For cryptography, .NET 10 introduces extensive new APIs across cryptography, globalization, numerics, serialization, collections, and diagnostics. Also, with quantum computing on the horizon, .NET 10 expands post-quantum cryptography support with Windows Cryptography API: Next Generation (CNG) support, enhanced ML-DSA with simplified APIs, and HashML-DSA support, plus Composite ML-DSA for hybrid approaches. Additional cryptography enhancements include AES KeyWrap with Padding support for secure key wrapping scenarios. The .NET 10 runtime boasts “significant improvements” in JIT inlining, method devirtualization, and stack allocations, Microsoft said. This includes Advanced Vector Extensions 10.2 support for cutting-edge Intel silicon, NativeAOT enhancements for smaller and faster ahead-of-time compiled apps, improved code generation for struct arguments, and enhanced loop inversion for better optimization.
Microsoft’s C# and F# languages get attention in the .NET 10 release. C# 14 introduces field-backed properties to provide a smoother path from auto-implemented properties to custom accessors. Also, nameof for unbound generic types lets developers use nameof(List<>) without requiring a type argument. Parameter modifiers in lambdas allow ref, in, or out without specifying parameter types explicitly. Partial instance constructors and events complement partial methods and properties from C# 13. Extension blocks add support for static extension methods and both static and instance extension properties, while null-conditional assignment using the ?.= operator offer cleaner null-safe code.
F# 10 brings language, library, and tooling enhancements designed to make programs safer, more resilient, and performant. Nullable reference types bring type safety to interactions with C# libraries, while optimized integral ranges speed up for loops and other comprehensions. Optimized equality checks avoid boxing and increase the performance of many common operations. Discriminated unions get autogenerated .Is* properties for quick case testing. The standard library now includes random functions for collections that are useful for data science and game development, Microsoft said. Developer productivity gets a boost from improved diagnostics, parse recovery, and various tool improvements.
