Microsoft brings .Net to Linux and OS X and makes .Net Server Core open source

Microsoft makes the .Net Core Runtime open source. In addition, the group has announced that it will bring the .Net platform to Linux and OS X. The software giant also releases Visual Studio Community 2013.

The entire server-side .Net Core stack will be available under an MIT open source license, Microsoft reports. This includes, for example, the CLR, just-In-time compiler, garbage collector and the .NET base class libraries. Microsoft will host the project on GitHub and will also release a statement to clarify patent issues. “Today’s statement means developers have a fully supported, open source, cross-platform .Net stack to build server and cloud applications,” said Scott Guthrie of Microsoft’s Cloud & Enterprise group.

Microsoft’s second announcement regarding .Net concerns support for Linux and OS X. The company is releasing official distributions of the .Net Core for both operating systems. “It’s going to enable any developer, no matter what operating system they’re using or what they’re targeting, to use .Net,” Guthrie said. Microsoft declares that it is working closely with the Mono development community.

In addition, Microsoft announced Visual Studio Community 2013, a new free version of Visual Studio that is available immediately and can be used for non-enterprise purposes at no cost. According to Microsoft, it contains all the functionality of Visual Studio Professional 2013, but “optimized” for individual developers, students and small teams. The software company is also releasing previews of Visual Studio 2015 and .Net 2015 and a fourth update for Visual Studio 2013.