What is .NET Framework?
.NET Framework is a software development framework for building and running applications on Windows.1
What’s the difference between .NET and .NET Framework?
The main difference is that .NET Framework is the older, Windows-only implementation, while .NET is the modern, cross-platform platform that Microsoft actively develops for new applications.4
| .NET | .NET Framework | |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Windows, Linux, macOS | Windows only |
| Current development | Actively developed | Mostly maintenance / security fixes |
| Open source | Yes | Partially |
| Performance | Generally better | Older runtime |
| Cloud / containers | Excellent support | Limited |
| Modern web apps | ASP.NET Core | ASP.NET |
| Desktop apps | WinForms, WPF, MAUI | WinForms, WPF |
| Recommended for new projects | Yes | Usually no |
When you see version 4.8.1 or lower, that is .NET Framework, that should really only exclusively be downloaded if the project that you’re working on exclusively calls for it. If you want to use modern .NET, you’re looking for any version 5 and above.