10 Best Alternatives to Microsoft .NET framework

Mono

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“Mono is a free and open-source project led by Xamarin (previously Novell and initially Ximian) to build an Ecma-compliant.NET Framework-compatible collection of tools that includes a C# compiler and a Common Language Runtime, among other things.”

- Brian Dean, Founder of  Exploding Topics

Dolphin Smalltalk

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“Dolphin is a full-featured Smalltalk development environment for Microsoft Windows. It can create standalone GUI and console executables that will operate on any Windows version from XP to the most recent Windows 10.”

- Herbert Riggs, CEO of  UnscrambleX

Ceylon

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“Virtual machines for Java and JavaScript are supported. You can write your code in Ceylon and run it on the JVM, Node.js, or a web browser. Although some modules are platform-specific, the language as a whole runs on both Java and JavaScript virtual machines.”

- Eric Carrell, Marketing Advisor of  SurfShark

JAVA

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“Without additional context to clarify the question, the best alternative to the .NET framework (version 5) would be Java or one of the other Java Virtual Machine (JVM) languages (Scala, Groovy, Kotlin, Jython, etc).

This is because the .NET framework offers the capability to write any sort of application (web, desktop, CLI, etc) and have it run the same on any platform where its underlying runtime, the CLR, is available. Likewise, Java and the other JVM languages offer the same capability anywhere the JVM is available.”

- Rich Moulton from  Red Alpha LLC

Delphi

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“In my opinion, the best alternative to the .NET framework is Delphi. It is super-fast and is constantly being developed so you know it is going to stay on the curve. It is compatible with operations of the .NET framework so it is an easy transition.”

- Brian Donovan, CEO of  Timeshatter

 

Read More: Web Application Development Using Asp.net Blazor Framework

Python

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“Python is one of the most powerful programming languages since it can be used for diverse purposes. You can use it for website development, software prototypes, data science, and many other functions. Moreover, its syntax is easy to use, making it the ideal language for beginners.”

- Katherine Brown, Founder & Marketing Director of  Spyic

C#

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“The Right Key Is in C#: So far, one of the key alternatives out there for .NET happens to be C#. This happens to be due to the C# language maintaining a lot of the features which were missing or underwhelming in the .NET framework. C# has been able to provide updates to its host of code over the years and has supported developers quite well, along with providing the right cross-platforming which allows it to also play well with other languages.”

- Carla Diaz, Co-founder of  Broadband Search

Embracing Javascript

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“If you have a small team and need to build Web apps as part of your offering, then node can be a great alternative strategically for your team. We were able to do far more than otherwise possible for our clients when our team was small because we embraced Javascript on the front and backend; it allowed us to build Web Apps (React), Mobile Apps (React Native), and APIs (Node) with one small team. In addition, Javascript allows you to share code, but even if you choose not to, being able to share developers is invaluable. We consider this to be one of our 4 pillars of predictable, affordable development, which include being smart about the team, tools, process, and features. By choosing Javascript we can get way more out of smaller teams.

If you are building a web app, Javascript will be unavoidable in your stack, so you will have to hire Javascript developers. Using the same language on the backend makes it so everyone can be a full-stack developer. We've had very few challenges with this approach and great outcomes. And if you use React on the front end and your mobile app lines up with the React Native use cases (we've found that most do), you can have your team take on mobile development too.

You might be hesitant to use this approach because the skills that differentiate FE (CSS) and BE (entity modeling, transactions, etc...) could be viewed as a problem; you might be thinking you'd need to hire unicorns. However, we've handled this situation pretty easily by having one strong dev from each camp available to mentor and/or do those tasks and making sure we are following good development practices like code reviews and pair programming. For HTML/CSS layout, we have a dedicated engineer who provides the team with HTML and CSS, so all the devs have to do is wire up the behavior and async calls, allowing us to not have every developer be a CSS wizard (and let's be real, CSS is kind of a mystic art).”

