What is ASP.NET Core?

ASP.NET Core is a free, open-source, cross-platform framework developed by Microsoft for building modern, cloud-based, and internet-connected applications. It is a successor to the traditional ASP.NET framework, and it was designed from the ground up to be modular, lightweight, and highly scalable. ASP.NET Core is part of the larger .NET Core framework, which is also cross-platform and open-source.

Key features and aspects of ASP.NET Core include:

1. Cross-Platform:

   • ASP.NET Core is designed to be cross-platform, meaning it can run on Windows, Linux, and macOS. This flexibility allows developers to choose their preferred operating system for development and deployment.

2. Open Source:

   • ASP.NET Core is open-source and hosted on GitHub. This allows developers to contribute to the framework, review the source code, and customize it according to their needs.

3. Modularity:

   • The framework is built with a modular and lightweight architecture. Developers can include only the necessary components for their application, reducing the overall footprint.

4. Cloud-Ready:

   • ASP.NET Core is optimized for cloud-based deployment. It has built-in support for hosting in Docker containers and can be easily deployed to various cloud platforms, including Microsoft Azure.

5. Unified MVC and Web API Framework:

   • ASP.NET Core combines the functionality of the traditional ASP.NET MVC framework and Web API into a unified framework. This means developers can use a single framework for building both web applications and web APIs.

6. Dependency Injection:

   • ASP.NET Core includes a built-in, lightweight dependency injection framework. This makes it easier to manage and inject dependencies into your application components, promoting better code organization and testability.

7. Built-In Support for Client-Side Development:

   • ASP.NET Core includes support for popular front-end frameworks and libraries, such as Angular, React, and Vue.js. It also provides tools for bundling and minification of client-side assets.

8. Performance:

   • ASP.NET Core is designed for high performance. It includes a new web server called Kestrel, which is optimized for speed. Additionally, the framework benefits from features like native support for asynchronous programming.

9. Integrated Security Features:

   • ASP.NET Core includes security features such as built-in support for HTTPS, cross-site scripting (XSS) protection, and anti-forgery token validation to help developers build secure applications.

10. Razor Pages:

    • Razor Pages is a feature in ASP.NET Core that simplifies the development of page-focused scenarios without the need for a full MVC controller.

ASP.NET Core is a versatile framework suitable for building a wide range of applications, including web applications, APIs, microservices, and real-time applications. Its openness, cross-platform capabilities, and modern architecture make it a popular choice among developers for building modern and scalable applications.