Introduction to .NET Framework and its components

.NET is a developer platform developed by Microsoft and made up of tools, programming languages, and libraries for building many different types of applications. 

The first version of the .Net framework was 1.0 which came in the year 2002. the framework has come a long way since then, and the current version is 4.7.1. 

In easy words, it is a virtual machine for compiling and executing programs written in different languages like C#, VB.Net, etc.

The framework provides language interoperability across several programming languages – each language can use code written in other languages.

This framework contains a large number of class libraries known as Framework Class Library (FCL). The software programs written in .NET are executed in the execution environment, which is called CLR (Common Language Runtime). These are the core and essential parts of the .NET framework.

.NET Framework supports more than 60 programming languages in which 11 programming languages are designed and developed by Microsoft. The remaining Non-Microsoft Languages which are supported by .NET Framework but not designed and developed by Microsoft.

Popular Programming Languages which are designed and developed by Microsoft are:

1. C#.NET
2. VB.NET
3. C++.NET
4. J#.NET
5. F#.NET
6. JSCRIPT.NET
7. WINDOWS POWERSHELL
8. IRON RUBY
9. IRON PYTHON
10. C OMEGA
11. ASML(Abstract State Machine Language)

.Net Framework Architecture

The basic architecture of the .Net framework is as shown below.

Main Components of .NET Framework:

The architecture of the .Net framework is based on the following key components;

1. Common Language Runtime

The "Common Language Infrastructure" or CLI is a platform on which the .Net programs are executed.

The CLI has the following key features:

• Exception Handling - Exceptions are errors that occur when the application is executed. Examples of exceptions are 1. If an application tries to open a file on the local machine, but the file is not present. 2. If the application tries to fetch some records from a database, but the connection to the database is not valid.
• Garbage Collection - Garbage collection is the process of removing unwanted resources when they are no longer required. Examples of garbage collection are 1. A Filehandle which is no longer required. If the application has finished all operations on a file, then the filehandle may no longer be required. 2. The database connection is no longer required. If the application has finished all operations on a database, then the database connection may no longer be required.
• Working with Various programming languages –

As noted in an earlier section, a developer can develop an application in a variety of .Net programming languages.

1. Language - The first level is the programming language itself, the most common ones are VB.Net and C#.
2. Compiler – There is a compiler which will be separate for each programming language. So underlying the VB.Net language, there will be a separate VB.Net compiler. Similarly, for C#, you will have another compiler.
3. Common Language Interpreter – This is the final layer in .Net which would be used to run a .net program developed in any programming language. So the subsequent compiler will send the program to the CLI layer to run the .Net application.

2. Framework Class Library(FCL)

It is the collection of reusable, object-oriented class libraries and methods, etc that can be integrated with CLR. Also called the Assemblies. It is just like the header files in C/C++ and packages in the java. Installing .NET framework basically is the installation of CLR and FCL into the system. Below is the overview of the .NET Framework.

The combination of Operating System Architecture and CPU Architecture is known as the platform. Platform dependent means the programming language code will run only on a particular Operating System. A .NET application is platform-dependent because of the .NET framework which is only able to run on the Windows-based operating system. The .Net application is platform-independent also because of the Mono framework. Using the Mono framework the .Net application can run on any Operating System including windows. Mono framework is a third-party software developed by Novell Company which is now a part of Micro Focus Company. It is a paid framework.

3. Languages

The types of applications that can be built in the .Net framework are classified broadly into the following categories.

• WinForms – This is used for developing Forms-based applications, which would run on an end-user machine. Notepad is an example of a client-based application.
• ASP.Net – This is used for developing web-based applications, which are made to run on any browser such as Internet Explorer, Chrome, or Firefox.
• The Web application would be processed on a server, which would have Internet Information Services Installed.
• Internet Information Services or IIS is a Microsoft component that is used to execute an Asp.Net application.
• The result of the execution is then sent to the client machines, and the output is shown in the browser.
• ADO.Net – This technology is used to develop applications to interact with databases such as Oracle or Microsoft SQL Server.
• Microsoft always ensures that .Net frameworks are in compliance with all the supported Windows operating systems.

10 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE .NET FRAMEWORK

If you are considering becoming a .NET developer through our .NET (C#) Development Bootcamp, here are 10 things to know about the language you should know before you embark on our Bootcamp:

1. I HEARD THAT .NET WAS ONLY FOR WINDOWS OR PC USERS. IS THAT TRUE?

Not anymore! Thanks to .NET Core, a set of tools consisting of the runtime, library, and compiler components, you can create apps that run on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. .NET Core runtime, libraries, and compiler are all open-source on GitHub and are making contributions.

2. WHERE DOES .NET FIT IN THE OPEN SOURCE WORLD?

Several parts of .NET were made available under open-source licenses, meaning any developer can contribute to it. For example, the C# compiler Roslyn was made open source by Microsoft under the Apache License. The source code of Roslyn can be downloaded from gitHub, and guidelines on how to participate and contribute were made available.

3. WHAT IS .NET ANYWAY?

.NET (pronounced dot net) is a framework that provides programming guidelines that can be used to develop a wide range of applications–––from the web to mobile to Windows-based applications. The .NET framework can work with several programming languages such as C#, VB.NET, C++, and F#. At Grand Circus, we use C#.

4. WHERE DOES C# FIT IN ALL OF THIS?

C# (pronounced “see-sharp”) is the actual coding language that we write inside of the .NET framework. C# is an object-oriented programming language, meaning it can increase productivity in the development process. C# boasts type-safety, garbage collection, simplified type declarations, versioning and scalability support, and other features that make developing solutions faster and easier.

5. WHAT IS VISUAL STUDIO, AND HOW DOES IT FIT INTO ALL OF THIS?

Visual Studio is a very powerful Integrated Development Environment (IDE) where you actually write your C# or .NET programs. It’s popular because it supports code editing, interface design, server management, debugging, and performance analysis. You can download Visual Studio for free.

6. HOW BIG IS THE .NET LIBRARY?

.NET has a huge collection of predefined class libraries (pre-written code) that has support for simple and complex data structures. Essentially, that means you can rely on the work of hundreds of other developers and pull in already-written code into your own programs. .NET even has specific libraries for security, encryption, and database access.

7. I SEE WE’LL COVER WEB COMPONENTS. WILL I BE A FULL-STACK DEVELOPER AFTER THIS BOOTCAMP?

Although the .NET web development Bootcamp is covering some front-end topics such as Javascript, CSS, and HTML, it is focused on the server-end and will not provide the in-depth knowledge needed for front-side development. It will, however, be a great foundation to continue to grow in front-end development.

8. ASP.NET – A TOOL FOR THE WEB

ASP.NET is the main tool in the .NET framework for building web pages and websites with HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and server scripting. You can use any of the .NET languages to write ASP.NET web applications.

9. THERE ARE A LOT OF WAYS TO DESCRIBE .NET DEVELOPERS

Here’s just a sample of potential jobs you’d apply to after our Bootcamp:

• .NET Software Developer / Intern
• .NET Software Engineer / Intern
• .NET Web Developer / Intern
• .NET Engineer / Intern

10. .NET IS USED BY A LOT OF COMPANIES

All sorts of companies use .NET including Dell, Accenture, TCS, HCL, Epic Systems. Many major Detroit-area companies use .NET as well, including TitleSource and Quicken Loans.

Whew. That was a lot of information! Ready to take the next step in your journey to becoming a .NET Developer?