What is the difference between .NET Core and .NET Standard Class Library project types?
What is the difference between .NET Core and .NET Standard Class Library project types?
Ask by Steilla Mitchel
Updated 19 Jul 2023
Sure, I can help you with that.
.NET Core and .NET Standard are both frameworks for building .NET applications. However, they have different purposes and target different platforms.
.NET Core is a cross-platform framework that can be used to build applications for Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android. It is a lightweight framework that is designed to be fast and efficient.
.NET Standard is a specification that defines a common set of APIs that can be used across different .NET implementations. This means that a .NET Standard library can be used in any .NET implementation that supports the specified version of .NET Standard.
.NET Core class library projects are designed to be used to build .NET Core applications. They can target a specific version of .NET Core, or they can target the latest version of .NET Core.
.NET Standard class library projects are designed to be used to build libraries that can be used in any .NET implementation that supports the specified version of .NET Standard. They can target any version of .NET Standard that is greater than or equal to the specified version.
Here is a table that summarizes the key differences between .NET Core and .NET Standard class library project types:
Ultimately, the best choice for you will depend on your needs and preferences. If you are building a .NET Core application, then you should use a .NET Core class library project. If you are building a library that can be used in any .NET implementation, then you should use a .NET Standard class library project.