Beginners Guide To .Net

What is the .NET Framework?

The Microsoft .NET Framework or also known briefly as .Net is a platform for building, deploying, and running Web Services and other types of Windows applications in a distributed environment. It is Microsoft’s next generation technology that promises to ease development and deployment tremendously. Briefly here is the design goal on which we can say .Net framework technology has been built:

• Applications can be built and distributed as reusable components over the internet.
• Applications to be shared as a "service" (web services).
• True "interoperability" wherein the language used is only a matter of choice, thus enabling organizations to take advantage of existing skill sets.
• Elimination of the DLL hell by using Assemblies for deployment.
• Granular security control on applications and resources with Code Access Security.

Applicability Scenarios

.Net framework is a complete development platform, enabling one to develop all types of applications on all the different tiers of a project. The .Net framework SDK itself comes with the CLR (Common Language Runtime), .Net’s multi-language execution environment and a rich set of System class libraries. Together these enable us to develop:

• ASP.Net applications
• Windows Forms applications
• Web services
• Windows Services
• Networking applications
• Remoting applications
• Every other type of application that goes in a distributed environment

CLR is a Multilanguage runtime engine, which gives us the choice to develop in the language of our preference; hence within one team there could be different developers using different languages for the individual components. This technique of componentized development done in different languages that interact with each other seamlessly provides us interoperability at a very granular level.

Getting started with .Net

The first thing a novice starting to get acquainted with .Net development needs to download the .Net framework SDK itself. The Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 Software Development Kit (SDK) includes the .NET Framework 1.1, as well as everything you need to write, build, test, and deploy applications using the .NET Framework 1.1, including documentation, samples, and command-line tools and compilers.

Get the .NET Framework 1.1 SDK from our tool center.

In the beginning to get familiar with language syntax it is enough that you have Notepad as the editor- source code can be compiled through command line. Visual Studio 2003 is the latest IDE recommended for .Net development. Visual Studio 2003 can be obtained from Microsoft and other resources like Amazon. For those of you who cannot afford to have Visual Studio 2003 there are few options to choose from.

Free tools available for Development

• SharpDevelop- a free, open source IDE for .Net development.
• trial version of Visual Studio.
• WebMatrix a free IDE for ASP.Net development.
• C#Builder from Borland, their Personal Edition for non commercial development is free.
• Novel’s Mono for Cross platform development in .Net, an open source IDE.

What can Programmers Heaven Offer

Programmers Heaven can be your one stop .Net reference website. We have in depth material

• Our ASP.Net zone with Articles, Code Snippets, Resources and Links.
• We have excellent online schools for C# and VB.Net.
• In depth .Net FAQs
• Books with Sample Chapters
• Message Boards categorized by different .Net topics
• Download Tools developed in .Net or for .Net

 

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