What is .NET Framework?

Dot NET Used For

Everything You Wanted to Know About What is .NET Framework?

NET is a platform for developers that includes tools, programming languages, and libraries for creating a wide range of applications. There are numerous .NET implementations. Each implementation enables the execution of.NET code on various platforms, including Linux, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, and many others. Need .NET development services for your project? Click this URL to learn more!

  • The first version of .NET was implemented using the .NET Framework. It supports running webpages, services, desktop applications, and more on Windows.
  • There is a cross-platform implementation called for operating websites, services, and console apps on Windows, Linux, and macOS. NET. On GitHub,.NET is open source. .NET was formerly known as.NET Core.
  • For running applications on all the major mobile operating systems, such as iOS and Android, there is a.NET solution called Xamarin/Mono.

The APIs shared by all.NET implementations are formally specified in the.NET standard. This enables the use of the same code and libraries across several deployments. The following are some of the key services that the.NET Framework offers to run apps:

Memory administration.

Programmers are in charge of managing object lifetimes and allocating and releasing storage in various programming languages. The CLR offers these services on the app’s behalf in.NET Framework apps.

A typical type structure.

The definition of fundamental types by the compiler in conventional programming languages makes interoperability between languages more difficult. Primary types in the.NET Framework are predefined by the type system and are shared by all dialects that target the.NET Framework.

A sizable library for net framework architecture.

Programmers use a freely available library of types and their constituents from the.NET Framework Class Library to conduct standard low-level programming activities rather than having to create enormous amounts of code.

Development frameworks and technologies.

The.NET Framework contains libraries for particular types of app development, including ASP.NET for web apps, ADO.NET for data access, Windows Presentation Foundation, and Windows Presentation Foundation Windows Communication Foundation for service-oriented apps for desktop Windows programs.

Interoperability of languages.

Common Intermediate Language (CIL), produced by language compilers designed to interact with the.NET Framework, is compiled at runtime by the common language runtime. Programmers can concentrate on building apps in their favorite languages while using this capability to make procedures created in one language available to other languages.

Compatibility across versions.

With very few exceptions, programs created with a particular version of the.NET Framework operate unaltered on a later version.

Multitargeting framework class library.

Developers can create class libraries compatible with the various.NET Framework platforms supported by.NET Standard by targeting that standard version (1).

“.NET Standard is a formal specification of the APIs that are common across .NET implementations. This allows the same code and libraries to run on different implementations.” 

– Microsoft Windows

The Common Language Runtime and .NET Framework Class Library are the two main parts of the.NET Framework.

  • The execution engine that manages running apps is called the Common Language Runtime (CLR). It offers a variety of functions, including trash collection, type safety, exception handling, and thread management.
  • The Class Library provides a collection of APIs and types for standard functionality. It offers types for things like strings, dates, and numbers. The Class Library has APIs for drawing, connecting databases, reading and writing files, and more.

Programming languages C#, F#, or Visual Basic are used to create.NET applications. A Common Intermediate Language is created by compiling code (CIL). Assembly files, which have the.dll or.exe file extension, are where compiled code is kept.

The CLR employs a just-in-time compiler (JIT) to convert the assembly into machine code that can run on the same architecture of the app’s computer when it is launched.

.Net Developers Frequently Asked Questions About What is .NET Framework?

Who uses .NET Framework?

The .NET Framework is used by both software developers and the users of their applications:

  • Users must have the.NET Framework installed to use applications created with it. The majority of the time a Windows machine comes pre-installed with the.NET Framework. You can download the.NET Framework if necessary.
  • With Visual Studio, programmers can create a wide range of applications, including websites, services, desktop programs, and more, using the .NET Framework. An integrated development environment (IDE) called Visual Studio offers debugging tools and development productivity tools.

.NET developers have to learn a number of different programming languages to truely master it.

Why do I need .NET Framework?

You need .NET Framework installed to run programs on Windows that were made using the.NET Framework. It is already present in various Windows versions. To learn more about what .NET is used for, click the following link: (https://sonatafy.com/what-is-net-used-for/)

How does .NET Framework work?

.Net Framework works in that its applications are created in F#, C#, or Visual Basic and are then compiled into Common Intermediate Language. The Common Language Runtime (CLR) executes.NET applications by translating CIL into machine code on a specific machine.

What are the main components/features of the .NET Framework?

The main features of the .Net Framework are the Common Language Runtime (CLR) and the.NET Framework Class Library. The executing engine that manages active programs is the CLR. The Class Library provides a collection of APIs and types for standard functionality.

What is the difference between .NET and .NET Framework?

The differences between .NET and .NET Framework are:

  • .NET is cross-platform and works with Windows, Linux, and macOS.
  • Only Windows can execute the.NET Framework.
  • .NET is open-source and welcomes community contributions. Although the.NET Framework source code is accessible, direct contributions are not accepted.
  • In.NET, all the innovation takes place.
  • Windows includes the.NET Framework, which is continuously updated via Windows Update. .NET is individually shipped.

Can you have multiple .NET Frameworks installed?

Some.NET Framework upgrades work with an existing version, while others install alongside it. When two.NET Framework versions use the same CLR version, in-place updates occur.

For instance, installing .NET Framework 4.8 on a computer that already has.NET Framework 4.7.2 and 3.5 installed will update 4.7.2 in place while leaving 3.5 installed separately.

