Description
When developing .NET libraries, it is important to maintain compatibility and stability by only depending on libraries that target the same channel (major version) as your own project. For example, a library targeting .NET 8.0 should not depend on a library targeting .NET 9.0.
Rationale
- Forward Compatibility: Newer .NET channel versions (e.g., .NET 9.0) may introduce breaking changes, new APIs, or remove existing ones. If a .NET 8.0 library depends on a .NET 9.0 library, it may inadvertently require runtime or SDK features that do not exist in .NET 8.0, causing runtime errors or build failures.
- NuGet Restore & Build Integrity: MSBuild and NuGet resolve dependencies based on target frameworks. Mixing channels can result in warnings, errors, or unpredictable behaviors during package restore and build.
- Deployment & Runtime Stability: Applications deployed to environments with specific .NET versions (e.g., 8.0) may fail if their dependencies expect newer runtime features from higher channel versions.
- Supportability Lifetimes: .NET channels have official support lifetimes. Depending on newer channel libraries may inadvertently force end-users to upgrade sooner than planned, reducing the support window for your library and increasing maintenance burden.
- Best Practice: This isolation ensures that each project can confidently use features and APIs available in its target channel, and consumers of the library will not be forced to upgrade their runtime unexpectedly.
Examples
- ✅ Correct:
.NET 8.0 library depends on other .NET 8.0 libraries or lower (e.g., .NET Standard 2.0, .NET 7.0).
- ❌ Incorrect:
.NET 8.0 library depends on a .NET 9.0 library.
Action Items
- Audit project and package references to ensure all dependencies align with the target .NET channel.
- Update documentation and development guidelines to reinforce this rule.
- Implement CI checks (where possible) to flag mismatched channel dependencies.
References
Description
When developing .NET libraries, it is important to maintain compatibility and stability by only depending on libraries that target the same channel (major version) as your own project. For example, a library targeting .NET 8.0 should not depend on a library targeting .NET 9.0.
Rationale
Examples
.NET 8.0library depends on other.NET 8.0libraries or lower (e.g.,.NET Standard 2.0,.NET 7.0)..NET 8.0library depends on a.NET 9.0library.Action Items
References