asp Dot Net Programming Languages

Frequently Asked Questions About Dot Net Programming Languages

What is .NET?

.NET is a software framework designed by Microsoft, with the first version released in 2002. According to Microsoft, the platform is an open source used to build applications such as web and mobile software, games, the Internet of Things (IoT), and the cloud. It was also developed to support an infinite number of developer languages, editors, and libraries.

The platform can also be defined as a virtual machine that executes and compiles programs written in various languages such as VB.Net, C#, and others.

.NET Framework presents the required compile-time and runtime base to develop and run languages conforming to the Common Language Specification (CLS). Generally, the two major components and .NET Framework languages are .NET Framework Class Library (FCL) and Common Language Runtime (CLR).

What are .NET Languages?

.NET Languages are programming languages developers or coders use to create programs that execute within the .NET Framework. The languages give programming rules coders utilize to build various and extensive applications. According to the Journal of Physics, Department of Physics, University of Washington (1),

“The .NET languages on the Microsoft platform (and Mono) are, in many ways more advanced than C++, incorporating recent research into programming languages. Functional features, like lambda functions and Language Integrated Query (LINQ), make languages like C# more expressive.” 

– Journal of Physics

While Microsoft creates the most popular .NET languages, many other companies have developed different versions compatible with the platform.

Popular Languages Used in .NET

Experts and novice .NET users should endeavor to understand to stay updated on the different languages used in the software development process. .NET presents technologies and tools developers need to create Networked Applications, according to DeveOpsSchool. Since this platform takes and utilizes many languages in different environments, here are the most commonly used in .NET

C# Language

C# is Microsoft’s most popular language, a mixture of C++ and Java. The language is common in mobile and web applications through ASP.NET and ASP.NET core and IoT programming and development. Microsofts indicates that it’s purely object-oriented. It remains a significant component in creating Windows desktop applications, utilizing WPF and WinForms. Most users find C# easier to learn than other Java and C languages which makes it very popular and common (2).

“Hundreds of thousands of companies worldwide use C# to power their business across a vast array of industries including media, finance, healthcare, gaming, and more.”

– Microsoft Windows

Generally, this language is easy to optimize and improve, scalable, and lightweight. It also has better load balancing and memory allocation. Microsoft has created a Java Language Conversion Assistant to make it easier for developers, which converts Java language source code into C#. It was mainly designed to optimize all the intricacies of .NET and software quality assurance.

F# Language

F# is mainly utilized as a cross-platform language on .NET. This open-source programming language was created to quickly write robust, performant, concise code. Still, developers can use it for processing graphics and JavaScript generation. The language is excellent for specialties such as data analysis and scientific programming.

Many developers state that F# gives you conciseness and simplicity, like Python, with correctness and performance beyond Java and C#. This language is reliable for domain and data-driven development and can now be compiled into JavaScript. Since it has a lightweight syntax that requires little code for software building and is backed by a robust type system and standard library, it’s convenient for .NET.

F# is also used to build interactive programming, machine learning, data science, and minimal web APIs for data manipulation.

Visual Basic.NET

Visual Basic.NET (VB.NET) is an approachable object-oriented and multi-paradigm programing language created by Microsoft. This makes it fast and easy to develop type-safe .NET applications. VB.NET is a redesigned version of the original Visual Basic developed in the 90s as a Microsoft flagship programming language.

VB.NET offers advanced language innovations better than its previous versions. The language supports constructors, stricter type checking, free threading, constructor overloading, structured exceptions, polymorphism, and others.

C++ Language

C++ is a popular programming language used to develop computer programs and the most common in game creation and other high-performance applications. Most programmers use this general-purpose coding language to develop operating systems, applications, browsers like Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Opera, data structures, software engineering, and more.

Bjarne Stroustrup developed this program in 1979 as a middle-level programming language. According to Stroustrup, C++ was made as a base for real-world software development. The language is also case-sensitive, supporting object-oriented procedural and generic programming compatible with various platforms such as Windows, Mac OS, UNIX, and others. Its compatibility with different programs makes it suitable and effective in the .NET Framework.

Due to its versatility, C++ is considered a foundation language for many other programming languages, extensions, and platforms, thus making it highly compatible with .NET (3).

“C++ is a general purpose, object-oriented, middle-level programming language and is an extension of C language, which makes it possible to code C++ in a “C style”. “

-Computer Science

J#

J# is another popular programming language created by Microsoft based on Java. The language compiles into the Microsoft Intermediate Language (MSIL) for .NET. It also supports the J/Direct interface to Windows and COM objects. J# also provides developers with tools for creating Java applications and easy transitions that work on Microsoft’s .NET runtime platform and Framework library.

J# quickly moves Visual J++ software to .NET and is considered the most productive Java IDE on the market. This language also runs several existing Java applications after a simple binary conversion or recompile. One primary goal for J# by Microsoft is to provide Java coders easy access to the .NET platform.

PowerShell

PowerShell combines a scripting language, a command-line shell, and a configuration framework making it a cross-platform task automation solution. It’s built on the .NET Framework, made open-source in August 2016, and runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Since it’s built upon .NET, it is easy to develop scripts, run tasks, start applications, and manage systems remotely, especially by nearshore developers or locally. Typically, PowerShell is utilized for automating systems management.

JScript.NET

JScript.NET is a scripting language created by Microsoft for .NET programming. Microsoft developed it on the previous standards of JavaScript. This object-oriented programming language supports function overloading, inheritance, classes, polymorphism, and other features. Besides C++, JScript is the only different standardized language available on the .NET platform. It gives developers the certainty of ongoing multi-vendor support for this language.

