Compatibility

This document describes the .NET framework requirements, supported platforms, and compatibility considerations for QWK.NET.

Target Framework

QWK.NET targets .NET 10 (net10.0).

• Minimum SDK: .NET 10 SDK (released 2025)
• Runtime: .NET 10 runtime or later
• Language Version: Latest C# language features

All projects in the QWK.NET solution target .NET 10, including:

• Core library (QwkNet)
• Extension packages (e.g., QwkNet.Archives.Tar)
• Test projects
• Tooling projects (Diagnostics, Benchmarking)

Supported Platforms

QWK.NET is tested and supported on the following platforms:

macOS

• Version: macOS 26+ (Tahoe) or later
• Architectures: arm64 (Apple Silicon) and x64 (Intel)

Windows

• Version: Windows 11 or later
• Architecture: x64

QWK.NET is untested yet may support the following platforms:

Linux

• Architectures: x64 and arm64
• Distributions: Any distribution with .NET 10 runtime support

For build instructions, see building.md.

Dependencies

QWK.NET maintains minimal dependencies to ensure broad compatibility:

Core Dependencies

• System.IO.Compression: Built into .NET runtime (ZIP archive support)
• System.Text.Encoding.CodePages: Package reference for CP437 encoding support

Extension Dependencies

• Extension packages may add additional dependencies (e.g., System.Formats.Tar in QwkNet.Archives.Tar)

Version Compatibility

.NET Version Policy

QWK.NET targets .NET 10 as its minimum supported version. This ensures:

• Access to latest .NET performance improvements
• Modern C# language features
• Long-term support alignment

Backward Compatibility

The library does not support earlier .NET versions (e.g., .NET 8, .NET 9). If you require support for earlier versions, please file an issue on the project repository.

Platform-Specific Considerations

macOS

• No special configuration required
• Works with both Apple Silicon and Intel processors

Windows

• Requires Windows 11 or later
• No special configuration required

Linux

• Requires .NET 10 runtime installation
• Compatible with major distributions (Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, etc.)

Known Limitations

• macOS versions: Only macOS 26+ (Tahoe) is officially supported and tested
• Windows versions: Only Windows 11 is officially supported and tested
• Earlier .NET versions: Not supported; upgrade to .NET 10

Reporting Compatibility Issues

If you encounter compatibility issues:

1. Verify you are using .NET 10 SDK and runtime
2. Check that your platform version meets the minimum requirements
3. File an issue on the project repository with:
   • Platform and version details
   • .NET SDK version (dotnet --version)
   • Error messages or logs
   • Steps to reproduce