I developed with dotnet in an airgapped environment. Due to restrictions, you cannot use dozens of nuget packages. So, you create a nuget package repository in your airgapped environment. That's all it is. If you want something else, you use whatever the policy is to get a file from internet to airgapped side. When I wanted a newer version of a Nuget package, it took me 3-4 hours to get it on my workstation. But that's all.

Also, when you write something on those environments, you know users cannot install a runtime. So you get in touch with IT teams to ensure which version of runtime they are deploying. If and only if you have to update it for proper reasons, then they can deploy newer versions to the clients. For all or for a specific user base. This is how it works.

Without an actual business case or a security concern, you don't just go from a runtime to another, let's say 4.8 to 6.0. So yes, development in airgapped environments is PITA. But it's the same with Java, Python, Perl, etc. That's not the fault of the runtime but the development environment itself.

Presumably all development frameworks require you to explicitly list your dependencies, download/restore them with internet, then snapshot and copy that to your air-gapped environment?

That's exactly what you have to do here.

Is there a rule regarding developing for a .NET framework from within such an environment?

I understand OC issues with the difficulties associated with using M$ tools with limited internet but wonder if the "Air Gapped" example may be a bit extreme.

Being required to work from home while still meeting an employers' secure network policies might be more common.