| Technology | Pros | Cons | |------------|------|------| | ( System.Net.Sockets ) | Fully supported, async, IPv6, TLS | Requires .NET (modern Windows has it) | | WinHTTP / WinSock2 directly (C++/C#) | Native, fast, secure | More code | | Python sockets | Simple, cross-platform | Needs Python runtime | | PowerShell Net.Sockets | Scriptable, no compile | Performance overhead | | VB6 + Winsock replacement (e.g., csSock.dll ) | Some free alternatives exist | Still legacy |