ASP.NET Core
A free, open-source framework from Microsoft for building web apps and APIs in C# on any major OS.
- Stars
- 38.5k
- Forks
- 12.3k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- C#
- Last update
- 4 days ago
- Type
- Library
What it is
ASP.NET Core is a framework for building internet-connected applications such as web apps, IoT apps, and mobile backends, written for the .NET platform. It is designed to run in the cloud or on your own servers, and the README says it is modular with minimal overhead. You can develop and run it on Windows, Mac, or Linux.
- Build a web application that serves pages and handles user requests
- Build backend APIs for mobile or other client apps, as the README describes mobile backends as a target
- Run the same server code on Windows, Mac, or Linux
- Follow the official Getting Started guide to create a first project
Great for
- C# and .NET developers building web apps or HTTP APIs
- Teams deploying services to the cloud or on-premises servers
- Developers who want a cross-platform server framework under the MIT license
- Contributors who want to work on a large open-source framework (the README points to help-wanted and good-first-issue labels)
Not ideal for
- People who are not writing C# or .NET code, since the framework is built on that platform
- Anyone looking for a no-code website builder, because this is a developer framework
- Beginners with no programming background, who will need more basic learning first
How to get it
- 1
See the README
You'll need: .NET SDK (the README suggests installing the SDK if unsure which download you need)
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/dotnet/aspnetcore - 2
Run it
- Install the .NET SDK from the links in the README or the .NET homepage
- Follow the Getting Started instructions at learn.microsoft.com/aspnet/core/getting-started
- Create a project and run it locally using the commands in that guide
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Read the official ASP.NET Core documentation linked from the README
- Use the daily builds listed in the README if you want to test pre-release versions
- Join the weekly community standup streamed on YouTube to follow development
- Check the Roadmap linked in the README to see planned milestones
Downloads
Strengths
- Free and open source under the MIT license, backed by the .NET Foundation
- Runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux
- Modular components let you include only what you need, according to the README
Trade-offs
- Requires learning C# and the .NET ecosystem
- The README is mostly links; detailed usage lives in external Microsoft documentation
- Repository is a large framework project, so it is mainly a source for contributors rather than a quick-start tool
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| aspnetcore (this) | 38.5k | Library | intermediate | 4 days ago | C# and .NET developers building web apps or HTTP APIs |
| express | 69.6k | Framework | intermediate | 4 days ago | Developers building JavaScript or Node.js back-end servers |
| aspnetboilerplate | 12k | Framework | advanced | 11 days ago | C# developers already working in the ASP.NET Core ecosystem |
| runtime | 18.4k | Framework | advanced | 4 days ago | Developers who want to read or contribute to the source of the .NET runtime and libraries |
| CleanArchitecture | 20.7k | Framework | intermediate | 4 days ago | Developers starting a new ASP.NET Core web app or Web API who want a structured layout |
| BenchmarkDotNet | 11.5k | Library | intermediate | 5 days ago | .NET developers who want to compare two or more implementations of a method |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.