Chapter 1: Getting Started with .NET 5.0
.NET Core (previously known as .NET vNext) is the general umbrella term used for Microsoft's cross-platform toolset that aims to solve the shortcomings of centralized/machine-wide frameworks (classic .NET Framework) by creating a portable, platform-agnostic, modular runtime and framework. This decentralized development platform, which is replacing the classic .NET Framework starting with v5.0, allows developers to create applications for multiple platforms using the common .NET base class libraries (implementation of the .NET standard), as well as various runtimes and application models, depending on the target platforms.
This chapter will give you a brief introduction to the new .NET Framework while explaining different tiers of the .NET Core infrastructure. The combination of .NET Core, .NET Standard, and Xamarin is the key to cross-platform projects and opens many doors that were previously only available to Windows developers. The ability to create web applications that can run on Linux machines and containers, and the implementation of mobile applications that target iOS, Android, Universal Windows Platform (UWP), and Tizen, are just a couple of examples designed to emphasize the capabilities of this cross-platform approach.
In this chapter, we will analyze cross-platform development tools and frameworks for mobile applications and take an initial look at .NET Core development.
The following sections will guide you through getting started with .NET 5.0:
- Exploring cross-platform development
- Understanding .NET Core
- Developing with .NET 5.0
