Introduction to .NET

Welcome to the official Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) documentation for the .NET platform. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of .NET, its capabilities, and its role in modern software development.

What is .NET?

.NET is a free, cross-platform, open-source framework for building many different types of applications. With .NET, you can:

  • Build web applications and services using ASP.NET Core.
  • Develop desktop applications for Windows using Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) and Windows Forms.
  • Create mobile applications for iOS and Android using .NET MAUI.
  • Build games with Unity.
  • Develop cloud-native applications and microservices.
  • And much more!

Key Features of .NET

.NET offers a rich set of features designed to enhance developer productivity and application performance:

  • Cross-Platform: Develop and run your applications on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
  • Performance: .NET is engineered for high performance, making it suitable for demanding applications.
  • Open-Source: The .NET platform is open-source, fostering community involvement and rapid innovation.
  • Unified Platform: A single .NET runtime and framework support all .NET workloads.
  • Modern Language Support: Leverage powerful languages like C#, F#, and Visual Basic.
  • Extensive Class Library: Access a vast collection of pre-built libraries for common tasks.

The .NET Ecosystem

The .NET ecosystem is vibrant and extensive, including:

  • .NET Runtime: Executes your .NET code.
  • Base Class Library (BCL): Provides fundamental types and functionality.
  • Common Language Runtime (CLR): Manages the execution of .NET code, including memory management and exception handling.
  • Integrated Development Environments (IDEs): Tools like Visual Studio and Visual Studio Code provide a rich development experience.
  • Package Manager: NuGet allows you to easily discover and consume third-party libraries.

Note: This introduction covers the core aspects of .NET. For deeper dives into specific technologies and advanced topics, please refer to the subsequent sections of this documentation.

Getting Started

To begin your journey with .NET, you'll need to install the .NET SDK. You can download it from the official .NET website. Once installed, you can start creating your first applications using the command-line interface or your preferred IDE.

For detailed installation instructions and your first "Hello, World!" application, please visit the Getting Started section.

Tip: Explore the various tutorials available to learn specific .NET technologies and build practical applications.

We are excited to have you join the .NET developer community!