In software development, many technologies are available in the market, and which one to choose for your project is the most difficult question of all. The top two contenders for this are  C# and .NET. They both have tons of similarities and differences.

Being skilled in one or more programming languages is nowadays necessary to build complex software applications. That’s why you should consider choosing a software development company as they deliver unique and reliable software products using the .net framework.

Now, how exactly these two languages differ from each other is what people ask when one programming language is enough for their project. Hence, in this article, we will discuss what these technologies are and how they differ from each other so that you can make an informed decision.

What is C#?

C# is an object-oriented, multi-paradigm, and general-purpose programming language. It is a complex, multi-paradigm (not all paradigms are supported in every version) language that supports functional, imperative, object-oriented, and declarative programming styles. C# is designed and developed by Microsoft.

C# was designed to target the Common Language Runtime. A large part of the syntax is based on the ECMA standard for creating accessor methods for objects, which allows it to be used for both scripting languages and strongly typed languages. The language also provides support for generics and anonymous types.

What is .Net?

.Net is a framework used to write code in Microsoft’s .Net Framework. The .Net Framework is a large collection of software development frameworks and tools that can be used to create applications for the Microsoft Windows operating system. The framework includes a runtime environment, compilers, and other development tools.

The .NET Framework is based on Microsoft’s Common Language Runtime (CLR), which runs in an environment called the Common Language Infrastructure (CLI) provided by the .NET platform. The CLI provides common services such as garbage collection and reflection for all languages, including C# and Visual Basic .NET.

Key differences between C# and .NET

Object-oriented programming

The main difference between C# and .NET is that C# is an object-oriented programming language while .NET is not; it’s a “turning complete” programming language. For those of you not familiar with this term, it means that anything that can be programmed can be written in C# or .NET. However, C# is still much more object-oriented than any other mainstream language out there today.

Memory management

.NET uses garbage collection whereas C# uses manual memory management by default. This means that when you use a managed type in .NET, the CLR automatically frees the memory for any objects you create from it whenever they go out of scope (i.e., when they stop being referenced). In contrast, when you use an unmanaged type in C#, you must manually allocate space for all your objects and free them when they’re no longer needed.

Implementation

There is a large difference in how you implement different languages. So is the case with .NET and C#.  the primary interface of C# is implemented with the same class or structure. This structure is defined using the events, properties, methods, and functionalities of indices.

Meanwhile, .NET uses an inheritance model which enables it for a single implementation. This means that a single class of .NET can easily implement multiple interfaces in any basic structure portfolio.

Architecture

The C# programming language is executed on the platform of .NET technology. But all of its programs exist in the virtual execution system called Common Language Runtime (CLR). C#’s set of all class libraries is stored here. On the other hand, .NET has Windows Forms as its class library which can be easily reused to develop various types of software applications.

Usage

Now, C# and .NET, both are created by Microsoft. So, both technologies are using Microsoft-implemented products. But the difference lies in where these products are used. C# is mainly used to build desktop-based apps whereas .NET is largely used to create windows-based apps.

Conclusion

After comparing the two great creations of Microsoft over some simple factors, we can now say that C# and .NET are both important programming languages for software app development. Each of them has its strengths and weaknesses but both of them are unique in their way.

The difference mentioned here is just a trailer. There was not enough room for a complete detailed analysis of both technologies. So, I will recommend you carefully analyze all the aspects of each technology and then choose wisely. I know that your decision will be based on factors like your business requirements, the type of the project, its timeline, and more. But no matter what you choose, both C# and .NET are capable enough to help you reach your desired goal.

Source - https://www.techchink.com/c-vs-net-difference-between-the-two/