.NET 10 RC1: Now Available for Production! What’s New and In-Depth Analysis

That time of year is here again. You can almost feel the buzz of a new .NET version in the air. Microsoft has just launched .NET 10 Release Candidate 1 (RC1), and this isn’t just another preview. It’s the first major step toward the final version we’ll see in November, and as always, it comes loaded with promises of performance, new features, and a ton of excitement.

But beyond the headline, what does this RC1 really mean for us, the developers? Is it just for experimenting, or can we take it further? I’ve analyzed the official announcement, the release notes, and each new feature to tell you everything: what’s new, why it matters, and where to find more information.

The Key to RC1: What Does the “Go-Live” License Really Mean?

This is, without a doubt, the most important point and the one that generates the most discussion. The fact that .NET 10 RC1 comes with a “go-live” license is much more than just a label.

• Real Production Support: “Go-live” means that if you decide to launch an application built with this RC, Microsoft is committed to supporting you. This includes patches for any critical bugs or security vulnerabilities that may arise.
• Stable API: The API contract is considered stable. You shouldn’t expect drastic changes that would break your code between now and the final version, which gives you great confidence to start building.
• Competitive Advantage: For startups and new projects, this provides a competitive edge. You can start building on the most modern platform from day one, taking advantage of the latest performance improvements and features without waiting for the official November release.

Technical Analysis: A Feature Deep-Dive, Area by Area

This is where things get interesting. Microsoft has combined a focus on core quality with a wave of powerful new features in the application frameworks.

A Focus on Quality: The Core Becomes Rock-Solid

Before we get to the new features, let’s talk about stability. The announcement makes it clear that for many central components, the work has been 100% focused on quality. Areas like the Runtime, SDK, C#, F#, Visual Basic, WPF, and Container Images have primarily received fixes and optimizations. This is fantastic news it means the foundation on which the new features are built is more robust than ever.

Libraries: Preparing for the Quantum and AI Future

Here we see some of the most innovative bets of .NET 10:

• Post-Quantum Cryptography: With “API Complete” status for algorithms like ML-DSA, .NET is preparing for a future where quantum computing could break current cryptographic standards.
• New Tensor Types: The introduction of Tensor<T>, TensorSpan<T>, and ReadOnlyTensorSpan<T> provides powerful tools for complex mathematical operations, especially geared towards Machine Learning and AI directly in .NET.
• Check out the full Libraries Release Notes.

ASP.NET Core & Blazor: Improvements You’ll Notice in Your Daily Work

Web development gets a major boost with very practical improvements:

• Persistent Component State for Enhanced Navigation: A key improvement to make Blazor Single Page Applications (SPAs) feel smoother and more robust.
• New ASP.NET Core Identity Metrics: More observability over authentication and authorization in your applications.
• Validation and OpenAPI Improvements: These simplify the creation of Minimal APIs and ensure your Swagger/OpenAPI documentation is more accurate.
• Read all What’s New in ASP.NET Core and Blazor.

.NET MAUI: Enhanced Diagnostics and Components

Cross-platform development gets refined with:

• Diagnostics and Metrics Tracking: Fundamental for understanding the performance and issues of your apps on users’ devices.
• HybridWebView Events: Greater control over web content embedded in your native applications.
• Experimental: CoreCLR Support on Android: A glimpse into the future of .NET performance on Android, using the same runtime as the desktop.
• Check out the full .NET MAUI Release Notes.

Windows Forms: Dark Mode is Finally a Reality!

One of the most requested features from the community for years:

• Fully Integrated Dark Mode: WinForms now natively supports dark mode, allowing you to modernize the look and feel of legacy desktop applications with minimal effort.
• Read all What’s New in Windows Forms.

Entity Framework Core 10: AI Comes to SQL Server

EF Core is packed with game-changing features for data access:

• Vector Search in SQL Server: This is huge! It allows you to perform similarity searches directly in SQL Server, opening the door to AI applications (like RAGs) in a much more integrated way.
• JSON Type Support in SQL Server: Another highly anticipated feature that vastly simplifies working with JSON documents stored in SQL Server.
• Complex Types: Improves how we model our domain in code.
• Read all What’s New in Entity Framework Core.

How to Get Started with .NET 10 RC1: Your Checklist

Ready to try it out? Here’s what you need:

1. Download the .NET 10 SDK.
2. Install Visual Studio 2026 Insiders. This is the IDE version prepared for this RC.
3. If you use Visual Studio Code, make sure you have the latest C# Dev Kit extension.

Join the Community Conversation

The .NET team is very active and wants your feedback.

• Join the weekly Community Standups.
• Follow the .NET 10 Discussions on GitHub to give your feedback and see what other developers are talking about.

Strategic Conclusion and Recommendation

This RC1 is not just an incremental update; it’s a solid foundation packed with forward-looking features (post-quantum cryptography, vector search) and practical improvements that solve real-world problems (dark mode in WinForms, JSON support in EF Core).

The recommendation is clear:

• For new projects: It’s a very attractive option if you want to be on the cutting edge.
• For existing projects: It’s the perfect time to start migration testing in a separate branch.
• For learning: It’s a must. Download it and start experimenting with the new APIs.

FAQ – .NET 10 RC1 Quick Question

What does “Release Candidate” (RC) actually mean?

A Release Candidate is a version that has the potential to become the final release. It’s released to the community for large-scale testing to find any potential “showstoppers” before the official launch.

If it has a “go-live” license, does that mean it’s 100% stable and bug-free?

It means it’s supported by Microsoft in production. Like any software, it may have bugs, but it’s considered stable enough to build real applications on, and you will receive official support if you run into problems.

Is .NET 10 an LTS (Long-Term Support) version?

Yes. Following Microsoft’s release cycle, even-numbered .NET versions (.NET 6, .NET 8, .NET 10) are LTS, which means they will be supported for 3 years.

Do I need to uninstall .NET 8 to install .NET 10 RC1?

No. .NET installations are “side-by-side,” which means you can have multiple versions installed on your machine without them conflicting.