# .NET and .NET Framework > Choose between .NET 8 to 10 and the .NET Framework 4.x for a Windows Forms app with TX Text Control: versions, files, licensing, designer and publishing. - **Product:** TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms - **Section:** Documentation - **Kind:** Topic - **Path:** TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms > Installation Guide > System Requirements > .NET and .NET Framework - **1060 words** - **Web URL:** https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/requirements/dotnet/ - **LLMs URL:** https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/requirements/dotnet/llms.txt - **LLMs-Full URL:** https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/requirements/dotnet/llms-full.txt --- TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms 34.0 works in both kinds of Windows Forms projects that Visual Studio creates: projects for .NET 8 or higher and projects for the .NET Framework 4.x. The versions each kind supports are listed below, together with what differs between them in files, licensing and the designer, so that you can choose the right one for a new application. ### Supported Versions | Framework | Versions | TX Text Control files | |---|---|---| | .NET | .NET 8, .NET 9 and .NET 10 | The NuGet package `TXTextControl.TextControl.WinForms.SDK` | | .NET Framework | 4.0, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7 and 4.8 | The assemblies installed by the setup | ### .NET 8 or Higher The NuGet package `TXTextControl.TextControl.WinForms.SDK` targets .NET 8, and its description names .NET 8.0 or higher Windows Forms applications. Text Control tested the newer versions: - **.NET 8** is supported in Windows Forms applications since version 32.0 with Service Pack 2. - **.NET 9** was tested with Windows Forms applications, the NuGet packages and the designer. - **.NET 10** is supported by version 34.0 since its release. Text Control tested Windows Forms applications, the NuGet packages and the tools in Visual Studio 2026, and applications need no code changes to move to it. .NET 8 and .NET 10 are Long Term Support releases, and .NET 9 is a Standard Term Support release. Microsoft's [.NET support policy](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/platform/support/policy/dotnet-core) states how long each version receives updates. Since version 33.0, the package requires .NET 8 or higher. The 32.0 package still targeted .NET 6 in its latest service packs, so an application on .NET 6 or .NET 7 moves to .NET 8 or higher before it uses version 34.0. A .NET project is created in Visual Studio with the **Windows Forms App** template. You add the package from the package source **Text Control Offline Packages**, and the controls appear in the toolbox. See [Create Your First Windows Forms Application](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/getting-started/document-editor/first-application/llms-full.txt). ### .NET Framework The requirements documentation of TX Text Control .NET for Windows Forms names the .NET Framework 4.0, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7 and 4.8. A .NET Framework project is created with the **Windows Forms App (.NET Framework)** template, and the tutorial for it selects the .NET Framework 4.8. The project references the assemblies in the *Assembly* folder of the installation, and the setup creates the toolbox tab. See [Create a .NET Framework Application](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/getting-started/document-editor/dotnet-framework/llms-full.txt). ### What Differs Between the Two | | .NET 8 or higher | .NET Framework | |---|---|---| | TX Text Control files | NuGet package `TXTextControl.TextControl.WinForms.SDK` | Assemblies in the *Assembly* folder of the installation | | Toolbox items | Added by the package | Added by the setup | | License | The package embeds the license file *txtextcontrol.winforms.license* into your assembly. No *licenses.licx* file is needed. | The license compiler embeds the license from the entries in *licenses.licx*. | | Publishing | Visual Studio **Publish**, with a target runtime such as `win-x64`, copies the required files | You ship the assemblies and native libraries yourself | - **Licensing.** Since version 32.0 with Service Pack 2, .NET projects no longer use the license compiler. .NET Framework projects still do, and since version 30.0 the entries in *licenses.licx* contain the full assembly version. See [Development Licenses](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/licensing/development/llms-full.txt). - **The designer.** The Visual Studio designer for .NET Windows Forms projects is supported since version 31.0. Both project types use the same smart tags and toolbox items. See [Visual Studio Toolbox and Designer](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/toolbox/llms-full.txt). - **Deployment.** [Publishing .NET Applications](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/deployment/dotnet/llms-full.txt) and [Deploying .NET Framework Applications](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/deployment/dotnet-framework/llms-full.txt) describe the files each project type ships. ### Which One to Choose For a new application, use .NET. Text Control recommends .NET 10 as the basis for a new development cycle. Keep the .NET Framework for an existing application that is not ready to move. When it is, [Migrating from .NET Framework to .NET](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/upgrading/from-dotnet-framework/llms-full.txt) describes the steps: replace the assembly references with the NuGet package and delete *licenses.licx*. ### Related Pages - [Supported Platforms](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/overview/platforms/llms-full.txt): the platforms at a glance. - [Windows Versions](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/requirements/windows/llms-full.txt): the Windows versions for development and the Windows components the application needs. - [Visual Studio](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/requirements/visual-studio/llms-full.txt): the Visual Studio versions and project templates. - [Package Overview](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/nuget/packages/llms-full.txt): what the NuGet package contains. --- ## Nearby - **Previous:** [System Requirements](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/requirements/llms-full.txt) - **Next:** [Windows Versions](https://docs.textcontrol.com/tx-text-control-dotnet-winforms/installation/requirements/windows/llms-full.txt)