The .NET Framework and .NET are related but different technologies:
.NET Framework - This is Microsoft's original implementation of .NET for building applications that run on Windows. The .NET Framework provides a runtime environment and libraries for .NET applications. It was first released in 2002.
.NET - This is the current evolution of the original .NET Framework. Whereas .NET Framework was Windows-only, .NET is a cross-platform, open-source implementation that runs on Windows, Linux, macOS, etc. It supports more modern application scenarios like cloud, mobile, and web apps.
Some key differences:
In summary:
.NET Framework is the original Windows-only .NET released in 2002.
.NET is the new open-source, cross-platform version of .NET, representing the future direction.
Read full guide at Msckey blog.