24.54.91.165: .NET no longer follows semantic versioning since .NET Core

2025-10-17T14:38:17Z

.NET no longer follows semantic versioning since .NET Core

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{{short description|Virtual machine component of Microsoft's .NET framework}}
{{multiple|
{{third-party|date=March 2019}}
{{More citations needed|date=September 2014}}
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{{Program execution}}
The '''Common Language Runtime''' ('''CLR'''), the [[virtual machine]] component of [[Microsoft]] [[.NET Framework]], manages the execution of .NET programs. [[Just-in-time compilation]] converts the [[managed code]] (compiled [[intermediate language]] code) into [[machine instructions]] which are then executed on the [[CPU]] of the computer.<ref name="msdn-clr">{{cite web| title = Common Language Runtime (CLR) | url = http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/8bs2ecf4 | access-date = 14 November 2013 | work = [[MSDN Library]]}}</ref> The CLR provides additional services including [[memory management]], [[type safety]], [[exception handling]], [[garbage collection (computer science)|garbage collection]], security and [[thread management]]. All programs written for the .NET Framework, regardless of [[programming language]], are executed in the CLR. All versions of the .NET Framework include CLR. The CLR team was started June 13, 1998.

CLR implements the [[Virtual Execution System]] (VES) as defined in the [[Common Language Infrastructure]] (CLI) standard, initially developed by Microsoft itself. A public standard defines the Common Language Infrastructure specification.<ref>{{cite web | title = ECMA C# and Common Language Infrastructure Standards
| url = http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/vstudio/Aa569283.aspx | access-date = 14 November 2013
| work = Visual Studio Developer Center}}</ref>

{|class="wikitable"
|+Overview of the .NET Framework CLR release history<ref name="msdn-clr" />
!CLR version
!.NET version
|-
|1.0
|[[.NET Framework version history#.NET Framework 1.0|1.0]]
|-
|1.1
|[[.NET Framework version history#.NET Framework 1.1|1.1]]
|-
|2.0
|[[.NET Framework version history#.NET Framework 2.0|2.0]], [[.NET Framework version history#.NET Framework 3.0|3.0]], [[.NET Framework version history#.NET Framework 3.5|3.5]]
|-
|4
|[[.NET Framework version history#.NET Framework 4|4]], [[.NET Framework version history#.NET Framework 4.5|4.5]], [[.NET Framework version history#.NET Framework 4.6|4.6]], [[.NET Framework version history#.NET Framework 4.7|4.7]], [[.NET Framework version history#.NET Framework 4.8|4.8]]
|}

During the transition from legacy .NET technologies like the .NET Framework and its proprietary runtime to the community-developed [[.NET Core]], the CLR was dubbed '''CoreCLR'''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Understanding .NET Framework, .NET Core, .NET Standard And Future .NET|url=https://www.c-sharpcorner.com/blogs/understanding-net-framework-net-core-and-net-standard-and-future-net|access-date=February 1, 2021|website=www.c-sharpcorner.com|language=en}}</ref> The term CLR today may refer to either the '''.NET Framework CLR''' or '''Core CLR'''<ref>{{cite web|title=.NET Glossary - CLR|url=https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/standard/glossary#clr|access-date=October 17, 2025|website=Microsoft Learn|quote=The exact meaning depends on the context. Common Language Runtime usually refers to the runtime of .NET Framework or the runtime of .NET.}}</ref>

Since .NET 5, the runtime for .NET follows a yearly release cadence, releasing a new version every November<ref>{{cite web|title=.NET and .NET Core official support policy|url=https://dotnet.microsoft.com/en-us/platform/support/policy/dotnet-core#cadence|access-date=October 17, 2025|website=Microsoft .NET Support|quote=A new major release of .NET is published every year in November...}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Common Intermediate Language]]
*[[List of CLI languages]]
*[[Java virtual machine]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=30601 Components of Common Language Runtime]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110425220519/http://www.visualbuilder.com/dotnet/tutorial/clr-%28common-language-runtime%29/ Components of CLR]
*[http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/a4t23ktk.aspx Overview of the .NET Framework 4.0]
*[http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/zw4w595w.aspx .NET Framework Conceptual Overview]

{{.NET Framework}}
{{Common Language Infrastructure}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:.NET Framework terminology]]
[[Category:Stack-based virtual machines]]

Common Language Runtime - Revision history

24.54.91.165: .NET no longer follows semantic versioning since .NET Core