What is .NET and what is the difference to C#?

.NET and C# (CSharp) are two closely related technologies, but they are not the same thing. Understanding the difference between the two can be confusing, especially for those new to programming. Here's a quick breakdown of what each technology is and how they relate to one another.

.NET is a software framework developed by Microsoft. It provides a runtime environment for executing code written in various languages, including C#, F#, and VB.NET. The .NET framework includes a large library of pre-built code that developers can use to build their own applications. It also includes a common language runtime (CLR), which is responsible for managing the execution of .NET code.

C#, on the other hand, is a programming language. It was developed by Microsoft as part of its .NET initiative and is designed to be a simple, modern, and object-oriented language. C# is used to write code that can run on the .NET framework and make use of the tools and libraries provided by the framework.

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In short, .NET is a framework that provides a runtime environment and a library of code for building applications, while C# is a programming language that can be used to write code that runs on the .NET framework.
It's worth noting that while C# was developed by Microsoft and is closely tied to the .NET framework, it is not limited to running on Windows. Thanks to the open source .NET Core, C# can now be used to build applications that run on multiple platforms, including Windows, Linux, and macOS.

I hope this helps clear up any confusion you might have had about the difference between .NET and C#.