IronPython

IronPython is a cross-platform and open-source implementation of the popular Python programming language tightly integrated with .NET. It functions as an extension to the .NET Framework, but .NET projects can utilize it to capitalize on Python’s scripting power.

Since Python is easy to learn and read and has a large community contributing to its knowledge, IronPython brings its vast tools and resources to the .NET Framework. In turn, it allows Python users to tap into .NET for their coding and programming needs.

TypeScript

TypeScript is a robust programming language that extends JavaScript and enhances a developer’s experience allowing them to add type safety to their projects. It also presents features such as abstract classes, function overloading, type aliases, generics, interfaces, tuples, and more.

This free, open-source programming language, built and managed by Microsoft, advances ergonomics through type-based auto-completion in IDEs.

PHP through Phalanger

This is a popular web-based and general-purpose scripting language. Phalanger allows programmers to do PHP development through .NET. Phalanger is a front-end compiler for compiling PHP source code. It further compiles PHP code to MSIL and remains fully compatible with PHP behavior.

How many languages is .NET supporting now?

The most popular programming languages used in .NET mainly support about 11 languages expressly developed or introduced by Microsoft and more than 50 other non-Microsoft programming languages supported by various .NET entities (4).

“Managed code benefits from features such as cross-language integration, cross-language exception handling, enhanced security, versioning and deployment support, a simplified model for component interaction, and debugging and profiling services.”

– Microsoft Windows 

.NET functions on a common language infrastructure, a runtime environment based on Microsoft that includes type checking, supports arrays, garbage, and checks variables, making it a durable, robust, and product platform compatible with several languages.

What are the main components of the .NET framework?

While developers commonly use .NET to build different applications, it comprises four major components. These are mainly anchored on the Common Language Infrastructure (CLI). High-level languages can be executed through CLI in diverse system setups according to ISO. These components include,

• .NET Class Library
• Common Language Runtime that consists of the Common Type System
• Unifying Components, mainly Windows Forms and ASP.NET
• Visual Studio .NET

.NET Class Library

This is a collection of hundreds of objects and classes that programmers can use from any .NET language. The .NET Class Library includes processing files, debugging, working with XML and security sub-systems, creating programs with a graphical interface, and more.

Common Language Runtime

Common Language Runtime offers managed execution functions to programs that target the .NET Framework. This .NET component also provides benefits such as error handling, configuration management, security services, and component lifetime management. This makes it easy to write, deploy, and manage applications. Generally, the Common Language Runtime is comparable to the Internet Explorer scripting engine, except it functions in all programming languages targeting the .NET Framework.

Common Type System

The Common Type System (CTS) is a component of the Common Language Runtime. In all .NET languages, CTS is a standard set of data types that enable programs to easily exchange data and interoperate regardless of their implementation language.

Unifying Components

This component compiles all the key .NET Framework elements based on ASP.NET and Windows Forms.

ASP.NET

ASP.NET makes it easy to build Web services and applications by providing a Web-based application model with controls and the necessary components. It also has advanced rendering capabilities based on the browser accessing an ASP.NET page.

Windows Forms

Windows Forms exposes a standard set of controls to all .NET languages making it easy to develop Windows applications that mainly execute on a graphical interface and a user’s system, thus providing a rich user experience.

Visual Studio .NET

This component integrates the best of Visual C++, Visual InterDev, and Visual Basic creation platforms while adding new features. These include tools such as XML editor, Visual Modeler, To Do list, and other supported languages.

.NET Features

.NET provides a range of features that make it reliable, portable, scalable, and robust for many developers. These features also help programmers to build applications for modern and future business needs in the most common programming languages. They also present a device-independent computing model and platform in a managed environment. The most common features are,

• Common Type System
• Multi-language
• Tool Support
• Security
• Common Executive Environment
• Automatic Resource Management
• Easy and rich debugging support
• Framework class library
• Simplified development
• Portability

Microsoft built the Common Language Infrastructure specification (CLI) to facilitate the development of languages. This mainly describes the core features that every language must present to use the .NET Framework and to interoperate with components written in other languages. Generally, a .NET compliant language supports the same data types, compiles to the same MSIL, utilizes the same .NET Framework classes, and a common language runtime to manage execution and software development.

While many languages are compatible with the .NET Framework, the most popular ones are developed by Microsoft and mainly include C#, F#, and Visual Basic. Typically, it is considered a language-neutral framework but the type used must be compatible. The language also runs on its major components, including Common Language Runtime, Visual Studio.NET, ASP.NET, and others.

References:

1. The .NET languages on the Microsoft platform (and Mono) are, in many ways more advanced than C++, incorporating recent research into programming languages. Functional features, like lambda functions and Language Integrated Query (LINQ), make languages like C# more expressive. – Journal of Physics Quote
   https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/396/5/052074/pdf
2. Hundreds of thousands of companies worldwide use C# to power their business across a vast array of industries including media, finance, healthcare, gaming, and more. – Microsoft Windows Quote
   https://dotnet.microsoft.com/en-us/languages/csharp
3. C++ is a general purpose, object-oriented, middle-level programming language and is an extension of C language, which makes it possible to code C++ in a “C style”. – Computer Science Quote
   https://www.computerscience.org/resources/computer-programming-languages/
4. Managed code benefits from features such as cross-language integration, cross-language exception handling, enhanced security, versioning and deployment support, a simplified model for component interaction, and debugging and profiling services– Microsoft Windows Quote
   https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/standard/clr