Introduction
.NET Core and .NET Framework are open-source software development frameworks widely used to make software selection and authentication simpler. If you are a developer looking for a headstart in your career, a good command over widely used free computer software frameworks like Microsoft .NET Core increases your chances of landing a good job. This blog has covered the most common .NET Core interview questions.
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Top 25 .NET Core Basic Interview Questions and Answers for 2024
1. What is .NET Core Framework, and how does it work?
.NET Core is the successor of .NET, which is an open-source web development framework developed by Microsoft. It supports many applications, including web, mobile, desktop, cloud, IoT, and microservices. It provides a runtime environment and a set of libraries that developers use to build and run applications.
Read in detail: .NET Core vs .NET Framework 2. What are the specific features of .NET Core?
The striking features of .NET Core can be summarized as follows:
Cross-Platform: Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
High Performance: Optimized for speed and scalability.
Modular Architecture: Allows adding only the necessary components.
Unified Programming Model: Supports various application types with a single framework.
Container Support: Works well with Docker and Kubernetes.
3. Which is the latest version of .NET Core?
Since .NET 6, .NET Framework and .NET Core have been unified into a single platform. The latest version of .NET Core is .NET 8, released in November 2023.
4. What is the difference between .NET Core and .NET Framework?
Cross-Platform: .NET Core is cross-platform, while .NET Framework is Windows-only.
Performance: Compared to .NET, .NET Core is optimized for performance and scalability.
Modularity: Unlike .NET, .NET Core is more modular, allowing developers to include only necessary components.
Development Model: Comparatively, .NET Core offers better support for modern development practices like microservices and containerization.
5. What is .NET Core used for?
.NET Core is used for building a wide range of applications, including:
- Web applications and services
- Mobile backends
- Desktop applications
- Cloud-based applications
- IoT applications
- Microservices
6. What is CTS in .NET Core?
CTS stands for Common Type System in .NET Core. It is a key component of the .NET framework that defines how types are declared, used, and managed in the runtime.
7. What are the advantages of .NET Core?
- Cross-Platform: It runs on multiple operating systems, such as Windows, Linux, Mac, etc., and can also be deployed on multiple platforms through containerization.
- High Performance: Every new release of .NET Core is optimized for performance, speed, and better scalability. .NET Core is also optimized for modern hardware and scalable applications.
- Open Source: All .NET Core documentation and source code is available for free download from Microsoft’s official website for .NET. In addition, one can also make contributions to the community. The strong community support facilitates continuous improvements.
- Modular and Lightweight: .NET Core offers the flexibility to be used by any database and infrastructure. It also allows adding only necessary components.
8. Explain the critical components of .NET Core.
As a modular platform, .NET Core’s components are divided into these layers:
- A .NET Runtime
- Collection of Framework libraries
- Collection of SDK tools and compilers
These layers can be stacked into the following components:
CLI tools: These help with development & deployment. CLI allows the building of console applications and class libraries.
Roslyn: It is a .NET compiler platform for C# and V. It is an open-source language compiler that allows dynamic compilation.
CoreFX: It is a set of framework libraries that consists of a new Base Class library.
Core CLR: It allows runtime implementation on cross-platform. Core CLR is a JIT-based Command Language Runtime.
9. When should one not use .NET Core?
It is not advisable to use .NET Core during migration or in production, as you can encounter issues executing third-party libraries in .NET Core, even though they work in the .NET Framework. When designing loosely coupled and new large monolithic applications, one must avoid using .NET Core, which can lead to compatibility issues.
Avoid using .NET Core in applications requiring higher-level frameworks such as WCF, Entity Framework, and Windows Workflow Foundation.
10. Are .NET and .NET Core the same?
.NET and .NET Core are not the same. Here are the differences:
| .NET | .NET Core |
|---|---|
| Windows only | Cross-platform (Windows, macOS, Linux) |
| Best suited for applications that need to leverage Windows-specific features. | Ideal for modern, scalable, and high-performance applications, including cloud-based and microservices architectures. |
| Supports WPF, Windows Forms, ASP.NET Web Forms, and other Windows-specific technologies | Does not support some older technologies like WPF and Windows Forms (though .NET 5 and later versions have integrated support for these). |
11. What is the difference between .NET Core and Mono?
| Parameters | .NET Core | Mono |
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | A framework optimised for designing modern apps and supporting developer workflows | A framework optimized for iOS, macOS, Android, and Windows devices by the Xamarin platform |
| Application areas | -Command line applications -Web app development -Background service apps -Desktop applications | -Mobile apps -Game designing -Multi-platform desktop apps -Compiling code within a browser |
| App models | UWP (Universal Windows Platform), ASP.NET Core | Xamarin iOS, Xamarin Android, Xamarin Forms, Xamarin Mac |
| Specific Features | -Faster release cycles -Smaller deployment footprint -Modular framework -Natural acquisition | -Native API Access -Native user interface -Native performance -Productivity |
