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The .NET Framework is a new computing platform designed to simplify application development in the highly distributed environment of the Internet. It is a standards-based, multilanguage application execution environment that handles many essential resource management tasks and simplifies deployment. The .NET Framework manages memory, addresses versioning issues, and improves the reliability, scalability, and security of applications.

The .NET Framework has several main components: the common language runtime, the .NET Framework class library, and the runtime hosts.

• The common language runtime is the foundation of the .NET Framework; it manages code execution and provides core services such as memory management, thread management, and remote execution.
• The .NET Framework class library is a comprehensive, object-oriented collection of reusable classes that you can use to develop a wide range of applications, including ASP.NET applications and XML Web services.
• The .NET Framework provides several runtime hosts, including Windows Forms for Win32-like applications and ASP.NET, which works directly with the runtime to provide a scalable, server-side environment for managed code.

For a system administrator, the .NET Framework means new, more powerful applications that are easier to deploy and maintain. These new applications have new ways to control security and application configuration. Third-party applications can update their applications by using configuration files that point to new parts of the application, or they may require the system administrator to edit an existing configuration file.

The runtime can be run concurrently (also called side-by-side), meaning that new versions of the runtime do not replace the old version but rather are installed in addition to the old version. For example, suppose that Microsoft Windows Server 2003 ships with a version of the runtime such as version 1.0.0.0. Then Microsoft ships a new version, such as version 1.0.1.1, which you download and install. This new version of the runtime does not overwrite the previous version, but rather installs on the computer along with 1.0.0.0. This allows older applications built using an older version of the runtime to continue working after you install a new version of the runtime. New applications can target either version, depending on a number of parameters and machine configurations, as well as the application’s settings.

See Also

See the following topics in the .NET Framework SDK documentation: Overview of the .NET Framework and ASP.NET QuickStart.