3 Myths Around the .NET
Introduction
In this article, we'll try to help people understand some myths or misconceptions about the dotNET. Although I'm not here to convince you but to show you the light 😇.
Myth #1 .NET Runs on Windows Only
Let me get straight to the point this is false. However, this is true from the early days of the .NET Framework, which persists up to the present.
.NET Framework
Let's give some details about .NET Framework.
- Microsoft initially implemented and put effort into the .NET Framework to work best in Windows.
- .NET Framework has access to many reusable classes, interfaces, and types of libraries. Moreover, it has a lot of references to Win32 API, which blocks it from being a cross-platform framework.
Mono
A 3rd party developed a cross-platform .NET Framework implementation called Mono. It is a cross-platform, but it is a bit behind the official implementation of the .NET Framework.
.NET
Today we have a genuinely cross-platform .NET, where modern mobile and native cloud development have made Windows, as an operating, much less important (we don't have to worry about it).
The current version as of this writing is .NET 7. It runs on any operating system, such as Windows, Linux, and MacOS, with support for x86, x64, Arm32, and Arm64.
Myth #2 .NET is Tied to VS (No Alternatives)
I can't argue that Visual Studio IDE is one of the best IDEs in the market. However, it is inaccurate to say that .NET only works or is tied to Visual Studio.
There are a lot of tools to help you.
Visual Studio Code
We can use the lightweight and cross-platform Visual Studio Code alternative to Visual Studio. It could be a bit intimidating at first, but you'll become pretty comfortable with it when you get around it.
Visual Studio Community Edition
Microsoft Visual Studio Professional and Enterprise are expensive for individual developers. However, Microsoft does provide a community edition of Visual Studio. You can download it here.
Visual Studio for Mac
If you're a Mac lover, this is for you. You're not bound to Windows; you can use Mac for your .NET application development.
Before we end this section, here are a few cents.
- I'm not saying that Visual Studio isn't a great tool. We are trying to communicate that we have other alternatives to bust the myth that .NET is tied only to Visual Studio.
- I suggest using Jet Brains Rider in case you're not interested in the other alternatives given above. I did subscribe to this, and I'm pretty happy about it.
- Moreover, this is an excellent opportunity for .NET developers to explore other environments. It's always good to try something new, to hone our skills.
- Furthermore, these tools aren't expensive as the Professional and Enterprise Editions of Visual Studio.
Myth #3 .NET Technology Isn't Open Source Friendly
This impression came about when the Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer labeled Linux cancer. But everything has changed under the leadership of Satya Nadella. Microsoft even topped the list for the number of open-source contributions.
.NET Foundation
.NET Foundation was established to support the open-source ecosystem around the .NET platform. Moreover, the foundation exists to ensure the ecosystem survives and flourishes.
Thus, .NET Foundation leads the .NET platform and other internal tools and projects in GitHub public repositories.
The last year Github's 2022's programming language charts C# spots in the 10th place.
Here are some cool .NET open-source projects.
You go to this link: https://dotnetfoundation.org/projects/current-projects to learn more.
Summary
We have discussed the top 3 .NET myths I always encounter, especially at work. And they are .NET Runs on Windows Only, .NET is Tied to VS (No Alternatives), and .NET Technology Isn't Open Source Friendly. Moreover, I've written this to help another developer to bust the myth. I know there are other myths occasionally when I encounter them at work, but these are the top 3 for me.
I also searched the internet for related articles or blog posts. It seems that the authors have written more, not just 3 myths. I've put those in the reference section for you to read more and see their perspective.
I hope you have enjoyed this article. Till next time, happy programming! Thanks.