C# (.NET) Expands Horizons: New Platform Support

C# (.NET) Expands Its Ecosystem: New Platform Support Opens Up New Opportunities

The .NET ecosystem continues to develop rapidly, and the latest platform update marks an important milestone for all C# developers. Microsoft has officially announced expanded .NET support for a new hardware platform, opening access to creating high-performance applications on previously unavailable devices. This decision not only strengthens C#'s position as a universal language but also gives developers tools to work in the most modern environments.

What is the platform and why is it important?

We are talking about support for RISC-V — an architecture with an open instruction set that is increasingly being adopted in server solutions, IoT devices, and even consumer electronics. Previously, .NET was mainly available on x64 and ARM architectures, but now C# developers can create applications for systems based on RISC-V, which is especially relevant in the context of import substitution and the transition to open standards.

Key Changes in .NET

• Full support for JIT and AOT compilation for RISC-V (64-bit version).
• Optimization of Base Class Libraries (BCL) for efficient operation on processors with the new architecture.
• Support for Native AOT — you can now compile C# applications into native binary files for RISC-V without needing to install a runtime.
• RISC-V added to dotnet publish targets — simply specify linux-riscv64 in the project configuration.

How will this affect development?

For developers working with embedded systems, industrial equipment, or cloud clusters on RISC-V, this means the ability to use the familiar C# syntax, powerful .NET libraries, and modern debugging tools. Instead of switching to low-level languages (C, C++, or Rust), programmers can stay within the comfortable .NET ecosystem, leveraging all its advantages — from asynchronous programming to strong typing.

Prospects and Use Cases

• Edge computing: running .NET microservices on RISC-V controllers for collecting and processing data from sensors.
• Educational projects: C# becomes accessible for learning on RISC-V boards (e.g., StarFive VisionFive).
• Import substitution: the ability to deploy infrastructure on Russian processors using the open RISC-V architecture.

What's next?

Microsoft has already announced a roadmap in which upcoming releases of .NET 9 and .NET 10 are expected to bring further performance optimizations for RISC-V, as well as support for 32-bit versions of the architecture. Developers can already start testing their projects using preview builds of the .NET SDK with RISC-V support.

This update makes C# an even more versatile tool, allowing you to create solutions ranging from desktop applications to embedded software on the most modern platforms. If you follow trends and want to stay one step ahead — now is the time to try .NET on RISC-V in action.

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