Skip to main content

.NET Installation

Introduction​

Installing .NET is your first step into the world of .NET development. The .NET platform is a free, open-source, cross-platform framework that enables you to build different types of applications including web, mobile, desktop, games, IoT, cloud, microservices, and more. This guide will walk you through the installation process across various operating systems and explain the different components you'll be installing.

Understanding .NET Components​

Before diving into installation, let's understand the key components:

  1. .NET Runtime: The basic runtime environment needed to run .NET applications.
  2. .NET SDK (Software Development Kit): The tools you need to build and run .NET applications. It includes the runtime and libraries.
  3. ASP.NET Core Runtime: Additional components needed specifically for web applications.
  4. .NET Desktop Runtime: Components required for Windows desktop applications.

For beginners, we recommend installing the .NET SDK since it includes everything you need to get started with development.

Installation by Operating System​

Windows Installation​

  1. Download the Installer:

  2. Run the Installer:

    • Launch the downloaded executable
    • Follow the on-screen instructions
    • The default options are usually suitable for beginners

  3. Verify the Installation:

    • Open Command Prompt or PowerShell
    • Type the following command and press Enter:
    bash
    dotnet --version
    • You should see the version number of the installed .NET SDK, for example:
    8.0.100

macOS Installation​

  1. Using the Installer:

    • Visit the .NET download page
    • Download the macOS .NET SDK installer
    • Open the downloaded .pkg file and follow the installation instructions

  2. Using Homebrew (alternative method):

    • Open Terminal
    • If you don't have Homebrew installed, install it first with:
    bash
    /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
    • Install .NET SDK:
    bash
    brew install dotnet-sdk

  3. Verify the Installation:

    • Open Terminal
    • Run:
    bash
    dotnet --version

Linux Installation​

Linux installation varies by distribution. Here's the process for Ubuntu:

  1. Register Microsoft package repository:

    bash
    wget https://packages.microsoft.com/config/ubuntu/$(lsb_release -rs)/packages-microsoft-prod.deb -O packages-microsoft-prod.deb
    sudo dpkg -i packages-microsoft-prod.deb
    rm packages-microsoft-prod.deb

  2. Install the SDK:

    bash
    sudo apt-get update
    sudo apt-get install -y dotnet-sdk-8.0

  3. Verify the Installation:

    bash
    dotnet --version

For other Linux distributions, refer to the official Microsoft documentation.

Choosing a .NET Version​

.NET has several versions available. For beginners in 2023-2024:

  • .NET 8.0 (Latest LTS version): Recommended for new projects
  • .NET 7.0: Previous version with some newer features
  • .NET 6.0: Previous LTS (Long Term Support) version

When possible, it's best to use the latest LTS version for new projects.

Installing Multiple .NET Versions​

You can have multiple versions of .NET installed side by side. This is useful when:

  • Working with existing projects that use older versions
  • Testing compatibility across versions

To install an additional version, simply download and run the installer for that specific version.

To check all installed .NET versions:

bash
dotnet --list-sdks
dotnet --list-runtimes

Example output:

.NET SDKs installed:
  6.0.414 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
  7.0.306 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
  8.0.100 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]

.NET runtimes installed:
  Microsoft.AspNetCore.App 6.0.24 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.AspNetCore.App]
  Microsoft.AspNetCore.App 7.0.11 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.AspNetCore.App]
  Microsoft.AspNetCore.App 8.0.0 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.AspNetCore.App]
  Microsoft.NETCore.App 6.0.24 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.NETCore.App]
  Microsoft.NETCore.App 7.0.11 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.NETCore.App]
  Microsoft.NETCore.App 8.0.0 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.NETCore.App]
  Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App 6.0.24 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App]
  Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App 7.0.11 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App]
  Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App 8.0.0 [C:\Program Files\dotnet\shared\Microsoft.WindowsDesktop.App]

Verifying Your Installation with a Test Project​

Let's create a simple Hello World application to verify that everything works correctly:

  1. Open a terminal or command prompt

  2. Create a new console application:

    bash
    dotnet new console -n MyFirstApp

  3. Navigate to the new project directory:

    bash
    cd MyFirstApp

  4. Open the Program.cs file with your preferred text editor or IDE and you'll see code similar to this:

    csharp
    // For .NET 6.0 and above, the main method is simplified:
    Console.WriteLine("Hello, World!");

    // In older versions, you might see:
    // namespace MyFirstApp
    // {
    //     class Program
    //     {
    //         static void Main(string[] args)
    //         {
    //             Console.WriteLine("Hello, World!");
    //         }
    //     }
    // }

  5. Run the application:

    bash
    dotnet run

  6. Expected Output:

    Hello, World!

If you see the "Hello, World!" output, congratulations! Your .NET installation is working correctly.

Installing Development Tools​

While you can build .NET applications with just the SDK and a text editor, using an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) makes development much more efficient:

Visual Studio (Windows)​

  • Most comprehensive IDE for .NET development
  • Download from visualstudio.microsoft.com
  • Choose the Community Edition (free for individual developers)
  • During installation, select the ".NET desktop development" workload

Visual Studio Code (Cross-platform)​

  • Lightweight, highly customizable editor
  • Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux
  • Download from code.visualstudio.com
  • Install the "C#" extension from the marketplace for .NET development

JetBrains Rider (Cross-platform)​

  • Full-featured commercial IDE for .NET development
  • Works on Windows, macOS, and Linux
  • Download a trial from jetbrains.com/rider

Troubleshooting Common Installation Issues​

Issue: "dotnet command not found"​

Solution:

  • Ensure the .NET SDK is properly installed
  • Check if the .NET installation directory is in your PATH environment variable
  • Try restarting your terminal or computer

Issue: Permission errors on Linux or macOS​

Solution:

  • Use sudo for commands requiring elevated privileges
  • Fix directory permissions with: sudo chown -R $(whoami) ~/.dotnet/

Issue: Conflicts with existing .NET installations​

Solution:

  • Check installed versions with dotnet --list-sdks
  • Consider removing conflicting versions or specifying which version to use in your projects

Real-world Application: Setting Up a Project for a Small Business Website​

Let's walk through setting up a real-world project - a small business website using ASP.NET Core:

  1. Create a new web application:

    bash
    dotnet new webapp -n BusinessWebsite
    cd BusinessWebsite

  2. Run the website locally:

    bash
    dotnet run

  3. View your website by navigating to https://localhost:5001 or the URL shown in your terminal.

  4. Explore the project structure to understand the basic components of an ASP.NET Core web application:

    • Program.cs: Application startup
    • Pages folder: Contains Razor pages
    • wwwroot folder: Static assets like CSS and JavaScript

This basic template provides a foundation that you can build upon to create a fully functional business website.

Summary​

In this guide, you've learned how to:

  • Install the .NET SDK on different operating systems
  • Verify your installation and check installed versions
  • Create and run a basic .NET application
  • Set up development tools for .NET programming
  • Troubleshoot common installation issues
  • Start a real-world web application project

With .NET successfully installed, you're now ready to dive deeper into .NET development and build a wide variety of applications.

Additional Resources​

Practice Exercises​

  1. Create a new console application that displays your name and today's date.
  2. Install a different version of .NET alongside your current version.
  3. Create a simple web API project using dotnet new webapi and explore its structure.
  4. Install Visual Studio Code and the C# extension, then open and run one of your projects.
  5. Research global tools for .NET and install one (like dotnet-ef for Entity Framework operations).

By following this guide and completing these exercises, you'll have a solid foundation for your .NET development journey!


If you spot any mistakes on this website, please let me know at [email protected]. I’d greatly appreciate your feedback! :)