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.