---
title: "What is the difference between .NET Core and .NET 5/6+?"  
description: "What is the difference between .NET Core and .NET 5/6+?"  
author: "Ravi Vishwakarma"  
published: 2025-03-26  
updated: 2025-04-15  
canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/forum/161357/what-is-the-difference-between-dot-net-core-and-dot-net-5-6  
category: "asp.net core"  
tags: [".net core"]  
reading_time: 2 minutes  

---

# What is the difference between .NET Core and .NET 5/6+?

What is the [difference](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/157114/good-news-or-bad-news-and-the-difference-is) between .NET Core and .NET 5/6+?

## Replies

### Reply by Khushi Singh

Microsoft created [.NET](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/118/dot-net-framework) Core as a modular framework that enhances application development across multiple operating systems with strong performance characteristics while getting past the Windows restrictions of the .NET Framework. Developers gained the ability to create programs that operated on Windows as well as Linux and macOS platforms. Through .NET Core, developers gained modularity together with open-source compatibility and improved speed for cloud-based and web applications.

Microsoft united all .NET frameworks, including .NET Core, Xamarin, and .NET Framework, under the single platform .NET after releasing .NET 5. The evolution of .NET programming platforms extends to .NET 6, with future versions including .NET 7. The most recent .NET versions enable programmers to achieve uniform development environments when building applications ranging from desktop apps through to web platforms and mobile services as well as cloud deployments and IoT `implementations.Minimal` APIs, improved performance and built-in support for web assembly via Blazor are among the new features and LTS (Long-Term Support) release offerings that .NET 6 and its successors provide.

The initial establishment of .NET Core founded present-day .NET which .NET 5/6+ extends to offer a single development platform that promotes future innovation while extending application functionality.

```cs
// Works in both .NET Core and .NET 5/6+
using System;
class Program
{
   static void Main()
   {
       Console.WriteLine("Hello from .NET!");
   }
}
// Minimal API-style (only supported in .NET 6+)
Console.WriteLine("Hello from .NET 6+!");
```


---

Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/forum/161357/what-is-the-difference-between-dot-net-core-and-dot-net-5-6

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