Difference between .NET Core and Mono
💡 Concept: .NET Core vs Mono
.NET Core and Mono are both open-source, cross-platform implementations of the .NET runtime—but differ in their origins, features, and performance characteristics.
📘 Quick Intro
.NET Core (now .NET 5+) is Microsoft’s modern runtime optimized for cloud and high performance, while Mono is a long-standing community-driven runtime for mobile, gaming, and legacy scenarios.
🧠 Analogy
Think of .NET Core as a high-performance sports car built for speed and modern roads, and Mono as a reliable off-road vehicle that works on older, rough terrain.
🔧 Technical Explanation
- .NET Core uses CoreCLR, RyuJIT, and a modular BCL. Optimized for servers, containers, and microservices.
- Mono uses Mono runtime and JIT/AOT compilers. Commonly used by Xamarin for mobile and Unity for games.
- .NET Core supports the latest C# features and .NET Standard 2.1+, Mono supports up to .NET Standard 2.0.
- Deployment: Core apps are self-contained or framework-dependent; Mono apps embed the runtime in mobile apps.
🎯 Use Cases
- ✅ .NET Core: Cloud services, web APIs, microservices, CLI tools.
- ✅ Mono: Mobile apps (Xamarin.iOS/Android), game engines (Unity), embedded Linux.
- ✅ Legacy .NET Framework compatibility via Mono on non-Windows.
💻 Real Code Example
# Run on .NET Core CLI
dotnet --version
dotnet new console -o MyApp
cd MyApp
dotnet run
# Run on Mono
mcs Program.cs
mono Program.exe
❓ Interview Q&A
Q1: Which runtime uses RyuJIT?
A: .NET Core.
Q2: Which supports Xamarin mobile apps?
A: Mono.
Q3: Who develops Mono?
A: The Mono open-source community (Xamarin/Microsoft).
Q4: Which supports .NET Standard 2.1?
A: .NET Core (not Mono).
Q5: Can Mono run on Windows?
A: Yes.
Q6: Which runtime is optimized for containers?
A: .NET Core.
Q7: How deploy self-contained Core app?
A: Publish with --self-contained.
Q8: Does Mono support AOT?
A: Yes, Ahead-of-Time compilation.
Q9: Which is legacy for .NET Framework?
A: Mono provides legacy support on Linux/macOS.
Q10: Which uses CoreFX libraries?
A: .NET Core.
📝 MCQs
Q1. Default web host?
- IIS
- Kestrel (Core)
- HttpListener
- Libuv (Mono)
Q2. Mono primary use?
- Web APIs
- Xamarin & Unity
- Azure Functions
- Blazor
Q3. AOT supported by?
- .NET Core
- Mono
- Both
- Neither
Q4. Cross-platform CLI?
- mono CLI
- dotnet CLI
- msbuild CLI
- xbuild
Q5. Latest C# features support?
- Mono
- .NET Core
- Both
- Neither
Q6. Mono JIT name?
- CoreCLR
- Mono JIT
- RyuJIT
- CLR JIT
Q7. Configuration system?
- MonoConfig
- App.config only
- Microsoft.Extensions.Configuration
- System.Configuration
Q8. Logging framework?
- log4net
- Microsoft.Extensions.Logging
- Mono.Logging
- Serilog only
Q9. Which can embed runtime in exe?
- Mono
- .NET Core
- Both
- Neither
Q10. Library packaging?
- PIP
- NuGet (both)
- npm
- Maven
💡 Bonus Insight
Mono’s stability on mobile and games keeps it relevant alongside .NET Core—even as .NET unifies with .NET 5+.
📄 PDF Download
Need a handy summary for your notes? Download this topic as a PDF!