.Net framework has following three main components.

• .Net framework class library:- An OO collection of reusable Types. Further there are numbers of various components such as Ado.Net: for connecting, with database, and Asp.Net: for creating, running, and deploying web application and web services (distributed application). Include classes for database access, graphics, and Interoperability with unmanaged code, security and both Web and Windows forms All languages that target the .NET Framework use this common class library.


• CLR [common language runtime]:- This is also called the core of the .Net framework. It provides the functionality or features such as:
  
  
  
  1. CAS (Code access security)
  
  
  2. Execute managed code and provide wrappers to communicate with unmanaged code.
  
  
  3. Exceptional Handling
  
  
  4. Garbage collection
  
  
  5. Convert MSIL code to Native code using JIT.
  
  
  6. Resolve problem of DLL Hell.
  
  
  7. Thread management.
  
  
  8. Enforcement of type safety and use.
  
  
  
  


• Usage Area: - It provides multi-language object oriented environment for programmers, whether the code is stored and executed entirely locally or remotely. It facilitates software development and minimizes versioning conflicts. Provides environment that promotes safe code execution. Allow developer to create both Windows and Web-based applications.

Understanding the .Net Framework and its Role

The .Net framework is the infrastructure for building applications using .Net. The .Net framework provides a consistent OO Programming model that you can use to build all types of applications. The .Net framework provides 4 CLS- compliant languages:

• Microsoft VB.Net


• Microsoft Visual C#


• Microsoft Visual C++.Net


• Microsoft Visual J#.Net

The .Net framework provides the infrastructure and services per the CLI Specifications. These includes

• Common Language Runtime: This includes the CLI and provides the execution environment to .Net applications. All the .Net language compliers compile the source code into MSIL code, which the CLR loads and executes when you run an application.


• Common Type Systems: These provide the necessary data types, value and objects types, which you need to develop applications in different languages. All the .Net languages share a CTS. This implies that a string in Vb.Net is same as a string in Visual C#.


• Type Safety: The .net framework ensures that operation to be performed on one value or object are performed on that value or object only.


• Managed Code Execution: The .Net framework loads and executes the .Net applications, and manages the state of objects during program execution. This also provides automatically garbage collections.


• Side-by-side execution: The .Net framework allows you to deploy multiple versions of an application on a system by using assemblies. Assemblies are the deployment unit in the .Net framework. An assembly contains the IL code and metadata.