What is .NET?

The .NET Framework is Microsoft's application development platform that enables developers to easily create Windows applications, web applications, and web services using a myriad of different programming languages, and without having to worry about low-level details like memory management and processor-specific instructions.

.NET development is part of Microsoft’s overall .NET vision to connect information, people, systems and devices. .NET development centers on the .NET Framework – a unified set of code libraries and a common language runtime. The .NET Framework provides the foundation for building and running all kinds of software including stand-alone applications, web-based applications, and web services used to facilitate integration of systems using platform-independent communication standards such as XML, SOAP, and HTTP.

One of the most significant advantages of the .NET Framework is its level of interoperability with other languages, applications, and systems. The .NET Framework currently supports over 20 different programming languages. Multiple language support improves productivity by allowing developers to choose the programming language that is best suited to the job. Furthermore, cross-language inheritance increases code reuse which translates into a decreased time to market.

.NET enables modern software applications to communicate through standard Internet protocols such as XML and SOAP, creating a channel through which internal and remote systems can easily interact. Multiple disparate applications can be seamlessly integrated, allowing businesses to quickly meet their unique business needs through specialized yet economical solutions.

Microsoft’s .NET Framework is a technology platform and programming model that provides the ability to efficiently develop, deploy and manage well-architected software solutions. The .NET Framework is a structured software development environment that facilitates the efficient creation of complex software applications that are reliable, scalable and extensible by managing memory, security and language integration.

Advantages of .NET:

•  .NET accelerates development time and lowers project costs by providing a set of unified development tools which enable custom code modules to be re-used within custom applications and across Web-based and Windows-based systems
• .NET accelerates development time and reduces the probability of programming errors by providing a large library of pre-coded functional modules.
• .NET solutions enable businesses to integrate their systems in a more agile manner and share information across different platforms and operating systems via Web Services (software components which allow separate systems to communicate automatically through standard Internet protocols such as XML).
• .NET applications can be easily configured to run on different hardware devices and integrate with external systems without changes to source code.
• The structured .NET development environment produces more stable applications with fewer defects and browser compatibility issues.
• .NET provides greater compatibility with Microsoft Server and desktop systems and SQL Server databases.    
• .NET provides strong built-in security and privacy protection.