Dot NET Framework.

.NET Framework (pronounced dot net) is a software framework developed by Microsoft that runs primarily on Microsoft Windows. It includes a large class library known as Framework Class Library (FCL) and provides language inter operability (each language can use code written in other languages) across several programming languages. Programs written for .NET Framework execute in a software environment (as contrasted to hardware environment), known as Common Language Run time(CLR), an application virtual machine that provides services such as security, memory management, and exception handling. FCL and CLR together constitute .NET Framework.

FCL provides user interface, data access, database connectivity, cryptography, web application development, numeric algorithms, and network communications. Programmers produce software by combining their own source code with .NET Framework and other libraries. .NET Framework is intended to be used by most new applications created for Windows platform. Microsoft also produces an integrated development environment largely for .NET software called Visual Studio. 

History.

Microsoft started development of .NET Framework in the late 1990s, originally under the name of Next Generation Windows Services (NGWS). By late 2000, the first beta versions of .NET 1.0 were released.

Version 3.0 of .NET Framework is included with Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista. Version 3.5 is included with Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, and can also be installed on Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. Version 4.5 is included with Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012. Windows XP was delivered without any versions of .NET Framework.

.NET Framework family also includes two versions for mobile or embedded device use. A reduced version of the framework,.NET Compact Framework, is available on Windows CE platforms, including Windows Mobile devices such as smartphones. Additionally, .NET Micro Framework is targeted at severely resource-constrained devices.

Overview Of .NET Framework Release History.

Version number	CLR version	Release date	Included in			Replaces
			Development tool	Windows	Windows Server
1.0	1.0	2002-02-13	Visual Studio .NET	N/A	N/A	N/A
1.1	1.1	2003-04-24	Visual Studio .NET 2003	N/A	2003	1.0
2.0	2.0	2005-11-07	Visual Studio 2005	N/A	2003, 2003 R2, 2008 SP2, 2008 R2 SP1	N/A
3.0	2.0	2006-11-06	Expression Blend	Vista	2008 SP2, 2008 R2 SP1	2.0
3.5	2.0	2007-11-19	Visual Studio 2008	7, 8, 8.1	2008 R2 SP1	2.0, 3.0
4.0	4	2010-04-12	Visual Studio 2010	N/A	N/A	N/A
4.5	4	2012-08-15	Visual Studio 2012	8	2012	4.0
4.5.1	4	2013-10-17	Visual Studio 2013	8.1	2012 R2	4.0, 4.5
4.5.2	4	2014-05-05	N/A	N/A	N/A	4.0, 4.5, 4.5.1

Design.

Inter Operatibility.

Because computer systems commonly require interaction between newer and older applications, .NET Framework provides means to access functionality implemented in newer and older programs that execute outside .NET environment. Access to COM components is provided in System.Runtime.InteropServices andSystem.EnterpriseServices namespaces of the framework; access to other functionality is achieved using the P/Invoke feature.

Common Language Run time Engine.

Common Language Run time (CLR) serves as the execution engine of .NET Framework. All .NET programs execute under the supervision of CLR, guaranteeing certain properties and behaviors in the areas of memory management, security, and exception handling.

Language Independence.

.NET Framework introduces a Common Type System, or CTS. CTS specification defines all possible data types and programming constructs supported by CLR and how they may or may not interact with each other conforming to Common Language Infrastructure (CLI) specification. Because of this feature, .NET Framework supports the exchange of types and object instances between libraries and applications written using any conforming .NET language.

Framework Class Library.

Framework Class Library (FCL) is a library of functionality available to all languages using .NET Framework. FCL provides classes that encapsulate a number of common functions, including file reading and writing, graphic rendering, database interaction, XML document manipulation, and so on. It consists of classes, interfaces of reusable types that integrates CLR.

Simplified Deployment.

.NET Framework includes design features and tools which help manage the installation of computer software to ensure that it does not interfere with previously installed software, and that it conforms to security requirements.

Security.

The design addresses some of the vulnerabilities, such as buffer overflows, which have been exploited by malicious software. Additionally, .NET provides a common security model for all applications.

Portability.

While Microsoft has never implemented the full framework on any system except Microsoft Windows, it has engineered the framework to be platform-agnostic, and cross-platform implementations are available for other operating systems (see Silverlight and  Alternative implementations). Microsoft submitted the specifications for CLI (which includes the core class libraries, CTS, and the Common Intermediate Language), C#, and C++/CLI to both ECMA and ISO, making them available as official standards. This makes it possible for third parties to create compatible implementations of the framework and its languages on other platforms. 

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