What is .NET? Benefits of .NET Framework.

In this article, we will cover What is .NET Framework. What are the benefits of .NET Framework. & high level structure of the framework.

What is .Net

• .NET is a set of software technologies for connecting information, people, system and devices. It is a computing platform developed by Microsoft. The technology was based on Web Services.
• .NET is an Object Oriented Framework for developing Windows and Web based applications
• Applications on .NET are easier to build, deploy and integrate with other networked systems.
• .NET includes a large class library named Framework Class Library and provides language interoperability across several programming languages.

(High Level Diagram)

 

Why another programming platform

Simplify Application Development

There are several limitations with the current development tools and technologies that reduce developer productivity. Development should become easier because the .NET Framework provides a new set of tools, including a large set of object-oriented, extensible, system-level classes. The .NET Framework brings the power of the operating system much closer to the developer, through a rich set of classes and services that are more easily accessible than any previous Windows –based set of API’s.

Simplify Application Deployment

Application deployments are subject to the familiar headaches of “DLL Hell” that arise when component registrations get corrupted, or type library versions get mixed up. The .NET Framework overcomes these deployment limitations by making component self-describing through meta-data, so removing the need for GUID-based registration.

 

XML Everywhere

The .NET Framework introduces XML into every aspect of software development on this new platform. XML is the common communication technology in .NET. XML is the basis for data streaming and persistence in ADO.NET. Disconnected data sharing is easier than before, because ADO.NET natively serializes to XML, which is easy to share between distributed components.

 

Universal Data Access

With .NET, the traditional applications can be rewritten as Web Services that deliver data as XML over HTTP, using the open standard called Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP). This is a very flexible way to exchange data, because XML does not dictate how it is displayed. XML’s only role is to provide an efficient way of organizing the data. Web Services deliver the data, and leave it up to the consumer to interpret it. So, the same set of raw XML data is delivered automatically to several different devices. Each device in turn transforms the XML into a presentation that is best suited to the device.

Web Services: Collaboration over the Internet

.NET has been designed to ensure that all types of services can participate in collaborative applications. In this context, an application is no longer a tightly integrated set of components: instead, it is made of loosely-coupled, distributed Web Services that interoperate using XML and HTTP. According to .NET vision, every Internet-enabled device is a potential platform for hosting web services. The only prerequisite to this collaborative effort is that both the provider and consumer interoperate using the same protocols. Developers can code Web Services in any language that they choose, and their component may interact with any consumer that can work with XML, on any operating system. And by their distributed nature, Web Services are available to respond to any device that is hooked into the Internet.

 

Benefits of the .NET Framework

• Improved Reliability
• Increased Performance
• Developer Productivity
• Powerful & Granular Security
• Integration with Existing Systems
• Ease of Deployment
• Native XML Web Service Support
• Support for multiple programming languages
• Flexible Data Access

 (Upcoming Articles - Components & Layers of .NET Framework).