, When, And How To Migrate To .Net Core – A Comprehensive Guide
Published: 2022-06-20 08:35:34

Are you thinking of shifting from .Net Framework to .Net Core? There are many good reasons to consider shifting from the .NET Framework to .NET Core. Its open-source nature, cross-platform support, and modular design are the most important considerations.

Microsoft released .Net Core in 2016 as the successor to .Net Framework. The latest release of this framework came on 20th Oct 2017 (Core 2.0), with many new features and enhancements over its previous version, making it more appealing to developers to migrate from .Net Framework to .Net Core now!

Let’s ‌look at why ‌you should think about moving away from the .Net Framework and shifting to .Net Core, and what steps you can take to move away from it successfully.

## What Is .Net Framework?

The .NET Framework is a software framework developed by Microsoft that runs primarily on Windows. It includes an extensive class library named Framework Class Library (FCL) and provides language interoperability across several programming languages. 

Programs written for the .NET Framework execute in a software environment known as the Common Language Runtime (CLR), an execution engine that manages memory, threading, and security.

The FCL provides user interface classes, data access components, cryptography mechanisms, regular expressions, etc. The CLR also provides Just-in-time (JIT) compilation, which converts compiled code into machine code while execution. 

The .NET Framework is ‌used by most new applications including Visual Studio, Microsoft's premier development tool, so it's easy to get started using it.

_Related Blog: [A Comprehensive Guide About Migrating From .NET Framework To .NET Core](https://enlear.academy/a-comprehensive-guide-about-migrating-from-net-framework-to-net-core-6a37c819f5d0?utm_source=migrate&utm_medium=Guest_blog&utm_campaign=Dev&utm_id=NKY)_

## What Is .Net Core?

.NET Core is a cross-platform, open-source, and modular .NET development framework. It modernized the .NET platform and made it more versatile for developing web applications and services. Additionally, .NET Core is more compatible with various programming languages than the traditional .NET framework.

Developers can use .NET Core to create applications that run on Windows, MacOS, or Linux. The framework comprises a runtime environment and libraries that provide basic functionality for building applications. Developers can also add their custom code or libraries to extend the functionality of their applications.

Besides the core runtime and library components, .NET Core includes various command-line tools.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/5wezxh9zud44yqorsncf.jpg)

## Why Migrate From .Net Core and .Net Framework?

There are many reasons to migrate from .NET Core and the .NET Framework. .NET Core is the latest version of Microsoft's .NET framework. It introduces several new features and improvements over its predecessor .NET Framework 4.6. 

Chief among these are improved performance, a cross-platform runtime environment, and support for web applications and services, as mentioned below:

**- Improved performance**: .NET Core is ‌lightweight and efficient, with a lower memory footprint and CPU utilization. This can lead to significant performance gains in your applications.
**- Improved security**: .NET Core includes various security improvements over the full .NET Framework, making it a more secure platform for development.
**- Cross-platform compatibility**: .NET Core can run on multiple platforms (Windows, Linux, macOS), whereas the whole .NET Framework is limited to Windows.

Look at the table shown below given by the experts of our asp.net development services mentioning the difference between .Net Core and .Net Framework and why you should consider shifting to .Net Core.

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/5avy9wyj5ztmlj7halrw.png)

Source: miro.medium.com


## How to Migrate from .Net Framework to .Net Core?

If you are planning to migrate your .NET framework application to .NET Core -‌ read below: 

It is imperative to understand how different applications move from .Net Framework to .Net Core. Let's discuss the ‌applications and their migration process‌.

Firstly, we have Portable Class Libraries (PCL). We write our code in PCLs and then reference those libraries in both frameworks using target framework-specific NuGet packages or by directly referencing our PCL assemblies. 

This approach has several advantages, including portability across platforms without requiring recompilation or repackaging; working with shared code that could contain complex logic but separate them into smaller units; easy debugging through references of coreclr, which is attached debugger on Visual Studio as well. 

**Console Applications**
One significant advantage for us is framework-dependent deployment, where you include your application assembly in an application folder that depends on a specific version of the .NET Framework.
You need to change only one line of your source code file if you want to update your application. 
It will not be required anymore if you move from the Mono Framework Project (.csproj) to MSBuild Project(.csproj) file because there will be no more explicit dependency on Windows Forms.

**Web Applications**
The steps of migration are‌:

1. Check the compatibility of your app with .Net Core
2. Convert your project to a .Net Core project
3. Update the dependencies of your project
4. Configure the settings of your project
5. Compile and run your app on .Net Core

**Windows Applications**
Migrating windows apps from .Net Framework to .Net core can be done in a few simple steps. 

First, identify which parts of the app need migration
Then, create a new .NET Core project and add these files to it 
Finally, update the code to use .NET Core-specific APIs

These are just a few critical considerations when migrating an app. An important thing to consider here is that for a smooth transition, only [hire asp.net developers](https://www.valuecoders.com/hire-developers/hire-dotnet-developers?utm_source=hire_net&utm_medium=Guest_blog&utm_campaign=Dev&utm_id=NKY) in India with years of experience.