| Base library | CoreFX Class Library | Mono Class Library |
12. What is .NET Core CoreFX?
It is a set of foundational class libraries for .NET Core. It contains collection types, file systems, console, JSON, and XML for class library implementation. It can be used as a single portable assembly. It can be shared across different platforms as it provides platform-neutral code.
13. What is CoreCLR?
It is the runtime for .NET Core. It performs functions such as garbage collection, JIT compilation, and also executes .NET applications. In other words, CoreCLR is an execution engine in .NET Core.
14. What is .NET Core SDK?
The .NET Core SDK (Software Development Kit) is a set of tools and libraries that developers use to create, build, and run .NET applications. It includes:
.NET CLI (Command-Line Interface): Tools for building, running, and publishing .NET applications from the command line.
.NET Runtime: The runtime environment needed to execute .NET applications.
Libraries: Core libraries that provide essential functionalities for .NET applications.
Compilers: Tools for compiling .NET code into executable applications
15. How is .NET Core SDK different from .NET Core Runtime?
The .NET Core SDK has tools and libraries for developing .NET applications, such as compilers and build tools. On the other hand, the .NET Core Runtime provides the necessary components to run .NET applications, including the CoreCLR and CoreFX10.
16. What is .NET Core Middleware?
Middleware in .NET Core are components that handle HTTP requests and responses in the ASP.NET Core pipeline. .NET Core Middleware can perform tasks such as authentication, logging, error handling, and routing.
17. What are service lifetimes in .NET Core?
Service lifetimes in .NET Core define how long a service instance is available:
- Transient: Created each time they are requested.
- Scoped: Created once per request.
- Singleton: Created once and shared throughout the application’s lifetime.
18. What are Razor Pages in .NET Core?
Razor Pages is a page-based programming model in ASP.NET Core that makes it easier to build web applications. It provides a more straightforward way to organize and manage page-focused scenarios.
19. What is the key difference between Runtime and SDK in .NET Core?
The key difference between the .NET Core Runtime and the .NET Core SDK lies in their purposes and components:
.NET Core Runtime
Purpose: The runtime is used to run .NET applications.
Components: It includes the CoreCLR (the runtime environment) and CoreFX (the foundational class libraries).
Usage: Necessary for executing applications that have already been built. It does not include tools for developing or building applications.
.NET Core SDK
Purpose: The SDK is used to develop, build, and run .NET applications.
Components: It includes the .NET Core Runtime, along with additional tools such as the .NET CLI (Command-Line Interface), compilers, and libraries needed for development.
Usage: Essential for developers to create new applications, manage dependencies, compile code, and publish applications.
In summary, the runtime is focused on running applications, while the SDK provides a complete set of tools for developing and building applications.
20. What is .NET Standard?
.NET Standard is a formal specification of .NET APIs that are intended to be available across all .NET implementations. It defines a set of APIs that must be implemented by any .NET platform, ensuring that code written for one .NET platform can be reused on another .NET platform without modification.
21. What is Unit testing in .NET Core?
Unit testing in .NET Core is a process where individual units or components of a software application are tested in isolation to ensure they work as expected. These units are typically the smallest testable parts of an application, such as functions or methods.
22. What are NuGet Packages?
A NuGet package is a single ZIP file with the .nupkg extension that contains compiled code (DLLs), related files, and a descriptive manifest that includes information like the package’s version number. They help developers easily share and consume libraries, tools, and frameworks. This promotes code reuse and simplifies dependency management.
23. What are Empty migrations?
Empty migrations in .NET Core, specifically in Entity Framework Core, are migrations that don’t contain any schema changes. They are useful for various scenarios where you need to perform database operations that aren’t directly related to schema modifications.
24. Is garbage collection an ongoing process? When does it occur?
Garbage collection is an ongoing process that occurs when there is low physical memory. It can also occur when memory space used by allocated objects exceeds the threshold. It can also occur in rare cases during testing when the GC. Collect method is called.
25. What is MSIL?
MSIL stands for Microsoft Intermediate Language. It’s a low-level, human-readable programming language used by the .NET framework.
Also Read: What is .NET? What is .Net used for? Conclusion
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