Fast-paced digitization taking over the world. Businesses need to kickstart their digital journeys.
That’s essential not just to succeed. But also to stay competitive and not get left behind.
Microsoft’s .NET framework is one such technology that can help businesses go digital. And stay dynamic.
With .NET, organizations can get applications developed for any operating system and device. Thus, they can reach their audiences seamlessly.
But is .NET still relevant in 2022?
What is the future of .NET?
Can .NET help businesses develop future-ready applications?
You’ll find answers to all these questions in this piece right here. Read on.
What is .NET?
Before we proceed further, let’s get the basics sorted.
Here’s what .NET (pronounced dot-net) is according to the official Microsoft site for the framework –
Thus, it is safe to say that .NET is an all-encompassing framework. Businesses can use it for any and every kind of application development.
Futuristic modern application with .NET
To find out if any technology is future-proof or not and whether you should use it or not, consider 2 things:
- What features does it offer?
- What future scope does it have?
Further, we will be discussing both these aspects in the context of .NET.
.NET - A look at the past before judging the future
We cannot access the future of modern application development with .NET without taking a quick look at its history.
Here’s the .NET timeline –
As evident from the timeline, .NET has been updated often. That ensures that it meets the ever-changing needs of the dynamic markets. This, in turn, has kept .NET alive and thriving.
What’s more important is that .NET’s journey is expected to continue even further. We know it for a fact because of the following schedule shared by .NET’s parent, Microsoft –
Key features that make .NET perfect for application development
Okay, it is great that .NET has a rich history and a hopeful future. But there are many other frameworks that match (if not exceed) .NET in this regard.
So why should you trust .NET for application development?
Why not go for other technologies or frameworks?
Here are 5 primary reasons that make .NET a great choice for modern application development –
1. Choice of language
The code for .NET apps can be written in 3 languages including C#, F#, and Visual Basic.
How is it good for businesses?
This comes in handy when you hire developers for your .NET development project. You get more options to choose from. Experts in either of the 3 languages can be considered for the role.
2. Cross-platform
Everyone in your audience is not using the same device, right?
But developing apps that render natively on all these devices and operating systems is a mammoth task. Both from a time as well as a cost perspective.
.NET sorts this issue by ensuring the code runs natively on all compatible OS and devices.
3. Consistent API
.NET offers developers a common set of class libraries and APIs. These are standard for all types of applications.
That reduces coding times.
Also, developers who have created any type of application with .NET can effortlessly build other types of apps too due to consistent API.
But that doesn’t mean .NET does not allow any specifications based on the device or OS. There are additional APIs available.
4. Healthy package ecosystem
Coming from Microsoft, it is obvious that .NET is a feature-loaded solution. What backs this claim is its healthy package ecosystem.
Microsoft and .NET’s open-source community maintain a healthy .NET package ecosystem.
NuGet, the package manager specifically built for .NET, for example, contains 100,000+ packages.
5. Useful for futuristic platforms too
.NET can not just be used for developing apps for mobiles, desktops, and web browsers. It can also be used for
- Machine learning projects,
- Game development,
- IoT development,
- Independently-run microservices on Docker containers.
Bonus – A thriving community
Another advantage of using .NET for your next business application development project is the availability of a thriving community.
You can reach out to this open community for help, suggestions, and troubleshooting any time during your project development phase.
.NET - Trusted by developers and businesses alike
One of the biggest validators for any technology is it being adopted in the market.
And .NET has been loved by both
- Developers who work with the technology, and
- Businesses that have placed trust in it for application development.
Let’s take at what the market figures have to say about that:
- 3,700 enterprises (other than Microsoft) support .NET.
- .NET has been used by businesses from across the globe.
- Bank of America, Qualcomm, Kimberly-Clark, and Dell are some of the top companies using .NET for their projects.
- GoDaddy, Fiverr, and TacoBell.com are some websites built using the .NET framework.
- Companies in all major niches have used (and loved) .NET. It is evident from the following graph from HG Insights.
- On the developer front, .NET was the 5th most popular framework in Stack Overflow’s 2021 survey.
All these facts and figures prove that .NET is a technology that you can blindly trust for your application development projects in the future.
Getting started with .NET - Agencies or Dedicated developers?
We have understood that .NET is a future-ready technology for modern application development. Now, it is time for you to get started with .NET too.
The next question that you are likely to worry about is –
Should I hire a .NET development agency or look for dedicated .NET developers?
Both the options have their own merits and shortcomings. Here’s a quick summarization of the same:
| Option | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| .NET agency |
|
|
| .NET developer |
|
|
Based on the pros and cons, you should:
- Hire a .NET developer, if:
- You want to save money on overheads
- You need access to global talent
- You want to quickly get your project off the ground
- You want to quickly scale up and down
- Hire a .NET development agency, if:
- You have adequate funds
- You need the use of more than 1 technology for your project
By hiring .NET developers via reliable talent agencies, however, you can get access to a pool of cream talent at a lower cost and with quick placements and replacement options as well.
So don’t wait anymore. Start hiring today!