- Ryan Vice, Co-founder and CEO of  Vice Software

Swift

---

“While the .NET framework is excellent, other options are worth considering. To avoid stagnation and to keep your code current, you may need to explore newer choices. Swift is a prevalent option that's intended for Apple or iOS developers. This is a super friendly option, and it can be used for Windows, iOS, and Mac. This is an open-source framework that's been around for years and has lots of support available online. Swift is a programming language that's intended to develop applications for Apple platforms or iOS. It was released in June of 2014, while Objective-C has been used since 1984! Swift is meant to make it easier to access the power of devices like iPhones and iPads without writing tons of code or even learning lots of code.”

- Lynda Fairly, Co-founder of  Numlooker

ASP.NET AJAX 1.0

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“ASP.NET AJAX combines customer script libraries with the ASP.NET 2.0 server-based development structure. It permits you to take full benefit of the capacities of the browser to pass richer Web experiences that operate on any modern browser. It also allows ASP.NET developers to improve their existing Web applications with incredible ease. Includes a rich client-side JavaScript framework that facilitates easy creation and reuse of script elements and rich client-side behaviors.”

- Shiv Gupta, Marketing Director of  Incrementors Web Solutions

10 Best Alternatives to Microsoft .NET framework The current digital era has compelled businesses to make their online presence through various sources like websites, web applications, or mobile apps and form brand visibility. It has pushed them to the point where they must maintain active connections with their customers to stay competitive in the market. The prospect of developing a new website or app could be exciting, but it also brings with it a slew of problems for organizations while choosing the right technology, tools, languages, and other factors to cover their needs. Microsoft .NET framework is an amazing option for the clients to go with. However, it is also important to understand the best alternatives to get rid of dependency. In this blog, we will learn the ten best alternatives for the Microsoft .NET framework. Mono “Mono is a free and open-source project led by Xamarin (previously Novell and initially Ximian) to build an Ecma-compliant.NET Framework-compatible collection of tools that includes a C# compiler and a Common Language Runtime, among other things.” - Brian Dean, Founder of  Exploding Topics   Dolphin Smalltalk “Dolphin is a full-featured Smalltalk development environment for Microsoft Windows. It can create standalone GUI and console executables that will operate on any Windows version from XP to the most recent Windows 10.” - Herbert Riggs, CEO of  UnscrambleX     Want to build an amazing UI for your business application? Hire Reactjs developer from us right now Contact us Ceylon “Virtual machines for Java and JavaScript are supported. You can write your code in Ceylon and run it on the JVM, Node.js, or a web browser. Although some modules are platform-specific, the language as a whole runs on both Java and JavaScript virtual machines.” - Eric Carrell, Marketing Advisor of  SurfShark     JAVA “Without additional context to clarify the question, the best alternative to the .NET framework (version 5) would be Java or one of the other Java Virtual Machine (JVM) languages (Scala, Groovy, Kotlin, Jython, etc). This is because the .NET framework offers the capability to write any sort of application (web, desktop, CLI, etc) and have it run the same on any platform where its underlying runtime, the CLR, is available. Likewise, Java and the other JVM languages offer the same capability anywhere the JVM is available.” - Rich Moulton from  Red Alpha LLC     Delphi “In my opinion, the best alternative to the .NET framework is Delphi. It is super-fast and is constantly being developed so you know it is going to stay on the curve. It is compatible with operations of the .NET framework so it is an easy transition.” - Brian Donovan, CEO of  Timeshatter   Read More: Web Application Development Using Asp.net Blazor Framework     Python “Python is one of the most powerful programming languages since it can be used for diverse purposes. You can use it for website development, software prototypes, data science, and many other functions. Moreover, its syntax is easy to use, making it the ideal language for beginners.” - Katherine Brown, Founder & Marketing Director of  Spyic     C# “The Right Key Is in C#: So far, one of the key alternatives out there for .NET happens to be C#. This happens to be due to the C# language maintaining a lot of the features which were missing or underwhelming in the .NET framework. C# has been able to provide updates to its host of code over the years and has supported developers quite well, along with providing the right cross-platforming which allows it to also play well with other languages.” - Carla Diaz, Co-founder of  Broadband Search     Embracing Javascript “If you have a small team and need to build Web apps as part of your offering, then node can be a great alternative strategically for your team. We were