The operating system is a layer that lies above the hardware and allows control over the different hardware devices. Similarly, a Framework is a layer that lies on top of the operating system and provides the tools to develop programs and applications for it.

Figure 3: Architecture shows where the Framework lies in a logical computer model.

Microsoft .NET is a Framework that provided a library of more than three thousand classes and the other tools required for developers to develop programs and applications for Windows and the Web. The .NET Framework also provides access to operating system resources, like APIs, Registry and Windows Services.

Figure 4: The .NET Framework architecture in brief.