In 2026, Microsoft should consider a strategic decision—integrate .NET SDK into the operating system. This will have profound implications for the entire development ecosystem.
.NET 10 has made significant progress in multiple areas, and the support for single-file execution opens possibilities for new use cases. A single .cs file is a complete program, providing the foundation for a transformation in development paradigms.
Practical application scenarios enabled by single-file execution:
preview.cs with just ten lines of code using ASP.NET Core to serve static file directories, no need to install http-serverMicrosoft Agent Framework to directly converse with large language models with dozens of lines of code, requiring only a single .cs fileCore Value: One .cs file = a complete, type-safe, high-performance .NET program. In many scenarios, you no longer need complex toolchains, CI/CD, or Docker—just a single .cs file.
Single-file execution is excellent and powerful, but it has one prerequisite: the need to install .NET 10 SDK, the final wall that needs to be broken down.
Current Challenge: Users must install .NET SDK first to run .cs files, and this prerequisite immediately raises the barrier to entry.
Solution: Make .NET SDK part of the operating system—starting with Windows, then extending to mainstream Linux distributions.
When Windows or mainstream Linux distributions come with .NET SDK pre-installed, the perception of new developers and users will gradually change.
With integrated .NET SDK, Windows will possess a unified, fully-featured development toolchain and a .NET runtime environment. With this advantage, it will become the most convenient operating system for getting started with programming and the preferred platform for running .NET applications.
Looking back, many Linux distributions pre-installed Python and PHP environments years ago, which greatly promoted the popularity of these languages. Developers on these systems could directly start writing and running scripts without additional installation, and they were considered developer-friendly operating systems.
Unlike the outdated and closed .NET Framework, modern .NET is now widely recognized by developers. Bringing .NET SDK directly to the operating system won't cause resentment; instead, it will be seen as a developer-friendly move. Its single-file execution capability is more powerful and offers greater possibilities.
In the development industry, toolchains are an unavoidable topic. .NET is exemplary in this regard. When an operating system comes with a standard toolchain, both developers and users benefit greatly. It will also encourage other ecosystems to reflect on and improve themselves.
Let's look at the two hottest ecosystems:
Python Ecosystem:
Dependency Management: pip → venv/virtualenv → Poetry/Pipenv → requirements.txt/Pipfile Build Tools: setuptools → wheel → flit → poetry → hatch Test Frameworks: unittest → pytest → nose → hypothesis Code Checking: pylint → flake8 → black → isort → mypy Deployment Tools: gunicorn → uwsgi → docker
Python developers need to learn and maintain 7-8 different tools, with varying configurations for each project.
Node.js Ecosystem:
Package Management: npm → yarn → pnpm (incompatible lock files) Build Tools: webpack → Rollup → Parcel → Vite → Turbopack Test Frameworks: Jest → Mocha → Vitest → Playwright Node.js developers face **dependency hell and frequent tool replacements**. ### .NET's Unified Advantage: One Command Solves Everything From .NET Core 1.0 to .NET 10, **a single `dotnet` command unifies everything**: ```bash dotnet new # Project creation dotnet build # Compilation dotnet test # Unit testing dotnet run # Execution dotnet publish # Publishing (including AOT compilation, containerization) dotnet tool # Tool management dotnet add package # Dependency management dotnet format # Code formatting dotnet diagnostics # Performance diagnostics dotnet ef # Database migrations
Key Advantage: No need for version management tools; multiple versions can be installed simultaneously without interference.
Important
While other ecosystems tout the performance gains of rewriting toolchains in Rust, .NET solved all these problems with a single dotnet command from its first version. Oh, and by the way, .NET doesn't need version management tools—multiple versions can be installed simultaneously without interference
Whether for developers or users, this rImpactgnificant transformation in both developmenton
Pain Points of Current Approaches:
New Possibilities with System-Level .NET SDK:
dotnet tool becomes an application installerWhen properly implemented, this ecosystem will form:
Important
Any application that can be written in C# should ultimately be written in C#. Any program that can run on .NET should ultimately run on .NET.
Current AI development ecosystems heavily depend on Python, with user-facing tools often choosing Node.js, and enterprise development gradually shifting to Java due to significant inertia. However, .NET possesses underestimated competitive advantages in AI development.
| Advantage Dimension | Specific Value |
|---|---|
| Performance | Clear advantages over Python and Node.js |
| Type Safety | Significantly reduces runtime errors in large-scale AI projects |
| Document Processing | Rich library support for PDF, Word, Excel handling |
| Aspire | Simplifies service configuration, built-in telemetry support (fundamental for AI applications) |
| Single-File Execution | Can be embedded in workflows, such as running .cs scripts directly in skills scenarios |
| First-Party Support | Microsoft services provide official .NET SDK support |
When .NET SDK becomes an operating system component, these advantages will be more easily discovered and utilized by developers, promoting .NET's adoption in AI development.
The cost for Microsoft to integrate .NET SDK into the operating system is relatively low. Windows already has a .NET update mechanism; the only requirement is to package and pre-install .NET SDK as a system component.
Viable Implementation Plan:
Benefits Analysis:
If you believe in the vision of "Making .NET Great Again," participate through the following means:
Community Voice:
Content Creation:
Important
Not pre-installing .NET on Windows is like Windows not pre-installing Edge browser or Android not pre-installing Chrome browser—utterly baffling, essentially hamstringing itself!
I can already anticipate that some will find various reasons to oppose this idea, making excuses and offering so-called politically correct rationales, such as:
Listen more to actual users' voices, less to those spouting only "political correctness" from non-target users. Take more practical action and do things truly beneficial to ecosystem development.
Tip
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