.NET 8 vs .NET 9: What's the Difference and Should you Migrate?

If you're anything like me, you get excited about all the new tech constantly being released. It's fun to try it all out, but should you adopt it? You've probably heard a lot about .NET 8 and its capabilities recently, and now we're already talking about .NET 9.

We know that it takes a lot of work to constantly stay on top of the newest technology. This blog post is your guide to deciding whether or not you should migrate to .NET 8 or .NET 9.

.NET 8: The Current Standard

.NET 8 released in November 2023 and it was PACKED with new stuff including:

• Native AOT: Think of this as turbocharging your app's startup time and making it leaner on memory usage. Native AOT compilation in .NET 8 makes apps start faster and use less memory. It's perfect for scenarios like cloud-native apps or microservices.
• Performance boost: It's just faster overall. Who doesn't like that?
• Cloud-native goodness: The introduction of .NET Aspire, a cloud-first stack, and enhancements across Azure services make deploying and scaling cloud-native apps smoother than ever.
• Blazor got better: If you're into web development with Blazor, you'll appreciate the upgrades.

If you're still on an older .NET version, jumping to .NET 8 is a no-brainer. Seriously, trade in your crappy Ford Fiesta for a new car that has better mileage and safety features. That's what it's like to move to .NET 8.

.NET 9: The Future of .NET

.NET 9 - which will be released in November 2024, continues the trend of MAJOR improvements including:

• Further performance optimizations: Better JIT compiler optimizations, enhanced garbage collection, native AOT compilation.
• New language features: C# 13 and F# 7 introduces a bunch of new syntax and capabilities including improved pattern matching, records enhancements and static abstract members. 
• Improved Async programming model: Async streams enhancements and better task scheduling
• Continued focus on cloud-native development: Minimal APIs are improved, integrated support for OpenTelemetry and optimized container images.
• Security and compliance: Support for the latest encryption standards with additional cryptography APIs, built-in support for compliance standards and code access security (CAS) additions.
  
• Focus on AI and Machine Learning: If you're looking to integrate more AI/ML into your applications, .NET 9 is ideal for you. With the integration of ML.NET, you can integrate custom ML models into your app. 
• More Blazor Capabilities: While .NET 8 brought the big flashy changes to Blazor, .NET 9 is optimizing Blazor features such as custom rendering modes and constructer injections.

But Should YOU Migrate to .NET 9? 

If you're already on .NET 8, the jump to .NET 9 isn't that urgent. But if you're on an older version, you might consider skipping .NET 8 and going straight to 9. Here's the deal:

• New features: There are some legit features (especially if you're a C# dev) that make it worthwhile. Also, if you're in a regulated industry, the security and compliance features are definitely worth considering.
• Performance: Every single version of .NET gets improved performance. .NET 9 will offer you an edge over previous versions.
• Long-term support vs. Short-term support: .NET 8 has Long-Term Support (LTS) until November 2026, while .NET 9 will have support until May 2026. If your application is larger or more complex, you may be better off sticking with .NET 8 and waiting until the next LTS version is available. 

Migration to .NET 9 Doesn't Have to Be a Nightmare

Upgrading .NET versions can feel like moving to a new house - it's a lot of work. But guess what? There are tools that help - including the .NET Upgrade Assistant. Plus, here at GAP, we have tools to help you move old code to modern platforms.

Bottom line, .NET 8 and 9 are both legitimate options and the best one for you depends on your company, your industry, your market and the usual stuff.