[monkeyhead]

Hi,
I'm not really too sure what .Net is all about either. Please could someone explain what its features are and what makes .Net actually .Net? Is it compiled to an excuable? or just parsed when needed? Web based language?
Just curious,
Matt

[Nazir]

All applications developed under the .Net Framework have certain key features that ensure compatibility, security, and stability, Let's examine these features individually.

The Common Language Runtime (CLR) is an enviroment that manages the execution of the code. In other words, it runs and maintains any code you write in .net framework.

Traditionally, when you create an application, you write some code in a programming language (such as Visual Basic), compile it into a format that the computer can understand (1's and 0's), and then execute it. Note that different types of computers speak different languages (for instance, PCs and Macintoshes). This means that every time you want to use an application on a different type of computer, you have to recompile it to the new computer's language. In the .NET Framework, things work a little differently.

With the .NET Framework and CLR, you still write code complie it. However, instead of compiling it into something the computer can understands, you compile it into a language called the Microsoft Intermediate Language (MSIL). This language is shorthand way of representing all the code you've written. When you compile to MSIL, your application produces something called metadata. This is descriptive infromation about your application. It tells what the application can do, where it belongs, and so on.

Then, when you want to run your program, the Common Language Runtime takes over and compiles the code once more into the computer's native language. This way MSIL can go on any type of computer. The CLR can speak many different computer languages and does all the compiling for you. Once you compile your application, you can bring it to any other computer!

The CLR uses the metedata to find out how to run the application, which makes it very easy to install programs. With metadata, there's no need for the registry. All necessary information is stored with the application files, so any changes you make are put into effect automatically.

The code that works with CLR is called managed code. This is beacuse the CLR manages its execution and provides benefits (such as resource management) without the developer having to build it manually. The code that run outside of the CLR is known as unmanaged code.

That's not all the CLR does, however. It provides services such as error handling, security features, versioning and deployment support, as well as cross-language integration. That means you can choose any language you want to write your .Net application.

[Francisjr]

Basically .NET is programming under the .NET framework just like Java as a . The main features of .NET as a programing is that you have the freedom which programmig language you are most comfortable writing. You can write a .NET windows or web application using C#, VB.NET , C++, or any other languange.