able to do far more than otherwise possible for our clients when our team was small because we embraced Javascript on the front and backend; it allowed us to build Web Apps (React), Mobile Apps (React Native), and APIs (Node) with one small team. In addition, Javascript allows you to share code, but even if you choose not to, being able to share developers is invaluable. We consider this to be one of our 4 pillars of predictable, affordable development, which include being smart about the team, tools, process, and features. By choosing Javascript we can get way more out of smaller teams. If you are building a web app, Javascript will be unavoidable in your stack, so you will have to hire Javascript developers. Using the same language on the backend makes it so everyone can be a full-stack developer. We've had very few challenges with this approach and great outcomes. And if you use React on the front end and your mobile app lines up with the React Native use cases (we've found that most do), you can have your team take on mobile development too. You might be hesitant to use this approach because the skills that differentiate FE (CSS) and BE (entity modeling, transactions, etc...) could be viewed as a problem; you might be thinking you'd need to hire unicorns. However, we've handled this situation pretty easily by having one strong dev from each camp available to mentor and/or do those tasks and making sure we are following good development practices like code reviews and pair programming. For HTML/CSS layout, we have a dedicated engineer who provides the team with HTML and CSS, so all the devs have to do is wire up the behavior and async calls, allowing us to not have every developer be a CSS wizard (and let's be real, CSS is kind of a mystic art).” - Ryan Vice, Co-founder and CEO of  Vice Software     Swift “While the .NET framework is excellent, other options are worth considering. To avoid stagnation and to keep your code current, you may need to explore newer choices. Swift is a prevalent option that's intended for Apple or iOS developers. This is a super friendly option, and it can be used for Windows, iOS, and Mac. This is an open-source framework that's been around for years and has lots of support available online. Swift is a programming language that's intended to develop applications for Apple platforms or iOS. It was released in June of 2014, while Objective-C has been used since 1984! Swift is meant to make it easier to access the power of devices like iPhones and iPads without writing tons of code or even learning lots of code.” - Lynda Fairly, Co-founder of  Numlooker     Looking to Hire ASP.Net Developer For Your Business? CONNECT US     ASP.NET AJAX 1.0 “ASP.NET AJAX combines customer script libraries with the ASP.NET 2.0 server-based development structure. It permits you to take full benefit of the capacities of the browser to pass richer Web experiences that operate on any modern browser. It also allows ASP.NET developers to improve their existing Web applications with incredible ease. Includes a rich client-side JavaScript framework that facilitates easy creation and reuse of script elements and rich client-side behaviors.” - Shiv Gupta, Marketing Director of  Incrementors Web Solutions     Various Multiple Alternatives “Java, Delphi, Mono, and ASP.NET are the best alternatives to the .NET framework. Java is one of the general-purpose computer programming languages, which is class-oriented, concurrent, object-based, and specially designed to possess a fewer implementation dependency. Delphi is the best alternative to get the safest future, high performance, .NET compatibility, well documentation, and so on. On the other hand, mono is also an outdated open-source implementation of .NET, which is more vibrant, and it's easy to operate C# code on iOS, Android, and other platforms. The last alternative to the .NET is ASP.NET, which is an open-source for web server development on Windows. Therefore, it is also the best alternative to the outdated .NET framework, which can work seamlessly.” - Eden Cheng, Co-Founder of  PeopleFinderFree “ASP.NET This framework is open source which comes with obvious advantages plus it's easy to use. Java This is a framework already very popular as far as usage, plus it has a bunch of available libraries, and it features excellent tools as well. Python Python is object-oriented which is a plus, its code is easily readable, and it’s open-source as well. It's also fast which is another benefit.” - Thomas Hawkins, Owner of  Electrician Apprentice HQ     Conclusion It is no surprise that Microsoft .NET is a leading framework and a stiff competitor in the market. However, it is also important to comprehend the best alternatives for the clients to avoid dependency. Through this blog, you would learn what are the best alternatives to the .NET framework and what features make them differ from it.  

Kapil Panchal

A passionate Technical writer and an SEO freak working as a Content Development Manager at iFour Technolab, USA. With extensive experience in IT, Services, and Product sectors, I relish writing about technology and love sharing exceptional insights on various platforms. I believe in constant learning and am passionate about being better every day.