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Microsoft.NET is a software development framework and ecosystem that allows for the rapid creation of desktop and online web applications. It is a popular free platform that is now utilized for a wide range of applications since it offers the programming environment for the majority of software development phases. .NET is best suited for enterprises that require a diverse set of capabilities such as web-based services, desktop software, and cloud infrastructure support.
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What is .Net Framework?
Microsoft’s .Net Framework is a software development framework for creating and operating Windows applications. It comprises developer tools, programming languages, and libraries that may be used to build desktop and web applications. It is also used to develop websites, web services, and games.
The .Net Framework was built to allow developers to construct operating systems on the Windows Platform. In the year 2002, the Net Framework was launched. The version was known as 1.0 of the Net Platform—the Microsoft Corporation. Since then, It has gone a long way, and the latest version is.4.7.2 Net Framework.
The framework also supports a number of programming languages, including Visual Studio Basic and C#. As a result, developers may choose and choose the language to construct the desired application. This chapter will teach you the fundamentals of the.Net framework.
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What Is .Net Development Platform?
The .NET Framework, .NET Core, Xamarin, and Universal Windows Platform (UWP) are the four varieties of .NET.
The.NET development platform refers to the combination of these implementations. Each of the .NET platforms includes frameworks and libraries for developing diverse apps.
.NET Framework
The earliest and oldest implementation of the platform is the.NET Framework, which was introduced in 2002. The primary application development paradigms are WPF, Windows-based Forms, ASP.NET Forms, and the Base Class Library.
- Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) is a graphical user interface (UI) framework mainly used for desktop client applications on Windows OS. WPF takes advantage of the Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML) features.
- Windows Forms is a.NET Framework GUI class library. Windows Forms are used to create desktop programs with rich visuals that are simple to modify and launch.
- ASP.NET. ASP.NET is used to construct dynamic web pages and web applications, whereas the preceding two components are built for desktop engineering. The Common Language Runtime (CLR) lies at its heart, allowing software developers to create ASP.NET code in any of the .NET languages.
- The Framework Class Library (FCL), a set of reusable interfaces, classes, and value types that is tightly linked with the basic Language Runtime (CLR), is built around the Base Class Library (BCL). It offers the most common functionality such as classes in namespaces. The.NET Framework is made up of the FCL and CLR components. ADO.NET, a data access technique developers use to access databases, is also included in the base class library.
A cross-platform package was necessary because the .NET Framework is limited to Windows-based devices.
10 Reasons to Use the .NET Framework
The.NET Framework has become widely used in programming, particularly in creating web-based and corporate NET Applications. In the 2020 Stack Overflow Development Survey, it was voted as the “most loved” framework, with 71.5% of software developers using it.
This enduring popularity is due to the framework’s numerous advantages for developers, including the ten listed below:
Language Compatibility
The version of the .NET framework supports a broad range of programming languages, including
- C++.
- C#
- F#
- IronPython
- IronRuby
- Visual Basic for Applications
- COBOL Visual
Developers may work in their preferred language, knowing it is compatible with the.NET framework library.
Version Compatibility
Compatibility between versions In contrast to some other frameworks, previous versions of the.net framework supports are entirely interoperable with newer versions. When .NET updates, the old code works perfectly—no changes are required.
Portability
In addition, the.NET Framework is very portable. All Framework-based apps may run on any Windows platform. Developers may design programs that operate on every primary OS, like Linux, macOS, and Windows, when the.NET Framework is incorporated into the larger.NET platform. It makes it simple for developers to construct cross-platform programs.
Speed
Another feature that developers like about.NET and the.NET Framework is their speed—quick. .NET is faster than any competitor web application framework, according to the TechEmpower benchmark.
Memory Management
For application memory management, the.NET Framework employs the Common Language Runtime. The CLR automatically discovers and shuts unnecessary system resources at regular intervals to free up memory.
Reliability
.NET Framework is the result of decades of use and development. It is unrivaled in dependability while running hundreds of bespoke applications.
Easy Deployment
NET Framework is similarly simple to set up. The framework includes several tools that developers may use to package .NET applications. When these packages are delivered, the program is automatically installed. To code in.NET, most developers use Microsoft’s Visual Studio, but it also works in many IDEs and code editors.
Large Class Library
The.NET Framework has a large class library of pre-tested code that developers may incorporate into their applications. This Framework Class Library boosts developer efficiency while reducing development time.
Side-By-Side Execution
Developers may run various app versions side by side since the .NET Framework allows several versions of the Common Language Runtime to operate on the same computer. It allows for the comparison of different versions and simplifies troubleshooting.
Security
Before allowing access to a program or its open-source code, the NET Framework verifies it. As a result, the development environment is very safe, and the apps are more resistant to hostile operations.
How Is .NET Installed on My System?
The common type system of.NET would be included in each new version of Windows. The performances were supposed to be backward compatible, but that could have gone better. Not all programs were consistent with the subsequent versions. On workstations running Windows XP and Vista, several versions of.NET were frequently installed.
Any given version of the.NET Framework might be installed in one of three ways:
- It may be included in the default installation of your version of Windows.
- A program may be installed during installation if it requires a certain version.
- Some programs may even direct you to a different download location to obtain and install a specific version of the.NET Framework.
Fortunately, current versions of Windows run more smoothly. Two significant events occurred during the Windows Vista era. Apps that needed previous versions would now function if you just had version 3.5 installed. Second, improvements to the.NET Framework were eventually made available via Windows Update.
Together, these two factors meant that developers could now rely on consumers already installing the necessary components and no longer had to ask them to undertake further installations.
Conclusion
Many bespoke apps need the use of the .NET Framework. If your company is developing consumer applications or sourcing bespoke apps to interact with your systems, you should grasp what the .NET Framework is and how it works.
