How is the .NET Core SDK related to using .NET Standard libraries in .NET Framework projects?

Question

The .NET implementation support table says that .NET Framework 4.6.1 implements .NET Standard 2.0. I understand this means I can reference libraries targeting .NET Standard 2.0 in a project targeting .NET Framework 4.6.1, and indeed I can add such a NuGet package to my project.

However, the table refers to .NET Framework as ".NET Framework (with .NET Core 2.0 SDK)". How is .NET Core related to this? Is this what Microsoft refers to when they speak of "tooling", eg the Visual Studio 15.3 update? If so, I assume build servers need to be updated to support the scenario from the first paragraph, is that correct?

Answer 1

Yes, previously .NET Framework 4.6.1 only supported .NET Standard from 1.0 to 1.4, but using the new tooling (.NET Core 2.0 SDK) it supports all .NET Standard versions. The .NET Core SDK has targets and refs and libraries necessary to make the .NET Standard library work in a .NET Framework application. The Visual Studio 15.3 update doesn't include the new tooling.