.NET Framework: Difference between revisions

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[[The]] '''.NET Framework''' (pronounced as "''dot net''") is a proprietary [[software framework]] developed by [[Microsoft]] that runs primarily on [[Microsoft Windows]]. It was the predominant implementation of the [[Common Language Infrastructure]] (CLI) until being superseded by the cross-platform [[.NET]] project. It includes a large [[class library]] called [[Framework Class Library]] (FCL) and provides [[language interoperability]] (each language can use code written in other languages) across several [[programming language]]s. Programs written for .NET Framework execute in a [[software]] environment (in contrast to a [[computer hardware|hardware]] environment) named the [[Common Language Runtime]] (CLR). The CLR is an [[process virtual machine|application virtual machine]] that provides services such as security, [[memory management]], and [[exception handling]]. As such, computer code written using .NET Framework is called "[[managed code]]". FCL and CLR together constitute the .NET Framework.

FCL provides the [[user interface]], [[data access]], [[database connection|database connectivity]], [[cryptography]], [[web application]] development, numeric [[algorithm]]s, and [[computer networking|network communications]]. Programmers produce software by combining their [[source code]] with the .NET Framework and other libraries. The framework is intended to be used by most new applications created for the Windows platform. Microsoft also produces an [[integrated development environment]] for .NET software called [[Microsoft Visual Studio|Visual Studio]].

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In August 2000, [[Microsoft]] and [[Intel]] worked to standardize [[Common Language Infrastructure]] (CLI) and [[C Sharp (programming language)|C#]]. By December 2001, both were ratified [[Ecma International|by ECMA]] standards.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ecma-international.org/publications/standards/Ecma-335.htm|title=Standard ECMA-335: Common Language Infrastructure (CLI)|date=June 2012|publisher=[[Ecma International|ECMA]]|edition=6|access-date=August 31, 2005|archive-date=June 29, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130629235609/http://www.ecma-international.org/publications/standards/Ecma-335.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Ecma-334">{{cite web|url=http://www.ecma-international.org/publications/standards/Ecma-334.htm|title=Standard ECMA-334: C# Language Specification|date=June 2006|publisher=[[Ecma International|ECMA]]|edition=4|access-date=August 31, 2005|archive-date=October 31, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101031042906/http://www.ecma-international.org/publications/standards/Ecma-334.htm|url-status=dead }}</ref> [[International Organization for Standardization]] (ISO) followed in April 2003. The current version of ISO standards are ISO/IEC 23271:2012 and ISO/IEC 23270:2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_catalogue/catalogue_ics/catalogue_detail_ics.htm?csnumber=58046|title=ISO/IEC 23271:2012 Information technology – Common Language Infrastructure|publisher=[[International Organization for Standardization]]|date=February 13, 2012|edition=3|access-date=March 17, 2012|archive-date=March 17, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317142950/http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_catalogue/catalogue_ics/catalogue_detail_ics.htm?csnumber=58046|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_catalogue/catalogue_ics/catalogue_detail_ics.htm?csnumber=42926|title=ISO/IEC 23270:2006 – Information technology – Programming languages – C#|publisher=[[International Organization for Standardization]]|date=January 26, 2012 |edition=2|access-date=April 1, 2008|archive-date=December 6, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206152217/http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_catalogue/catalogue_ics/catalogue_detail_ics.htm?csnumber=42926|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Microsoft NET Logo.svg|thumb|The Original Microsoft .NET Logo]]

While Microsoft and their partners hold patents for CLI and C#, ECMA and ISO require that all patents essential to implementation be made available under "[[reasonable and non-discriminatory licensing|reasonable and non-discriminatory terms]]". The firms agreed to meet these terms, and to make the patents available royalty-free. However, this did not apply to the part of the .NET Framework not covered by ECMA-ISO standards, which included [[Windows Forms]], [[ADO.NET]], and [[ASP.NET]]. Patents that Microsoft holds in these areas may have deterred non-Microsoft implementations of the full framework.<ref>{{cite web|title=Microsoft's Empty Promise|url=http://www.fsf.org/news/2009-07-mscp-mono|work=[[Free Software Foundation]]|date=July 16, 2009 |first1=Brett |last1=Smith |quote=However, there are several libraries that are included with Mono, and commonly used by applications like Tomboy, that are not required by the standard. And just to be clear, we're not talking about Windows-specific libraries like ASP.NET and Windows Forms. Instead, we're talking about libraries under the System namespace that provide common functionality programmers expect in modern programming languages|access-date=August 3, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090819101829/http://www.fsf.org/news/2009-07-mscp-mono/|archive-date=August 19, 2009|url-status=live|df=dmy}}</ref>