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Dotnet (.NET) Review

Depends

Should I use Dotnet (.NET)?

Build modern apps and powerful cloud services - dotnet.microsoft.com

· 1 month ago

Choose .NET if your team writes C# or lives in the Microsoft stack — it is free, mature, and enterprise-proven. Skip it if you do not build software, or your developers work in JavaScript, Python, or Go.

Confidence

Medium. Based on 50+ public sources: Microsoft docs, NVD, Reddit, Hacker News, and news coverage.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of use
  • Feature depth
  • Support quality
  • Security posture

Pricing

$0

.NET (everything)

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes

Best for

  • Enterprise C#/.NET shops
  • Microsoft-stack organizations
  • High-scale web APIs and cloud services
  • Windows-centric IT departments

Not for

  • Non-technical founders who need an app, not a framework
  • JavaScript or Python teams with no C# developers
  • Solo builders wanting minimal toolchain overhead
  • Buyers needing beyond 3-year support without forced upgrades

Gotchas - check before you buy

high

Three-year LTS forces migration planning every cycle; enterprises publicly complain it's too short.

medium

Platform is free, but premium tooling like JetBrains dotUltimate and paid support cost extra.

medium

Official Docker Hub images have shipped with vulnerabilities; pin and patch image versions.

medium

Backing open-source ecosystem described as under-funded; critical components may rely on volunteer maintenance.

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Completely free and open source, even for commercial use
  • One platform covers web, mobile, desktop, and cloud
  • Runs cross-platform on Linux, macOS, Windows, and Android
  • C# ranks among the top 5 languages
  • Trusted by major brands like Just Eat and Moonpig

Cons

  • Three-year LTS support window deemed too short by enterprises
  • Open-source maintenance called 'heavily under-funded' by AWS
  • CVSS 9.9 vulnerability hit Core in October 2025
  • Frequent version upgrades create churn; some devs feel left behind
  • MAUI cross-platform readiness still questioned by developers

Sources & method

- 12 sources - Mature, fast-patching security process; one CVSS 9.9 ASP.NET Core flaw (CVE-2025-55315) disclosed October 2025.

official x4review x5security x2news x1
  • CVE-2025-55315 (CVSS 9.9), HTTP request smuggling in Core, patched via out-of-band update.
  • CVE-2026-40894, Denial-of-service vulnerability in OpenTelemetry .NET.
  • CVE-2026-40372, Data Protection issue; vendor guidance issued April 2026.

Key stats

  • Value for money: 5/5

    Rating

  • $0

    Starting price

  • 12

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 5/5. Free, open source, no licensing fees
  • Ease of use: 3/5. Switchers ask for help; real learning curve
  • Feature depth: 5/5. Web, mobile, desktop, cloud in one platform
  • Support quality: 2/5. Firms call 3-year LTS window too short
  • Security posture: 4/5. Fast out-of-band patches, but CVSS 9.9 occurred
  • $0 Price No licensing costs, even commercial use
  • Yes Free tier Entire platform is free and open source
  • 3 years LTS support window Some enterprises say too short
  • 9.9 CVSS Top CVE severity ASP.NET Core, Oct 2025, patched

Pricing

.NET (everything)

$0

  • No licensing costs
  • Open source
  • Commercial use allowed

Security

Mature, fast-patching security process; one CVSS 9.9 ASP.NET Core flaw (CVE-2025-55315) disclosed October 2025.

  • CVE-2025-55315 (CVSS 9.9)HTTP request smuggling in Core, patched via out-of-band update.⁴
  • CVE-2026-40894Denial-of-service vulnerability in OpenTelemetry .NET.
  • CVE-2026-40372Data Protection issue; vendor guidance issued April 2026.

What users say

Developer sentiment on Reddit skews strongly positive, with minority complaints about upgrade churn and onboarding difficulty.

Alternatives

Compare Dotnet (.NET) with each alternative.

  • Node.js

    JavaScript everywhere; gentler start for web backends

  • Spring Boot

    Comparable enterprise depth on the Java JVM

  • Go

    Simpler language for cloud APIs and microservices

    Dotnet (.NET) vs Go

  • Django

    Batteries-included Python web framework, easier onboarding

Companies that use it

Full analysis

Based on 50+ public sources: Microsoft docs, NVD, Reddit, Hacker News, and news coverage.

Free, enterprise-grade dev platform. Great if your team writes C#; pointless if you don't build software or prefer JS/Python.

Methodology

Based on 50+ public sources: Microsoft docs, NVD, Reddit, Hacker News, and news coverage.

Read how a report is made.

Sources

  1. .NET is free, open source, with no licensing costsdotnet.microsoft.com
    official
  2. What is .NET? An open-source developer platformdotnet.microsoft.com
    official
  3. Introduction to .NETlearn.microsoft.com
    official
  4. CVE-2025-55315 Detail - NVDnvd.nist.gov
    security
  5. .NET 10.0.7 Out-of-Band Security Updatedevblogs.microsoft.com
    security
  6. Microsoft's three-year .NET support window is too short for enterprisesthenextweb.com
    news
  7. Why I think .NET is the best frameworkreddit.com
    review
  8. Is dotnet completely free for commercial usagereddit.com
    review
  9. Is there any big brand names powered by .NETreddit.com
    review
  10. .NET open source is 'heavily under-funded' says AWSreddit.com
    review
  11. Why isn't dotnet core popular among startups?news.ycombinator.com
    review
  12. dotUltimate: Complete toolkit for .NETjetbrains.com
    official

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