The '''.NET Micro Framework''' (NETMF) iswas a [[.NET Framework]] platform for resource-constrained devices with at least 512 [[kilobyte|kB]] of flash and 256 kB of [[random-access memory]] (RAM). It includes a small version of the .NET [[Common Language Runtime]] (CLR) and supports development in [[C Sharp (programming language)|C#]], [[Visual Basic .NET]], and debugging (in an emulator or on hardware) using [[Microsoft Visual Studio]]. NETMF features a subset of the .NET base class libraries (about 70 classes with about 420 methods), an implementation of [[Windows Communication Foundation]] (WCF), a [[List of widget toolkits|GUI framework]] loosely based on [[Windows Presentation Foundation]] (WPF), and a Web Services stack based on Simple Object Access Protocol ([[SOAP]]) and [[Web Services Description Language]] (WSDL). NETMF also features added libraries specific to embedded applications. It is [[free and open-source software]] released under [[Apache License]] 2.0.
The Micro Framework aims to make embedded development easier, faster, and less costly by giving embedded developers access to the modern technologies and tools used by desktop application developers. Also, it allows desktop .NET developers to use their skills in [[embedded system]]s, enlarging the pool of qualified embedded developers.
