How to Install .NET 8 SDK: Step-by-Step Guide




If you are starting with C# and .NET development, one of the first things you need to install is the .NET SDK.

The .NET SDK includes everything you need to build and run .NET applications, including the .NET CLI, compiler, runtime, and project templates.

In this guide, you will learn how to install .NET 8 SDK on Windows, Linux, and macOS, how to verify the installation, and how to create your first .NET 8 application.

What Is .NET 8?

.NET 8 is a Long Term Support (LTS) release of Microsoft's .NET platform.

It can be used to build:

  • ASP.NET Core Web APIs

  • MVC applications

  • Blazor applications

  • Console applications

  • Worker services

  • Desktop applications

  • Cloud applications

  • Cross-platform applications

If you want to develop applications targeting .NET 8, you should install the .NET 8 SDK.

SDK vs Runtime: What Should You Install?

Before installing .NET, it is important to understand the difference between the SDK and Runtime.

.NET SDK

The SDK is required when you want to develop and build .NET applications.

It includes:

  • .NET runtime

  • C# compiler

  • .NET CLI

  • Project templates

  • Build tools

  • NuGet tooling

.NET Runtime

The runtime is mainly required to run applications that have already been built.

For development, install the .NET SDK rather than only the runtime.

Step 1: Download the .NET 8 SDK

Go to Microsoft's official .NET download page:

Download .NET 8 SDK from Microsoft

Look for the SDK section.

Choose the installer for your operating system.

For a typical Windows development machine, choose the Windows x64 SDK installer.

Tip: Make sure you select the SDK, not just the Runtime.

Step 2: Install .NET 8 on Windows

After downloading the installer, open the .exe file.

The .NET SDK installation wizard will appear.

Click:

Install

Windows may ask for administrator permission.

Allow the installation to continue.

Once the installation is complete, click:

Close

The .NET 8 SDK should now be installed on your computer.

Step 3: Verify the Installation

Open Command Prompt, PowerShell, or Windows Terminal.

Run:

dotnet --version

You should see a .NET 8 SDK version, for example:

8.0.xxx

The exact patch version may be different depending on the latest .NET 8 servicing release installed on your machine.

You can also run:

dotnet --info

This displays additional information about your .NET installation.

For example, you can see:

  • SDK version

  • Runtime versions

  • Operating system

  • Architecture

  • Installed SDKs

  • Installed runtimes

Step 4: Check All Installed .NET SDKs

If you have multiple versions of .NET installed, run:

dotnet --list-sdks

You may see something similar to:

8.0.4xx [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]
10.0.xxx [C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk]

This means multiple SDK versions are installed.

Having multiple .NET SDK versions installed on the same machine is normal.

You can also check installed runtimes with:

dotnet --list-runtimes

Step 5: Create a .NET 8 Console Application

Now let's verify that the SDK can actually create and build a .NET 8 project.

Create a new console application:

dotnet new console -n HelloDotNet8

Move into the project directory:

cd HelloDotNet8

Open the project file:

HelloDotNet8.csproj

You should see a target framework similar to:

<TargetFramework>net8.0</TargetFramework>

This tells .NET that the project targets .NET 8.

Step 6: Run the Application

Run:

dotnet run

You should see:

Hello, World!

Congratulations! Your .NET 8 development environment is working.

Step 7: Build the Application

You can also build the project using:

dotnet build

If the build succeeds, you should see output indicating that the project was built successfully.

The compiled files will normally be placed under:

bin\Debug\net8.0

Installing .NET 8 on Linux

.NET 8 can also be installed on Linux distributions such as Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, and others.

Microsoft provides installation instructions for supported Linux distributions.

Install .NET on Linux — Microsoft Learn

For Ubuntu, Microsoft provides package-based installation instructions.

After installation, verify it with:

dotnet --version

Then check the installed SDKs:

dotnet --list-sdks

Installing .NET 8 on macOS

For macOS, download the appropriate .NET SDK installer from Microsoft's official download page.

Download .NET 8 SDK for macOS

Choose the appropriate architecture for your Mac.

For example, newer Apple Silicon Macs use the Arm64 architecture, while Intel-based Macs use x64.

After installation, open Terminal and run:

dotnet --version

Then verify the installed SDKs:

dotnet --list-sdks

Do You Need Visual Studio?

No.

You can develop .NET applications using the .NET SDK and the command line alone.

However, IDEs and code editors can make development easier.

Popular options include:

  • Visual Studio

  • Visual Studio Code

  • JetBrains Rider

The important requirement is that the appropriate .NET SDK is installed.

How to Check Whether a Project Uses .NET 8

Open the .csproj file.

Look for:

<TargetFramework>net8.0</TargetFramework>

For example:

<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">

  <PropertyGroup>
    <OutputType>Exe</OutputType>
    <TargetFramework>net8.0</TargetFramework>
    <ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
    <Nullable>enable</Nullable>
  </PropertyGroup>

</Project>

The important part is:

<TargetFramework>net8.0</TargetFramework>

Common Problems When Installing .NET 8

1. dotnet Command Not Found

If you run:

dotnet --version

and receive an error indicating that dotnet is not recognized, the SDK may not be installed correctly or the PATH environment variable may not have been updated.

Try opening a new terminal window first.

If the problem continues, verify that the .NET installation exists and that the installation directory is included in your system PATH.

2. Only the Runtime Is Installed

If you installed only the .NET Runtime, you may not be able to create or build applications.

For development, install the .NET 8 SDK.

Check:

dotnet --list-sdks

If no .NET 8 SDK appears, install the SDK.

3. Multiple SDK Versions Are Installed

You might have .NET 8 and newer .NET SDKs installed at the same time.

For example:

8.0.xxx
10.0.xxx

This is supported.

You can check which SDK is being used in a particular project with:

dotnet --version

You can also use a global.json file when you need to control SDK selection for a project or solution.

.NET 8 Installation Checklist

Before starting development, verify the following:

  • .NET 8 SDK is installed

  • dotnet --version works

  • dotnet --list-sdks shows .NET 8

  • A .NET 8 project can be created

  • dotnet build succeeds

  • dotnet run works

  • The project targets net8.0

Useful .NET CLI Commands

Here are some commands you will use frequently:

CommandPurpose
dotnet --versionDisplays the active SDK version
dotnet --infoDisplays detailed .NET information
dotnet --list-sdksLists installed SDKs
dotnet --list-runtimesLists installed runtimes
dotnet newCreates a new project
dotnet restoreRestores NuGet packages
dotnet buildBuilds a project
dotnet runBuilds and runs a project
dotnet testRuns tests
dotnet publishPublishes an application

Conclusion

Installing .NET 8 is straightforward.

For development, install the .NET 8 SDK, rather than only the runtime. After installation, use:

dotnet --version

to verify the SDK.

You can then create your first .NET 8 application with:

dotnet new console -n HelloDotNet8
cd HelloDotNet8
dotnet run

If the application displays:

Hello, World!

your .NET 8 development environment is ready.

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