How much does the .NET Framework cost?

Like the other components of the.NET platform, the.NET Framework is free. There are no charges, not even for commercial use, and no licensing fees.

Which version of .NET Framework should I use?

You ought to use the most recent stable release version of the .NET Framework. Any 4.x version of the.NET Framework will operate with 4.8.1 for developing applications. Install the earlier version to use an application that was made for it.

What is the support policy for .NET Framework?

The support policy for .NET Framework is that the most recent version of the.NET Framework, 4.8.1, will continue to be included with new Windows updates. .NET Framework 4.8.1 will still be maintained as long as it is installed on a compatible version of Windows.

What is .NET Framework?

Microsoft created the .Net Framework as a framework for developing and operating Windows applications. The Net framework includes programming languages, developer tools, and libraries to develop and build desktop and web applications. Games, web services, and websites can all be created using it.

Architecture of the.Net Framework

The .NET Framework Architecture provides an implementation environment and interfaces with several programming languages. It is a programming architecture for the .Net platform that makes it easy to develop and deploy various Windows and application software. Class libraries and reusable parts make up this system.

Components for.NET

The following essential elements form the foundation of the.Net framework’s architecture:

Runtime for Common Language

The platform of the.Net architecture on which the .Net programs are run is known as the “Common Language Infrastructure” or CLI. The following crucial elements define the CLI:

o Handling Exceptions – Exceptions are errors that happen during application execution.

o Garbage collection is the procedure of terminating unnecessary resources when they are no longer wanted.

Class Library

There are several standard class libraries included with the.NET Framework. A class library is a group of functions and methods that can be applied to the primary goal (2).

“For example, there is a class library with methods to handle all file-level operations. So there is a method which can be used to read the text from a file. Similarly, there is a method to write text to a file.” 

– Guru99

Languages

Apps created using the .NET Framework include the following classes and serve as broad classes of the .NET framework.

o Win Forms is used to create Forms-based apps on a user’s computer. An illustration of a client-based program is Notepad.

o ASP.Net is used to create web-based programs that can function on any browser, including Internet Explorer, Chrome, and Firefox.

.Net Framework Design Principle

The following are the design principles that make .NET Framework relevant to creating .Net based applications.

1) Compatibility

The.Net framework offers a ton of backward compatibility. Imagine you have a program created using, say, version 2.0 of the.Net framework. And suppose you attempted to execute the same program on a computer with the more recent .Net framework, let’s say 3.5. The program would continue to function. This is because Microsoft ensures that previous framework versions operate correctly with newer versions with each release.

2) Portability.

Net framework-based applications can be made to run on any Windows platform. Microsoft has recently expressed interest in making its products compatible with alternative operating systems like iOS and Linux.

3) The.NET Framework features a robust security system.

The security system that is already in place aids in assessing and verifying applications. Every application has the option to define its security system explicitly. The user is given access to the running application or the code using each security technique.

4) Memory management

The Common Language runtime entirely handles it. The.Net framework includes the ability to view any resources not being utilized by any currently executing programs. The resources would subsequently be released in accordance with that. The “Garbage Collector,” a program that functions as part of the.Net framework, is used to accomplish this. The garbage collector continuously monitors which system resources are underutilized, releases them as necessary, and runs at regular intervals (3).

“When the garbage collector performs a collection, it checks for objects in the managed heap that are no longer being used by the application and performs the necessary operations to reclaim their memory.” – Microsoft Windows

5) Simplified deployment

.Net framework tools are also available for packaging applications created using the framework. The client machines can then receive these packages. The application would then be installed automatically by the packages.

What are the Installation specifications for .NET Framework?

Installation of the.NET Framework needs administrator rights. Contact your system administrator if you need administrator privileges on the computer where you want to install the .NET Framework. There is a distinct set of prerequisites for development environments that let you create apps for the.NET Framework, and they are:

Only one 4.x version of the.NET Framework can be installed on a machine because all versions after.NET Framework 4 are in-place updates. Additionally, some versions of the Windows os come preinstalled with the.NET Framework. This implies:

  • You cannot install an earlier 4.x version if a later 4.x version is already installed on the computer
  • You cannot install an earlier 4.x version of the.NET Framework on the same system if the OS already has that version preinstalled
  • You don’t need to first remove the previous version before installing a newer version

Microsoft created the programming language .Net It was designed to help programmers make Windows-compatible programs. The .Net program code can be used to develop Forms-based applications, Web services, and applications for the Internet. The Microsoft .Net foundation platform offers a wide selection of programming languages for developers to choose from; the two most popular ones are C# and VB.Net.

References:

  1. .NET Standard is a formal specification of the APIs that are common across .NET implementations. This allows the same code and libraries to run on different implementations. Microsoft Windows Quote
    https://dotnet.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/dotnet/what-is-dotnet-framework
  2. For example, there is a class library with methods to handle all file-level operations. So there is a method which can be used to read the text from a file. Similarly, there is a method to write text to a file – Guru99 Quote
    https://www.guru99.com/net-framework.html
  3. When the garbage collector performs a collection, it checks for objects in the managed heap that are no longer being used by the application and performs the necessary operations to reclaim their memory. – Microsoft Windows Quote
    https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/standard/garbage-collection/