Chapter 2: Understanding the .NET Framework

Overview

In the previous chapter, you saw how ASP.NET is a major evolution from ASP 3.0. ASP.NET provides a powerful new server-side control architecture, which makes the development of rich web pages easier than ever before. It has a cleaner, event-based programming model, making web development much more like traditional VB Forms programming. This results in the average ASP.NET page requiring much lesser code than an equivalent ASP page, which in turn leads to greater developer productivity and better maintainability. ASP.NET pages are also compiled, so web servers running ASP.NET applications can expect to far exceed the performance and scalability levels of previous ASP applications.

ASP.NET is part of the .NET Framework: a new computing platform that simplifies and modernizes application development and deployment on Windows. The .NET Framework is many things, but it is worthwhile listing its most important aspects. In short, the .NET Framework is:

• A platform designed from the start for writing Internet-aware and Internet-enabled applications that embrace and adopt open standards such as XML, HTTP, and SOAP.

• A platform that provides a number of very rich and powerful application development technologies, such as Windows Forms (used to build classic GUI applications) and of course ASP.NET (used to build Web applications).

• A platform with an extensive class library that provides wide- ranging support for data access (relational and XML), directory services, message queuing, and much more.

• A platform with a base class library that contains hundreds of classes for performing common tasks such as file manipulation, registry access, security, threading, and the searching of text using regular expressions.

• A language-neutral platform that makes all languages first class citizens . You can use the language you feel most comfortable and productive with, and not encounter any limitations.

• A platform that doesn't forget its origins, and has great interoperability support for existing components that you or third parties have written, using Component Object Model (COM), COM+, or standard DLLs.

• A platform with an independent code execution and management environment called the Common Language Runtime (CLR) , which ensures code is safe to run, and provides an abstract layer on top of the operating system, which allows elements of the .NET Framework to run on many operating systems and devices.

From a developer's perspective, the .NET Framework effectively supersedes the Windows development platform of old, providing an all-new, object-oriented alternative (some would say replacement) for the WIN32 API, all language runtimes , technologies like ASP, and the majority of the numerous COM object models (such as ADO) that are in use today.

This chapter looks at:

• The Microsoft vision for .NET, and the need for a new platform.

• The role and power of the CLR.

• The key elements that comprise the .NET Framework.

• The key design goals and architecture of ASP.NET.