Can you install and run apps built on the .NET framework on a Mac?

I need to use/continue developing a desktop app developed using .NET on my Mac. Is there a .NET framework 4.0 available for Mac? Would this allow running and developing of .NET-based apps on a Mac?

Another option that i am considering is using a windows virtual machine on the Mac.

You can use a .Net environment https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/vs/mac/#vs_mac_table">Visual studio, Take a look at the https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/vs/mac/#vs_mac_table">differences</a> with the PC version.

A lighter editor would be https://code.visualstudio.com/">Visual Code

Alternatives :

1. Installing the https://www.mono-project.com">Mono Project runtime . It allows you to re-compile the code and run it on a Mac, but this requires various alterations to the codebase, as the fuller .Net Framework is not available. (Also, WPF applications aren't supported here either.)

2. Virtual machine (https://www.vmware.com/ca/products/fusion.html">VMWare Fusion perhaps)

3. Update your codebase to .Net Core, (before choosing this option take a look at this https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/core/porting/">migration process)

   • https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet/5.0">.Net Core 3.1 is an open-source, free and available on Window, MacOs and Linux

   • As of September 14, a release candidate ¹ of https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet/5.0">.Net Core 5.0 has been deployed on Window, MacOs and Linux.

[1] : Release candidate (RC) : releases providing early access to complete features. These releases are supported for production use when they have a go-live license

• .NET Core will install and run on macOS - and just about any other desktop OS.
  IDEs are available for the mac, including:

  • Visual Studio for Mac
  • VS Code (free, but not as professional/focused as VS)
  • JetBrains Rider (paid)

• Mono is a good option that I've used in the past. But with Core 3.0 out now, I would go that route.

Yes you can!

As of November 2016, Microsoft now has integrated .NET Core in it's official .NET Site

They even have a new Visual Studio app that runs on MacOS

.NetCore is a fine release from Microsoft and Visual Studio's latest version is also available for mac but there is still some limitation. Like for creating GUI based application on .net core you have to write code manually for everything. Like in older version of VS we just drag and drop the things and magic happens. But in VS latest version for mac every code has to be written manually. However you can make web application and console application easily on VS for mac.