Microsoft .NET Framework

.NET is a software framework for network services and applications that interface with the internet. It utilizes a common language infrastructure that also allows for a multi-programming language platform. It supports popular programming languages such as C++, C#, Visual Basic, and COBOL. It is built on the following internet standards:

• HTTP – Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol, a networking protocol used to communicate from internet server to internet server.
• XML – eXtensible Markup Language, used for text such as documents and arbitrary data structures.
• SOAP – Simple Object Access Protocol, used for exchanging structured information for web services in computer networks. It can also operate as the bottom of a web services protocol stack, forming the basic messaging framework upon which such communication can be built.
• UDDI – Universal Description, Discovery and Integration, a platform independent XML-based registry language used for internet business registration and the location and registration of web service applications on the internet.

The framework also contains common class libraries such as ADO.NET, ASP.NET, and Windows Forms. Interoperability, security, and portability are its high points. It is designed to do the following:

• To have a consistent object oriented programming environment regardless of the location of the object code. It could be:
  1. Stored and executed locally
  2. Executed locally but internet distributed
  3. Executed remotely
• To provide a secure environment free of software deployment and versioning conflicts.
• To provide a secure code execution environment regardless of the source of the code.
• To provide a stable base for the elimination of performance issues related to scripted or interpreted environments.
• To make a consistent platform for developers across widely varying application types.
• To maintain a standard that can integrate with any other code outside of the .NET framework.

In short, it basically combines a common language runtime component, and the .NET framework class library. Let us discuss these two ingredients in greater detail:

Features of the Common Language Runtime Component

This component manages memory, thread execution, code execution, code safety verification, compilation, and other system services; intrinsic features to the managed code that runs on the common language runtime. The runtime enforces code access security, so for example, a user could trust an executable application embedded into a website to play an animation and/or a song, but can’t access the users’ personal data file system or network. This makes for the possibility of a feature-rich website but with user data security measures in place.

The runtime also enforces code stability by the implementation of a strict type-and-code verification infrastructure, which is called the Common Type System (CTS). The CTS ensures that all code is self-descriptive, and fixes any possible security breaches in the code regardless of the third party language compiler used, thus ensuring the secure enforcement of type fidelity and type safety.

.NET Framework Class Library

The .NET Framework Class Library refers to a collection of reusable type s that tightly integrate with the common language runtime, in an object oriented structure. This enables the user to accomplish a wide range of programming tasks. In addition to common tasks, the library also contains many specialized developmental scenarios, which can help tremendously in the building of Console, Windows GUI, Windows Presentation Foundation, ASP.NET, web and Windows services, and service-oriented and workflow-enabled applications.

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