What is the .NET framework?
The .NET framework is a collection of all the tools and utilities required to execute the .NET managed applications on a particular platform. The MS.NET framework includes the standard compilers (C#, VB.NET, J#, C++.NET, Jscript.NET), various utilities like (caspol, ngen, installutil, tlbimp, sn, asmreg, ildasm, etc), runtime environment (CLR), garbage collector, security manager, thread manager, assembly loader, just in time compilers, and the standard framework or base class libraries. It is important to realize that while the implementation of .Net applications is platform independent; the implementation of .NET framework is platform specific. In fact, it is this particular specific implementation of the .NET framework that makes the managed .NET applications platform independent.
What is the VB.NET and C# language comparisons?
VB.NET and C# both are integral part of the .NET framework. Both of the languages have a lot of similarities in language constructs and language design with minor differences in the syntax. C# is more like C++ and Java in its syntax while VB.NET lends its syntax from VB6 a great deal; although VB.NET can not be seen as the successor of Visual Basic at the level of overall language design and the vision of its creators.
The general conception is that most of the VB6 developers will upgrade to VB.NET while developers coming from Java or C++ to .NET are likely to go for C#. Since web developers for Windows using ASP are familiar with VB and VB Scripts, therefore, most of the web development with ASP.NET at the start is likely to be dominated by VB.NET; but after sometime C# will be able to attract at least half of these developers. Keeping technical side away, C++ and thus C# developers are generally paid more than those of VB developers. So, this might also be the factor for making C# the language of choice on .NET framework.
What is the difference between Console, Windows, Web applications and Web services?
Console applications are light weight programs run inside the command prompt (DOS) window. They are commonly used for test applications. Windows Applications are form based standard Windows desktop applications for common day to day tasks. Microsoft word is an example of a Windows application.
Web applications are programs that used to run inside some web server (e.g., IIS) to fulfill the user requests over the http. A typical example of web application is Hotmail and Google.
Web services are web applications that provide services to other applications over the internet. Google search engine’s web service, e.g., allows other applications to delegate the task of searching over the internet to Google web service and use the result produced by it in their own applications.
What is meant by language interoperability and language integration?
Prior to the introduction of .Net, the code written in one programming language is considered to be usable only in the programs written with the same programming languages. For example, an algorithm implemented in Perl programming language can not be reused in the programs written in the C++. At Windows platform, Microsoft introduced the standards for COM (Component Object Model) which allows components written in one programming language to be used in other programming language. In Java, JNI (Java Native Interface) is presented to use-up the code written in non-Java languages into Java programs. But both the standards (COM and JNI) are too complex and have their own limitations. They also don’t allow the language integration, which means that you can use the components written in other programming languages but you can’t extend the functionality of the components.
In Microsoft.Net, the code written in any programming language is compiled to the same Intermediate Language (Microsoft Intermediate Language - MSIL or Common Intermediate Language – CIL) and to same component standard (assembly). Hence, it is possible for developers to employ the language interoperability by using and extending the solution implemented by other developers which might be using different programming language provided developers at both end are using.Net compliant programming languages.
What is a .Net Assembly?
The .NET assembly is the standard for components developed with the Microsoft.NET. Dot NET assemblies may or may not be executable, i.e., they might exist as the executable (.exe) file or dynamic link library (DLL) file. All the .NET assemblies contain the definition of types, versioning information for the type, meta-data, and manifest. The designers of .NET have worked a lot on the component (assembly) resolution.
There are two kind of assemblies in .NET; private and shared. Private assemblies are simple and copied with each calling assemblies in the calling assemblies folder. Shared assemblies (also called strong named assemblies) are copied to a single location (usually the Global assembly cache). For all calling assemblies within the same application, the same copy of the shared assembly is used from its original location. Hence, shared assemblies are not copied in the private folders of each calling assembly. Each shared assembly has a four part name including its face name, version, public key token and culture information. The public key token and version information makes it almost impossible for two different assemblies with the same name or for two similar assemblies with different version to mix with each other.
An assembly can be a single file or it may consist of the multiple files. In case of multi-file, there is one master module containing the manifest while other assemblies exist as non-manifest modules. A module in .NET is a sub part of a multi-file .NET assembly. Assembly is one of the most interesting and extremely useful areas of .NET architecture along with reflections and attributes, but unfortunately very few people take interest in learning such theoretical looking topics.
