Introduction

Building .exe files is a common requirement in .NET development, allowing applications to be distributed and executed on Windows systems. With the release of .NET Core RC2, Microsoft introduced several new features and improvements. This article will guide you through the process of building .exe files in .NET Core RC2, providing technical insights and practical examples.

.NET Core RC2 Overview

.NET Core RC2 introduced several new tools and features:

• CLI (Command-Line Interface) Support: Enhanced support for project configuration and management.
• Improved Tooling: More robust project and dependency management.
• Cross-Platform Compatibility: Enhanced abilities to run .NET applications on various operating systems.

Setting Up Your Environment

To get started with building .exe files in .NET Core RC2, ensure you have the necessary prerequisites:

1. Install .NET Core RC2 SDK: Download from the official .NET Core website.
2. Code Editor: Use Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code, or any preferred editor.

Creating a .NET Core Project

To create a .NET Core application, you can use the .NET Core CLI:

• -c Release: Builds the application in Release mode, optimizing for deployment.
• -r win-x64: Specifies the runtime identifier, in this case for Windows 64-bit environment.
• Runtime Identifiers (RIDs): Define the target platform, essential for cross-platform compatibility.
• Self-Contained vs. Framework-Dependent Deployments: Choose between embedding the .NET runtime with your application (self-contained) or depending on a pre-installed runtime (framework-dependent).