Jollen MoyaniThe .NET team focused on delivering several major updates and improvements to the .NET Framework for version 7. These included a unified codebase, a single base class library (BCL) for all supported platforms, and native support for ARM64. The team also enhanced .NET support for Linux and continued work on performance improvements and developer productivity upgrades.
One of the major themes of these updates was the emphasis on modern and cloud-native app development—the ability to build cross-platform mobile and desktop apps from the same codebase and support container-first workflows. The team also aimed to ease the development and deployment of distributed cloud-native apps using. NET.
In addition to these updates, the team also worked on simplifying the development process and making it easier for developers to write code. It introduced C# 11, which aims to reduce the amount of code needed to perform everyday tasks, and improved HTTP/3 and minimal APIs to support cloud-native app development.
Overall, the updates and improvements focused on making .NET a powerful and flexible framework for building modern, cloud-native applications and making it easier for developers to write and maintain their code. Let’s cover these updates in more detail.
A single base class library
The .NET team focused on delivering a unified codebase and a single base class library (BCL) for all supported platforms in the .NET 7 release. This means developers can use the same tools and libraries to build many applications, including cloud, web, mobile, and gaming apps. Developers will find it easier to work across different platforms and be confident that their code is consistent and portable. This change also makes it easier for developers to take advantage of new features and improvements in the .NET Framework, as they are available across all supported platforms.
Multiple platform support
The .NET 7 Framework supports multiple platforms, including Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. Developers can use the same codebase to build applications on any platform. Additionally, the .NET Framework supports multiple CPU architectures, including x64, x86, ARM64, and ARM32, meaning developers can build applications that run on various devices, from phones to desktop computers.
The .NET Framework also includes tools and libraries that make it easy for developers to build applications that run on multiple platforms. It supports cross-platform APIs and tools for building, deploying, and debugging applications on different platforms. This makes it easier for developers to build applications that can run on any device, regardless of its operating system or CPU architecture.
Performance improvements for ARM64 using 64-bit IBM support
The .NET 7 Framework includes native support for ARM64, which enables applications to take advantage of the performance benefits of 64-bit processing on ARM-based devices. This feature can improve the overall performance of applications and can also help reduce power consumption on such devices.
The .NET team worked closely with IBM to support 64-bit ARM architectures in the .NET Framework. Their efforts included optimizing the .NET runtime and core libraries for ARM64 and implementing support for new features in the IBM POWER9 processor. This collaboration helped ensure that the .NET Framework can take full advantage of the performance and power-saving capabilities of 64-bit ARM architectures.
Native support for ARM64 in the .NET 7 Framework improves the performance and efficiency of applications running on ARM-based devices. This can help reduce power consumption and extend battery life. This makes the .NET Framework a powerful and flexible tool for building applications that run on various devices, including those with low-power processors.
Enhanced .NET support on Linux
The .NET 7 Framework includes enhanced support for Linux, delivering improvements to the .NET runtime, core libraries, and new tools and libraries for building, deploying, and debugging .NET applications on Linux.
Developers now have an easier time building and deploying .NET applications on Linux-based systems, such as servers, cloud environments, and IoT devices. The improvements positively affect the performance and reliability of such applications and make it easier for developers to take advantage of the unique features and capabilities of Linux-based systems.
New target framework moniker
The .NET 7 Framework introduces a new target framework moniker (TFM) for specifying the version of the .NET Framework that an application targets. The new TFM is net7.0, which replaces the previous TFM of net6.0 used in the previous stable version of the .NET Framework.
The new TFM is used in an application’s project file to specify which version of the .NET Framework the application targets. This allows developers to take advantage of new features and improvements in the .NET 7 Framework while still being able to build and run their applications on previous versions of the .NET Framework.
For example, a developer can specify the net7.0 TFM in their application’s project file, enabling the application to use new features and improvements in the .NET 7 Framework. However, the application will still be able to run on earlier versions of the .NET Framework, such as .NET 6.0, as long as it does not use any features or APIs that are not available in those earlier versions.
Overall, this can help improve the performance and reliability of .NET applications and make it easier for developers to maintain and upgrade their applications over time.
Built for cloud-native apps and mobile clients
The .NET MAUI (Multi-platform App UI) framework is specifically designed for building cloud-native and mobile applications. It is a cross-platform framework that enables developers to build applications that run on various platforms, including mobile devices, desktop computers, and cloud environments.
The .NET MAUI framework includes several features and tools that make it well-suited for building cloud-native and mobile applications. For example, it supports modern app development patterns, such as microservices and containers, and provides tools for building and deploying applications to the cloud. It also includes cross-platform APIs and controls for building user interfaces that can adapt to different screen sizes and resolutions, which is essential for building applications that run on a wide range of devices.
Developers can create scalable, reliable, and high-performance applications with .NET MAUI that run on any platform, and use the framework to better maintain and update their applications over time.
Conclusion
Thank you for reading! Syncfusion’s support for .NET MAUI is a continuous process, and we’ve just released our sixth set of controls and updates for the platform. More information about our MAUI controls and other features in Essential Studio 2022 Volume 4 can be found on our Release Notes and What’s New pages. Try out the upgrades and share your thoughts in the comment section below!
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