Now let’s understand the process of migration.

## The Process Of Migration From .Net Framework To .Net Core

![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/1x44ed71mhmdqsu5ass3.png)
source:Source: https://modlogix.com/

**1. Evaluation**
The first step includes a thorough evaluation of your project in terms of whether it is a good fit for .NET Core. 

**2. Preparation**
Before you migrate your project, there are a few things you need to do: 
- Upgrade your development environment: Ensure you have the latest updates for Visual Studio 2017, NuGet, and the .NET Core SDK installed. 
- Review the migration guidelines: There are some breaking changes between the .NET Core and the .NET Framework that you need to be aware of before starting your migration. 

**3. Migration**
Now comes the part of actually migrating.


Automatic Migration
.NET Upgrade Assistant is a free utility from Microsoft that helps automatically migrate the existing .NET Framework applications to .NET Core. The tool analyzes your app’s code and creates a migration report in Visual Studio so you can understand how much work it will take to get your app running on .NET Core. 

Once you identify which dependencies need changing, use the assistant to generate specific instructions for making those changes, along with instructions for updating NuGet packages. Migration results can be added directly into Visual Studio or as part of a build process.

Manual Migration
Migrating from .Net Framework to .net Core can be done manually by following these steps: 

1. First, ensure that all of your project’s dependencies are compatible with .Net Core. 

NuGet packages should automatically download the latest compatible version when switching targets, but it’s always good to check beforehand.

2. In your solution explorer, double-click on the properties page for your project file and change the target framework to .net Core 3.x (or whatever the latest version is).

3. You can also migrate from .NET Framework to .NET Core using Visual Studio 2017 or later versions. To do so, open your solution in Visual Studio 2017, then select File > New Project and choose .NET Core > Console App (.NET Core). 

4. In the Properties window for your new project, set its Target framework to netcoreapp1.0 or later (depending on which version of .NET Core you want to use). 

5. Add references to any libraries not included in your solution, such as third-party dependencies, then rebuild and run. 

Also Read: [10+ .Net Core Libraries- Introducing To The New Wave Of Web Development](https://www.valuecoders.com/blog/technology-and-apps/dot-net-core-libraries-introducing-to-the-new-wave-of-web-development/)

## When Should You Consider Switching To .Net Core?
Many applications have been running smoothly on .Net Framework for years, so what is the need to shift to .Net Core? What functionalities is it providing that .Net Framework lacks? Well, as .Net core is comparatively new, it is packed with advanced features ‌you might look for. But, for switching to a whole new platform, consider a few things before making the switch, such as

**Improved Performance**
With its modular structure, .NET Core is much more optimized for specific tasks while still using the entirety of what Microsoft offers. This allows developers to target particular features without needing to use the total capacity of the software, which results in improved performance. When you want your app running at top speeds - or even close to them - it would be wise to migrate your code over to a solution such as .NET Core.

**Cross-Platform Compatibility**
NET Core can run on Windows, macOS, and Linux, whereas .NET Framework is Windows-only. So, if you need your application to be platform-agnostic, .NET Core is a better choice.

**Open-Source Platform**
.NET Core is open-source, making things much easier for developers - they can just ‌make changes without waiting for someone else to do it.

Though, moving to an advanced version of the existing application is an intelligent move. However, there is also a need to understand that, in some cases, using the .Net framework is a better option. It applies to the cases in which the resources are limited, your business needs are met, and the libraries you use are not supported by .Net core.
 
Also Read: [Top Benefits of Opting for .NET Development In 2022
](https://www.valuecoders.com/blog/technology-and-apps/net-technology-will-benefit-business-2018/)

## Conclusion
Migrating your application from .NET Framework to .NET Core requires numerous steps. It may seem daunting at first, but once you know what and why it needs to be done, you’ll quickly realize how easy it can all be! 

There is a lot of value in taking a strategic approach to migrating your app to .NET Core, which will ultimately save you time and money in both development costs and future maintenance fees. If you’re looking for help from an [IT consulting service](https://www.valuecoders.com/it-strategy-consulting-firms?utm_source=IT_Strategy&utm_medium=Guest_blog&utm_campaign=Dev&utm_id=NKY) with any aspect of migrating your application or website from .NET Framework to .NET Core, ‌reach out using our contact form or by emailing us directly. Our offshore asp.net development is the ultimate platform for this transition. We look forward to hearing from you!