.NET Framework

.NET is a software framework that includes everything required for developing software for web services. It integrates presentation technologies, component technologies and data technologies on a single platform so as to enable users to develop Internet applications as easily as they do on desktop systems.
Microsoft .NET platform includes the following components that would help develop a new generation of Smart Internet Services:

  • .NET infrastructure and tools
  • .NET user experience
  • .NET building block
  • .NET device software

The .NET platform provides a new environment for creating and running robust, scalable, distributed applications all over the Web. The .NET Framework is one of the tools provided by the .NET infrastructure and tools of the .NET platform as given below figure:


.NET Framework

Features of .NET Framework:

1. Common Language Runtime (CLR): The CLR is the runtime environment that manages the execution of .NET programs. It provides services such as memory management, exception handling, and security.

2. Base Class Library (BCL): The BCL is a collection of reusable classes, interfaces, and value types that provide basic functionality for .NET applications. It includes classes for file I/O, networking, collections, and more.

3. Language Independence: .NET supports multiple programming languages, including C#, Visual Basic .NET (VB.NET), and F#. Code written in these languages can interoperate seamlessly within the .NET Framework.

4. NET: A web framework within the .NET Framework used for building web applications and services. It provides features such as web forms, MVC (Model-View-Controller) architecture, and Web API for building RESTful services.

5. Windows Forms and WPF: Windows Forms and Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) are frameworks for building desktop applications. Windows Forms uses a traditional event-driven model, while WPF provides a more modern, scalable approach using XAML for defining UI elements.

6. Integration with Visual Studio: Visual Studio is Microsoft’s integrated development environment (IDE) for .NET development. It provides tools for designing, coding, testing, and debugging .NET applications.

7. Cross-platform Development: With the introduction of .NET Core (and later .NET 5+), Microsoft moved towards a more modular and cross-platform approach. .NET 5+ is designed to be used for developing applications that can run on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

8. Extensive Community and Ecosystem: The .NET ecosystem includes a large community of developers, open-source libraries (via NuGet), and third-party tools that enhance productivity and extend the capabilities of .NET applications.