Last checked and updated on 10 Jun 2026
What Is New in .NET Core 2.0
.NET Core 2.0 is a major release focused on expanding the platform's reach and making it easier to build applications. The core theme is a significantly larger API surface and improved tooling.
| Category | Key Changes |
|---|---|
| API & Compatibility | Massive API expansion via .NET Standard 2.0, compatibility shim for .NET Framework libraries. |
| Tooling | Dotnet CLI improvements, simplified project files, and new project templates. |
| Performance | Runtime speed enhancements, reduced memory usage, and improved scalability. |
| Platform Support | Support for new Linux distributions and macOS 10.12 Sierra. |
| Deployment | Razor Pages, simplified publishing, and Docker image updates. |
How did .NET Core 2.0 expand its API surface?
The biggest leap was adopting .NET Standard 2.0, which doubled the available APIs. This was a game-changer for porting existing code. You could finally use a huge portion of the .NET ecosystem that was previously unavailable.
They introduced a compatibility shim that allows referencing .NET Framework libraries from .NET Core. In practice, this meant many NuGet packages that weren't officially built for .NET Core suddenly started working, drastically unblocking development.
What tooling improvements were made?
The dotnet CLI matured significantly. Commands were streamlined, and the experience became more consistent. The biggest win was the new project file format, which was much simpler and easier to manage by hand.
New templates for console, classlib, web, mvc, and webapi were added. This simplified project creation and got you from zero to coding faster than ever before.
Were there any runtime performance gains?
Yes, the runtime saw substantial performance work. The team focused on throughput and allocation reductions across the board. This resulted in faster execution and lower memory footprint for most applications.
Specific improvements included optimized garbage collection, faster file I/O, and more efficient cryptography APIs. For high-scale services, these changes directly translated to better hardware utilization and cost savings.
What new application models were introduced?
Razor Pages debuted as a new way to build page-focused web apps. It simplified the MVC pattern for scenarios where controllers were overkill. This model is perfect for focused pages with their own logic.
Deployment got easier with simplified publishing commands. The base Docker images were also updated, making containerization of .NET Core 2.0 apps a first-class experience.
FAQ
Can I use my existing .NET Framework NuGet packages with .NET Core 2.0?
In many cases, yes. The compatibility shim allows .NET Core 2.0 to reference .NET Framework libraries. You'll need to test them, but it unblocked a massive portion of the ecosystem overnight.
What is the main benefit of .NET Standard 2.0?
It provides a unified set of APIs that all .NET implementations must support. For .NET Core 2.0, this meant gaining over 20,000 new APIs, making it vastly more capable and familiar to .NET Framework developers.
Do I need to rewrite my project files for 2.0?
If you're upgrading from a previous .NET Core version, your existing project files will work. The new, simpler project file format is the default for new projects created with the 2.0 SDK.
How do Razor Pages differ from MVC?
Razor Pages use a page-centric model where the code and view are co-located in a single file (PageName.cshtml.cs and PageName.cshtml). It's a simpler alternative to MVC for building individual pages without the full Model-View-Controller structure.
Is it easier to containerize .NET Core 2.0 apps?
Yes. The official Microsoft Docker images were updated for .NET Core 2.0, providing smaller and more optimized base images. The tooling also improved, making it straightforward to build and publish apps inside containers.