.NET Framework

The .NET framework was introduced in 2002 as a new execution environment for future Windows applications. Its architecture provide the following major benefits compared to previous Windows programming frameworks:

• Memory is managed by .NET which reduces the possibility of memory leaks (the gradual irreversible consumption of memory requiring restarting of the offending application or of the PC).
• Security considerations are built into .NET which reduces the likelyhood of malicious or inadvertant access to lower level OS functionality.
• Executes applications within a Common Language Runtime (CLR) which allows applications to be developed in one or more different programming languages such as C#, VB and F#. Different programming languages have different strengths. Thus the CLR means that the best language for a particular application (or component within an application) can be selected.
• .NET includes an extensive library of code that means developers are more efficient because they are not writing commonly used functions. This translates into reduced custom software development costs and improved quality.