What is .Net Framework

.Net Framework

It is a software which masks the functionality of an OS and executes the .NET languages, compile IL code under its control providing the features like :

• Portability
• Security
• Automatic Memory Management

If we wanted to run the IL code on any machine it is must to install .NET framework on that machine.

In case of platform dependent languages like C,C++ etc the compiled code(machine code) runs directly under OS.

The code which runs under the framework is known as managed code and the code which runs under the OS is known as Un-managed code, where managed code provides features like portability, security, automatic memory management etc.

Development of .Net Framework 

• Microsoft has started the development of software in late 90's originally under the name NGWS.

• To develop this framework: A set of specification have been prepared knows as CLI(Commom Language Infrastructure) specification.
• CIL specifications are open specification standardize under organization ISO and ECMA.

The CIL specification talks about four inportant things like :

• CLS(Comman Language Specification)
• CTS(Comman Type System)
• BCL(Base Class Library)
• VES (Virtual Execution System) or CLR(Common Language Run-time)

1.Common Language Specification(CLS)

It is a set of base rules all the .Net languages has to adopt to inter operate with each other. Most importantly after compilation of any .Net language program they should give the same output code i.e CIL code.

2. Conman Type System(CTS)

According to this all languages of .Net has to adopt uniform data type structure i.e similar data types must be same in size under all languages of .Net so that if any two languages want to communicate with each other size problems with same data type will not come. As most of the .Net laguages or extensions to some existing laguages like COBOL.NET extension to COBOL, VB.NET extension to VB etc. so the data types names will be different from language to language but even if names are different similar types will be uniform in size.

3.Base Class Library(BCL)

A libraby is a set of reusable funtionalities where each and every programming langauge has built-in libraries to it like header files in C,C++, Pacages in JAVA etc. Same as the above >net laguage are also provided with built-in libraries known as class libraries.

Base class libraries are best example for langauge interoperability because those libraries are developed in c# language and can be consumed from any .Net language.

4.VES os CLR

All .Net language once after compilation will generate the same type of IL code knows as CIL code is what we install on the client machines for execution. To run the CIL code on a machine, the machine should be installed with .Net framework and inside the  .Net framework we have CLR or VES which converts CIL code into machine code accoeding ti he operating system  and microprocessor.

.Net framework Versions

 The development of .Net has been started in late 90's ant the first version of framework has been launched in the year 2000 as 1.0 beta(trial version) and officially it is launched into the market as with 1.0 RTM(Release to Manufacturer) in 2002.

2000       -               .Net framework 1.0 (beta)

2002       -               .Net framework 1.0 (trial)

2003       -               .Net framework 1.1

2005       -               .Net framework 2.0

2006       -               .Net framework 3.0

2007       -               .Net framework 3.5

2009       -               .Net framework 4.0

2012       -               .Net framework 4.5