On Windows only: does net5.0-windows (or net6.0-windows) allow me to recompile .Net framework in .Net 5 ( or .Net 6)?

Question

I have .Net framework apps, that are intended to run only on Windows, now and forever.

I am thinking about upgrading them to .Net 5 or .Net 6, and target them to net5.0-windows (or net6.0-windows). From MS website it says that

net5.0-windows will be used to expose Windows-specific functionality, including Windows Forms, WPF and WinRT APIs.

Does that mean that my .Net framework apps can be recompiled in .Net 6, as long as I specify the net-windows target and the csproject upgrade and compilation is successful, the program will just work? I just intend them to run on Windows, now and always.

My apps also consume a lot of .Net framework 2.0/3.5/4.6 dlls ( mostly they are involved with OpenGL and other graphic things), which I can only assume to have no general port to .Net 5 or .Net 6, and which the source code is no longer available even to me ( they are from close-source third party providers).

Answer 1

Does that mean that my .Net framework apps can be recompiled in .Net 6,

Yes

the program will just work?

Most likely it will, but one should do a full regression test to verify.

My apps also consume a lot of .Net framework 2.0/3.5/4.6 dlls

If you can't migrate to .Net 4.8, then chances are slim that one can be able to migrate into .Net core.

( mostly they are involved with OpenGL and other graphic things), which I can only assume to have no general port to .Net 5 or .Net 6

Each one has to be taken on as a case by case basis; you may have just actually answered your own question. Say Goodnight Gracey...

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What may better serve you is to create a docker container which will serve up the older versions of these app(s) which has the target version of the frameworks which currently work.