For the most part, VC++ & .NET Frameworks are backwards compatible with apps written for older versions.
Some apps are written on a specific version of the VC++ framework, which was available when the devs started work. The labor cost for software QA can be very high, and the software publisher may not want to spend money re-qualifying their app for later frameworks. They will only guarantee the app works on the specific version it was written for.
This is why some major apps always include a specific copy of VC++ in the installer, even if you already have a similar version.
If you have older apps (like legacy games), they will expect to use older VC++ versions. You also need both x86 & x64 releases, because some programs were never provided in 64-bit form.
In my experience, the most popular versions of VC++ you should keep:
- 2008 (for legacy apps)
- 2010 (for legacy apps)
- 2013
- 2015-2022
For .NET platform:
- 3.5 (for legacy apps)
- 4.8
- 5.0
