You have a .NET app that needs to read a customer's spreadsheet or produce a report in Excel format, and the server has no copy of Microsoft Excel. Automating Office through Interop is fragile on a server, and it is no help at all on Linux or in a container. IronXL, sold as The C# Excel Library, takes a different route: it is a .NET library that reads and writes Excel files directly, with no Office installation involved.
Quick facts
- Type: .NET library for reading, writing and editing spreadsheets
- Languages: C#, VB.NET and F#
- Platforms: Windows (x64, x86), Mac (x64, ARM), Linux (x64), plus Docker, Azure and AWS
- Formats: XLSX, XLS, XLSM, XLTX, CSV and TSV, with export to JSON, HTML and XML
- License: perpetual, with the Lite tier starting at $999 for one developer and one project
- Trial: 30 days, full features, no credit card
- Refunds: 30-day money-back guarantee
Key features
Read and write spreadsheets without Excel or Interop
You load a file with WorkBook.Load(), pick a worksheet and read cells by address. Because nothing depends on Office, the same code runs on a web server, a Linux container or a cloud function.
Work with ranges the way you think about them in Excel
Ranges use the familiar WorkSheet["A1:B10"] notation. You can loop over them, sort them, trim or clear them, and calculate Sum, Min, Max and Average. The ranges are LINQ-compatible, so a query like finding the largest decimal value in a column is a single line.
Formulas that recalculate as you edit
You can add and change formulas, and results are recalculated on every edit. You then read the computed values back in code.
Move data to and from DataSet and DataTable
Worksheets convert to System.Data.DataSet and DataTable objects and back. That makes importing a spreadsheet into a database workflow, or exporting query results to a workbook, a short job.
Style cells, add charts and images, and format conditionally
You can set fonts, borders, alignment, backgrounds and number formats, and add hyperlinks, merged cells, freeze panes and autosized columns. Charts and images can be created and edited, and conditional formatting is available.
Password-protect workbooks and worksheets
You can set passwords on workbooks and encrypt individual worksheets. It can also open, edit and save password-protected spreadsheets.
Who it's for
It suits .NET developers building reporting, import/export or data-processing features into web apps, desktop apps, console tools and microservices. It fits especially well if you deploy to Linux, Docker, Azure or AWS, where Office Interop is not an option. It also suits teams that want to ship Excel features quickly using code examples and tutorials, with engineer-led support behind them.
Pros and cons
Pros
- No Microsoft Excel or Office Interop needed on the machine
- Runs across Windows, Mac and Linux and in containers and cloud services
- Broad format support, including CSV, TSV, JSON and HTML export
- Perpetual license, with a free 30-day full-featured trial
- Simple range syntax and DataTable conversion keep the code short
Cons
- It is a code library with no end-user interface, so it is only useful if you write .NET code
- The entry license starts at $999 and covers one developer, one location and one project
- Only the first year of support and updates is included; after that you buy extensions
- Redistribution in a shipped product or SaaS needs extra coverage at extra cost
FAQs
Do I need Excel installed on the server?
No. The library reads and writes the files itself and does not use Office Interop.
Which file formats can it handle?
It reads and writes XLS, XLSX, XLSM, XLTX, CSV and TSV. It can also export to JSON, HTML and XML.
Can I try it before buying?
Yes. The 30-day trial unlocks the full product, and a 30-day money-back guarantee applies to licenses.
Is the license a subscription?
Licenses are perpetual, a one-time purchase. Support and product updates are included for the first year and can be extended later.
Can I get it through NuGet?
Yes. The package name is IronXL.Excel, installed with Install-Package IronXL.Excel.
System requirements
- .NET: .NET 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5 and Core 3.1+, .NET Standard 2.0+, or .NET Framework 4.6.2+
- Operating systems: Windows 10+ and Server 2016+, macOS 10+, and Linux distributions such as Ubuntu, Debian and CentOS
- Processors: Windows x64 and x86, Mac x64 and ARM, Linux x64
- Environments: Docker, Azure (VPS, WebApp, Function) and AWS (EC2, Lambda)
- IDEs: Microsoft Visual Studio, JetBrains Rider and ReSharper