Introduction to .NET

In this lesson, we will be exploring the fundamentals of the .NET framework. .NET is a free, open-source framework developed by Microsoft that allows developers to build a wide range of applications, including web, desktop, mobile, gaming, and more. It provides a powerful set of tools and libraries for developing applications across multiple platforms.

.NET is a versatile framework that supports multiple programming languages, including C#, Visual Basic, and F#. It offers a unified programming model that allows developers to write code once and run it on different platforms, such as Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Features of .NET

• Common Language Runtime (CLR): The CLR is the execution environment for .NET applications. It provides features like memory management, exception handling, and security.
• Base Class Library (BCL): The BCL is a collection of reusable classes, interfaces, and types that provide common functionality to .NET applications. It includes classes for working with files, databases, networking, and more.
• Language Interoperability: .NET supports multiple programming languages, allowing developers to use their language of choice while still accessing the same framework and libraries.
• Cross-Platform Development: With the introduction of .NET Core, developers can now build and run .NET applications on multiple operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux.

.NET provides a rich ecosystem of tools, frameworks, and libraries that make it a popular choice for building robust and scalable applications. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced developer, learning .NET can open up new opportunities and expand your development skills.

Let's start by writing a simple "Hello .NET" program in C#.

1using System;
2
3public class Program
4{
5    public static void Main()
6    {
7        Console.WriteLine("Hello .NET!");
8    }
9}

When you run this program, it will output "Hello .NET!" to the console. This simple example demonstrates the basic structure of a .NET program and how to use the Console.WriteLine method to print messages.

In the upcoming sections, we will dive deeper into various aspects of .NET and explore its capabilities in more detail.

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// Example code in C#

using System;

​

public class Program

{

    public static void Main()

    {

        Console.WriteLine("Hello .NET!");

    }

}