What Is .NET Framework? Everything You Need to Know

Want an amazingly well-documented, well-maintained developing framework? We know: they can be few and far between.

Enter .NET.

If you work with any of Microsoft’s products as a developer, you need to know about this framework. If you develop in a language like C# or C++, you’ll also need to know .NET.

So, what is .NET framework?

Keep reading to find out what it is, how it works, and how it has helped pioneer software development frameworks.

What is .NET Framework

The.NET Framework (pronounced “dot net”) is a Microsoft-developed proprietary software framework. It runs mainly on Microsoft Windows, and has since become open source and is available for other operating systems.

Until the cross-platform .NET framework replaced it, it was the most common implementation of the Common Language Infrastructure (CLI).

It includes the Framework Class Library (FCL), which is a big class library that offers language interoperability (languages can use the code of other languages). You can imagine how useful this is for tackling large-scale development.

Common Language Runtime

Programs built for the.NET Framework run in a software environment called the Common Language Runtime (as opposed to a hardware environment) (CLR).

The CLR is a virtual machine that handles security and memory management among other things.

As a result, computer code created with the .NET Framework is referred to as “managed code.”

If this framework sounds useful to you, you can pursue .net integration for your business.

Languages Supported

.NET supports around 30 programming languages.

Some of the best-supported languages are C#, F#, and Visual Basic. You will also find languages like Boo, Cobra, Fantom, IronPython, A Sharp (.NET), and others.

Example Use

.NET is an excellent choice for a field like game development. Because it is cross-platform thanks to being open source, it ensures your game runs on multiple operating systems like Linux and Mac OS.

It also works seamlessly with popular game engines like Monogame and Unity.

Another excellent benefit is a programmer’s ability to develop mobile, web, and other versions of the game using the same framework.

Support for .NET in the Corporate Space

Support for .NET remains excellent.

Microsoft is a huge company that provides excellent support for this framework. It regularly patches issues, and together with the open-source community, they have created a superbly stable and reliable framework.

Not only that: .NET’s associated developer tools are also excellent. Microsoft VisualStudio (VS) is one of the best IDEs available.

Chances are, if you have developed anything using Visual Basic or C#, you have worked with the .NET framework. They are that integrated.

An Excellent Choice

What is .NET framework?

Well, it is an inevitability, if you are working in certain environments and with certain languages like C#.

Thanks to it being around for so many years, its excellent support and patching, and its deep integrations with numerous programming languages, .NET is not going away. Frankly, it may be the best software development framework.

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