Microsoft Unveils Open .NET 9.0 Platform

Microsoft recently unveiled the latest version of its open platform, .NET 9. This new release is the result of merging .NET Framework, .NET Core, and Mono products. .NET 9 allows developers to create versatile applications for various platforms such as browsers, cloud systems, desktop, IoT devices, and mobile platforms. It offers unified libraries and a universal assembly process that is not dependent on the type of application being developed.

Key components of .NET 9 include the .NET SDK 9, .NET Runtime 9, and ASP.NET Core Runtime 9, all designed for Linux, macOS, and Windows platforms. Additionally, the .NET Desktop Runtime 9 is exclusively available for Windows users. The associated developments for the project are distributed under the MIT License, ensuring openness and collaboration.

The .NET ecosystem consists of a runtime with the JIT compiler Ryujit, various APIs, libraries like WPF, Windows Forms, WinUI, and Entity Framework, command-line interface tools like dotnet, and development tools for microservices, server, graphic, and console applications. Specifically tailored stacks for web applications, such as ASP.NET Core 9.0 and Entity Framework Core 9.0, are included in the release.

Other notable features of .NET 9 include WPF 9 for Windows Presentation Foundation, Windows Forms 9 for GUI development, Aspire 9 for creating cloud-native applications, Maui 9 for developing user interfaces, and the introduction of languages like C# 13 and F# 9. Support for .NET 9.0 and C# 13 is available in the free code editor, Visual Studio Code.

The new release of .NET 9 introduces several features aimed at enhancing the development experience for programmers. These features include improved libraries, updated frameworks, and new tools to streamline the development process. With the unification of .NET Framework, .NET Core, and Mono products, developers can now leverage a more cohesive platform to build diverse applications across different platforms.