.NET Framework Compatibility Guide

CurlDotNet fully supports .NET Framework 4.7.2 and later through our .NET Standard 2.0 build.

Supported Frameworks

Installation for Framework Projects

<PackageReference Include="CurlDotNet" Version="1.2.35" />

Usage in .NET Framework

using CurlDotNet;
using System;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        // Synchronous execution (common in Framework apps)
        var result = Curl.Execute("curl https://api.example.com/data");
        Console.WriteLine($"Status: {result.StatusCode}");
        Console.WriteLine($"Body: {result.Body}");
    }

    static async Task AsyncExample()
    {
        // Async execution also supported
        var result = await Curl.ExecuteAsync("curl -X POST -d 'data' https://api.example.com/submit");
        Console.WriteLine($"Success: {result.IsSuccess}");
    }
}

Framework-Specific Considerations

1. TLS/SSL Configuration

.NET Framework apps often need explicit TLS configuration:

// Add this at application startup
ServicePointManager.SecurityProtocol = SecurityProtocolType.Tls12 | SecurityProtocolType.Tls13;

2. JSON Serialization

System.Text.Json is included via NuGet for Framework projects. No additional packages needed.

// This works in Framework 4.7.2+
var result = await Curl.ExecuteAsync("curl https://api.example.com/json");
var data = result.ParseJson<MyDataClass>();

3. HttpClient Differences

The library handles HttpClient lifecycle management appropriately for Framework:

// No need to manage HttpClient instances
// CurlDotNet handles this internally
var result = Curl.Execute("curl https://api.example.com");

4. WebRequest Compatibility

CurlDotNet works alongside legacy WebRequest code:

// Legacy code
var webRequest = WebRequest.Create("https://old-api.example.com");

// Modern CurlDotNet code in the same app
var result = Curl.Execute("curl https://new-api.example.com");

Testing Framework Compatibility

On Windows

Run the Framework-specific tests:

dotnet test tests/CurlDotNet.FrameworkCompat/CurlDotNet.FrameworkCompat.csproj

On macOS/Linux

Use the compatibility script (tests .NET Standard 2.0 build):

dotnet script scripts/test-framework-compat.csx

CI/CD

GitHub Actions automatically test Framework compatibility on Windows:

- name: Test Framework 4.7.2
  run: dotnet build -f net472 && dotnet test

Known Limitations

1. FTP Protocol: .NET Core/5+ removed FTP support. Use HTTP(S) alternatives where possible.

2. Async Patterns: Framework uses older async patterns. We provide both sync and async methods.

3. Performance: Framework's HttpClient is less optimized than .NET Core's. Consider upgrading if performance is critical.

Migration from Framework

If migrating from Framework to .NET 6+:

1. No code changes needed for basic usage
2. Consider switching to async methods for better performance
3. Remove ServicePointManager configurations (handled automatically in .NET Core+)

Troubleshooting

"Could not load file or assembly"

Ensure all dependencies are restored:

nuget restore

SSL/TLS Errors

Add to application startup:

ServicePointManager.SecurityProtocol = SecurityProtocolType.Tls12;

JSON Serialization Issues

The package includes System.Text.Json. If conflicts occur, use:

<PackageReference Include="System.Text.Json" Version="8.0.0" />

Support

Framework support is tested via:

• Windows CI builds with actual Framework runtimes
• .NET Standard 2.0 compatibility tests
• Integration tests with Framework-specific patterns

Report Framework-specific issues: https://github.com/jacob-mellor/curl-dot-net/issues